Customer Believes That The Internet Runs On Magic

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mattstaff
Jun 11, 2021 9:00 AM EDT

You've really got to hand it to the employees that are immersed in the grueling world of tech support. So many of them actually possess the patience of saints. I mean, how many calls can you realistically take from outrageously clueless customers before you just up and look for a new gig? I don't know, man. In this wonderful scenario we have a customer who seemed to believe that the internet runs on magic. Oh well, learn something new everyday. For another tech support tale check out this story about a man who assumed that his computer would run during a power outage. 

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  • 01
    Font - r/talesfromtechsupport + Join u/Shas_Erra · 3d 1 Customer apparently believes that the internet runs on magic Short Long term lurker, first time poster. For the past year or so, l've been working tech support for a well known ISP. My job is to help people fix problems with their internet and yes, 99% are elderly or Kevins. This particular customer call starts out pretty normal, no internet connection, phone not working, etc, etc...
    via u/Shas_Erra
  • 02
    Font - I start a test on the line to look for faults but this can take a while sol also check the general setup, asking the customer to confirm what is plugged in and where. Line test comes back clean apart from not getting a signal back from the router and the setup sounds correct. I even ask the customer outright if there's any signs of damage to anything and he says no. I'm at a loss and leaning towards a fault with the equipment. Just as a last shot, I get the customer to use his mobile to s
    via u/Shas_Erra
  • 03
    Font - Me: "Well there's the problem. We'll need to send someone to repair the socket otherwise nothing is going to work" Customer: "But I'm supposed to be working from home and my boss is expecting me on a call soon. Can't you just press a button at your end and make it work?" Me: ".. .so an engineer will be with you on Thursday" 821 149 ↑, Share
    via u/Shas_Erra
  • 04
    Font - jf808 · 3d 4 Awards I had the opposite problem with my former ISP a few years ago. Me: I was gardening and cut the line coming into my house. Them: Reading from script going through testing Me: No you don't understand, the cable is cut in two. I'm holding it in my hand. Them: Yes, but please unplug your router, wait 30 seconds, then plug it back in. Ieventually stopped arguing and just sat outside giving them the answers they needed to move ahead in their script.
    via u/Shas_Erra
  • 05
    Font - We finally got to them saying they couldn't help remotely and would have to send someone out. This was a Saturday. We scheduled for Monday morning and hung up. An hour later I get a call from the supervisor. They review weird cases and found that the resolution doesn't match the description of the problem, so they're going to walk me through some troubleshooting. Me: But the cable is cut into two. I chopped through it with an axe. Send someone to either repair the cable in my yard or run
    via u/Shas_Erra
  • 06
    Font - I again just gave in and gave the right answers until they agree that a tech should come out. Monday morning, an hour before the tech was supposed to arrive, the supervisor's supervisor calls. They review the weird cases that are still weird after the supervisors call, so they CANCELLED MY APPOINTMENT and decided to call me directly instead. I snapped. Never have I screamed so many profanities. I refused to do the same troubleshooting steps again and kept yelling to give me my original ap
    via u/Shas_Erra
  • 07
    Font - Then the tech shows up. He's confused why I direct him to go around the side of the house. I point to the cut line laying in the dirt, and a light bulb clicks. Them: Yeah, that's not what your phone tech support said was your problem, but I see why they kept calling you. They kept writing that you were convinced the line was dead but refused troubleshooting. This is an easy fix, but I don't have the right part in my van. He was a nice guy. He went to get the part, and I had service immedi
    via u/Shas_Erra
  • 08
    Font - rde42 · 2d I had a good experience. Our internet went down completely and it was clearly a line fault. I get priority service so a BT (phone company) engineer called me. He started to ask me questions and said he'd be around to evaluate. I stopped him and suggested he come along via the railway station down the road, explaining that was on the line's route, and that there were substantial road works right across the road. He arrived smiling, said my guess was correct and he'd called up th
    via u/Shas_Erra
  • 09
    Font - creegro · 2d Computer engineer cause I know what a mouse does My time as it support in any call center, people just thought we had a program or a button to press to get their stuff working. Its not the power outage, it's not issues with the internet, its not signal issues(for cable TV services), its not because the box isnt plugged in, it must be you guys in support making us waste time by calling in so you can activate our services.
    via u/Shas_Erra

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customer service tech support FAIL Awkward technology ridiculous dumb Reddit
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