'Apparently, I'm the idiot': Tech support employee dumbfounded after receiving a scathing review from a customer who failed to identify the difference between an iPad and a laptop

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Feb 8, 2025 6:00 PM EST

Tech support is a wonderful service for technologically illiterate people. However, this customer got awfully condescending with his valiant over-the-phone hero after getting saved from moronic assumptions. 

Usually, when someone's there to help you, it's ill-advised to talk down to them. It's an unpopular opinion with all of the Karens and the Kevins out there, but in my mind, a customer service representative wants to get you off the phone with your ticket item concluded and solved faster than you do. And when the expert on the other line is asking probing questions about your technology, they can only assume you at least sort of know what you're talking about—unlike the Boomer in this next story. 

Caught between the cross-hairs of entitlement and uselessness, this Kevin was unable to identify the difference between an iPad and a laptop, yet blamed his tech support guy for his own shortcomings. Read on for the details of this uncomfortable customer service encounter where a guy makes a fool of himself and has no other way to reset his pride than by leaving a scathing review of his IT guy.

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  • Cheezburger Image 10463426048
    via Monkey Business Images

    (The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.)

    When pressed for more information about his device, this boomer dug in his heels and got snippy with the one person who could actually help him out. Perhaps this is why grandma and grandpa are always saluting us when we 'fix' the wifi by turning it off and on again—it's all a mystery to them.

  • "Apparently, I'm the idiot"

    I had a guy call in a week ago asking for help getting into his newly issued iPad. I go through the standard PINs for the company iPads and nothing works. He's getting frustrated.
    via DoubleStuffedCheezIt
  • He mentions that he just got this iPad from his manager who ordered it for him. I ask him to flip over the iPad and provide me the model number to see if maybe that will help in case this specific model has a new pass code or something.
    via DoubleStuffedCheezIt
  • While I'm waiting for that information, I look up tickets from his manager and see if I can see information about the iPad. Only ticket that shows up for new equipment is for a laptop, dock, and monitor. I ask
    via DoubleStuffedCheezIt
  • if his "iPad" is a HP laptop and he says incredibly sarcastically, "Duh, that's what I've been telling you." Right... I'm dumbfounded and ask him if his email and SSO password work, and he tries it then says
    via DoubleStuffedCheezIt
  • Cheezburger Image 10463426816
    via Simple Foto

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • "Yeah, that worked, why didn't you have me do that earlier? I have a customer sitting here waiting on me and you're wasting my time." Took all of my self-control to not tell that guy that I can't help him if he's
    via DoubleStuffedCheezIt
  • a moron who doesn't know the difference between an iPad and a laptop. He left a dissatisfied review after I closed the ticket because of course I'm the moron.
    via DoubleStuffedCheezIt
  • Cheezburger Image 10463426560
    via StockLite

    (The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.)

  • brickx2 Calls like this need a message to their manager about how to communicate with service departments. Aka the corporate speak for "Tell your employee not to be an a hole."
    via brickx2
  • Academic Nectarine94 Of course it ridiculous. HR doesn't want to have you telling them things like "don't call an HP an iPad and act like I'm the idiot for not reading your mind" LOL
    via Academic_Nectarine94
  • dirmasterO This, and honestly for both employees and customers sales representatives in the case of support work. Nobody deserves to get sh on except the mfs that think it's fine to treat support and service industry employees like sh, they can get the wall
    via dirmasterO
  • feldominance nah people like that get the condescending attitude immediately. "oh, okay, i found the hardware ticket and that's not an ipad thats a laptop, so we gotta use different credentials" make them feel like an idiot without telling them they're an idiot
    via feldominance
  • pfunk1989 Excellent format. While the sales guy will still b I and moan, if/when they go back to listen to the recording, IT was just spitting facts.
    via pfunk1989
  • axb993 Even better is if you drag it out and force them to verbalise it before you. "Champ that serial number doesn't look like it belongs to an iPad, do you see the word 'iPad' written anywhere on the device?"
    via axb993
  • "I know what an iPad is." "Absolutely you do, and do you see an Apple logo anywhere on the device?" "Uh... no..."
    via axb993
  • "Very interesting considering Apple are the only company that make iPads. Do you have a manager, colleague, or tech- literate family member I can talk to instead maybe? I'd love to help you but I need the correct info to do so."
    via axb993
  • The_Long_Blank Stare I chuckled at "Champ". Gonna keep that in my back pocket :)
    via The_Long_Blank_Stare

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customer service boss worker tech support employee boomer ipad manager job work coworkers working ceo employees computer baby boomers supervisor workplace Tech company laptop coworker business
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