'I had a good laugh at that one': IT workers share what it's like to work for the technologically-illiterate

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    Computer - esc tab caps lock shift In FE Q * @ 2 12 W 80 # 3 999, $ 4 FR % 5 V n T G AM ^ 6 B & 7 44 #7 U * 8 V 9 1 0 BE P delete 1 return
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    Font - Posted by u/C__kGobblin 2 days ago Tech illiterate staff are exhausting Short
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    Font - The scenario: a small business I work with remotely had a power outage that caused a hardware failure in a local server (handles the point of sale (POS) software and
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    Font - shared files). This meant the client computers couldn't connect to the POS, but they still had email/internet because the server doesn't handle that.
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    Font - I don't think the staff understand what the server does and/or that it is located at their business. I also believe they think the shortcut on their desktop IS the POS.
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    Font - First I get an email asking if deleting a shortcut will delete the POS. I try to remote into the server and it is offline. So I call them, explaining how to check if the server computer is powered on. I explain how to manually power cycle it.
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    Font - After a few calls/emails back and forth, I say that I think the computer is broken and needs to be repaired. I then get an email that says "we can access the internet and email on our workstations but still can't connect to the POS".
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    Font - So a few more emails later and I think (I hope) they understand that the POS software is on the server as well as all their shared files, when I get an email saying they're taking the server into a local repair shop (at my request since I am remotely helping them at this point). They then ask
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    Font - me which computer they are taking in (the small router or the mini-atx case computer) - I had a good laugh at that one.
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    Font - An hour goes by and I get an email: "we rebooted our computer and still cannot connect to the POS". So I ask if the repair shop fixed the server and they powered it back on. "No,
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    Font - that computer is still at the shop being fixed". /facepalm UGHH. I have found a new respect for those who have to deal with this daily.
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    Font - happilygonelucky. 2 days ago "Is your printer on the office network, or do you have it plugged directly in via USB?" "It's a USB printer" Cue a half hour of troubleshooting trying, trying different ports, etc.
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    Font - Eventually I express frustration that maybe the USB cord is just bad and the user says, "Well, it's a USB Printer, so that means there's no cord going from the printer to the computer." All the times we'd been moving the usb-cord, she'd been plugging and unplugging her docking station.
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    Font - atreus421 1 day ago . 2014, Highly educated, though slightly older, medical professional calls in: "Are you guys done with my computer yet? I need to go into a facility."
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    Font - "What do you mean? We're not on you're computer, we don't have that capability. " "Then why did you guys call and said there was a problem and had to remotely access my laptop?"
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    Font - "No one here called...." mutes phone "Oh God...." Looks up extension for HIPAA Compliance officer
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    Font - C <Gobblin OP . 2 days ago Wow, this brought up another awful memory with this same company I am dealing with. Someone unplugged the ethernet cable from one of the
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    Font - workstations when they were unplugging their usb charge cable (which is also against company policy). "We can't connect to the internet anymore!"
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    Font - anubisviech. 1 day ago 418 I'm a teapot Reminds me of the story where a user didn't charge their laptop, as they claimed it said on the sticker, that it is wireless.
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    Font - insec_001. 22 hr. ago We have a user that believes she is tech literate because she runs the computer lab for 5-8 year olds. Many times I have had to undo her "solutions" to printer problems like, unplugging the USB from the back of the printer and plugging it into the ethernet port.

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