[Friday Funny] Helpdesk Calls

The Friday Funny fridayfunny at internetgremlin.com
Fri Nov 23 07:36:42 GMT 2007


Sorry for sending out a rather old one, but I hadn't seen one or two of these.  Apologies also for the silence last week - busy days!

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Customer:     "I've been ringing 0700 2300 for two days and can't get through to enquiries, can you help?". 
Operator:     "Where did you get that number from, sir?".  
Customer:     "It was on the door to the Travel Centre".  
Operator:     "Sir, they are our opening hours". 
 
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
Samsung Electronics  
Caller:       "Can you give me the telephone number for Jack?" 
Operator:     "I'm sorry, sir, I don't understand who you are talking about". 
Caller:       "On page 1, section 5, of the user guide it clearly states that I need to unplug the fax machine from the AC wall socket and telephone Jack before cleaning.  Now, can you give me the number for Jack?" 
Operator:     "I think it means the telephone point on the wall". 
 
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RAC Motoring Services  
Caller:        "Does your European Breakdown Policy cover me when I am travelling in Australia?" 
Operator:      "Doesn't the product name give you a clue?" 

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Caller (enquiring about legal requirements while travelling in France)
"If I register my car in France, do I have to change the steering wheel to the other side of the car?" 

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Directory Enquiries  
Caller:   "I'd like the number of the Argoed Fish Bar in Cardiff please". 
Operator: "I'm sorry, there's no listing.  Is the spelling correct?"
Caller:   "Well, it used to be called the Bargoed Fish Bar but the 'B' fell off".  

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Then there was the caller who asked for a knitwear company in Woven.  
Operator:        "Woven?  Are you sure?"  
Caller:          "Yes.  That's what it says on the label; Woven in Scotland".

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On another occasion, a man making heavy breathing sounds from a phone box told a worried operator: 
"I haven't got a pen, so I'm steaming up the window to write the number on". 

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Tech Support:      "I need you to right-click on the Open Desktop".  
Customer:          "OK". 
Tech Support:      "Did you get a pop-up menu?".  
Customer:          "No". 
Tech Support:      "OK.  Right-Click again.  Do you see a pop-up menu?"   
Customer:          "No". 
Tech Support:      "OK, sir.  Can you tell me what you have done up until this point?". 
Customer:          "Sure.  You told me to write 'click' and I wrote 'click'". 

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Tech Support:      "OK.  In the bottom left hand side of the screen, can you see the 'OK' button displayed?" 
Customer:          "Wow.  How can you see my screen from there?" 

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Caller:             "I deleted a file from my PC last week and I have just realised that I need it.  If I turn my system clock back two weeks will I have my file back again?"

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[I'd take the 'true story' claim with a pinch of salt - I've seen this story claimed to be true many times over the years, and applied to many different companies...]

And there's always one.  This has got to be one of the funniest things in a long time.  This guy should have been promoted, not fired.  This is  a true story from the WordPerfect Helpline, which was transcribed from a recording monitoring the customer care department.  Needless to say the Help Desk employee was fired; however, s/he is currently suing the WordPerfect organization for "Termination without Cause". 
  
Actual dialogue of a former WordPerfect Customer Support employee (now we know why they record these conversations):
  
Operator:         "Ridge Hall, computer assistance; may I help you?"  
Caller:           "Yes, well, I'm having trouble with WordPerfect." 
Operator:         "What sort of trouble?" 
Caller:           "Well, I was just typing along, and all of a sudden the words went away." 
Operator:         "Went away?"  
Caller:           "They disappeared." 
Operator:         "Hmm.  So what does your screen look like now?"  
Caller:           "Nothing." 
Operator:         "Nothing?" 
Caller:           "It's blank; it won't accept anything when I type." 
Operator:         "Are you still in WordPerfect, or did you get out?" 
Caller:           "How do I tell?" 
Operator:         "Can you see the C: prompt on the screen?" 
Caller:           "What's a sea-prompt?" 
Operator:         "Never mind, can you move your cursor around the screen?" 
Caller:           "There isn't any cursor: I told you, it won't accept anything I type." 
Operator:         "Does your monitor have a power indicator?" 
aller:           "What's a monitor?" 
Operator:         "It's the thing with the screen on it that looks like a TV.  Does it have a little light that tells you when it's on?" 
Caller:           "I don't know." 
Operator:         "Well, then look on the back of the monitor and find where the power cord goes into it.  Can you see that?" 
Caller:           "Yes, I think so." 
Operator:         "Great.  Follow the cord to the plug, and tell me if it's plugged into the wall."
Caller:           "Yes, it is." 
Operator:         "When you were behind the monitor, did you notice that there were two cables plugged into the back of it, not just one?"
Caller:           "No." 
Operator:         "Well, there are.  I need you to look back there again and find the other cable." 
Caller:           "Okay, here it is." 
Operator:         "Follow it for me, and tell me if it's plugged securely into the back of your computer." 
Caller:           "I can't reach." 
Operator:         "Uh huh.  Well, can you see if it is?" 
Caller:           "No." 
Operator:         "Even if you maybe put your knee on something and lean way over?"
Caller:           "Oh, it's not because I don't have the right angle - it's because it's dark."
Operator:         "Dark?" 
Caller:           "Yes - the office light is off, and the only light I have is coming in from the window." 
Operator:         "Well, turn on the office light then." 
Caller:           "I can't." 
Operator:         "No?  Why not?" 
Caller:           "Because there's a power failure." 
Operator:         "A power...................................... A power failure?  Aha, Okay, we've got it licked now. Do you still have the boxes and manuals and packing stuff your computer came in?"
Caller:           "Well, yes, I keep them in the closet." 
Operator:         "Good.  Go get them, and unplug your system and pack it up just like it was when you got it.  Then take it back to the store you bought it from."     
Caller:           "Really?  Is it that bad?" 
Operator:         "Yes, I'm afraid it is." 
Caller:           "Well, all right then, I suppose.  What do I tell them?" 
Operator:         "Tell them you're too *%*%*%*% stupid to own a computer!" 

-- 
Peter SJF Bance
http://www.minstrel.org.uk/
XMPP: GreyMinstrel at jabber.org | AIM: GreyMinstrel
MSN: Minstrel at minstrel.org.uk | ICQ: 254652398



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