Really Bad Tech Support Scripts...

[beastrace91]

I was recently told by tech support (http://jeffhoogland.blogspot.com/2010/08/techsupport-c-drive-on-your-linux-phone.html) that the C drive on my Linux running N900 might be corrupted and that is why the application I purchased wasn't working...

Anyone else ever heard something as bad as this from a level 1 tech support script?

~Jeff

[ronnielsen1]

My niece was told by charter that her Pentium 4 running Ubuntu 10.04 was too old and they had to get a new computer

[donkyhotay]

Who calls tech support these days? When I need help I just go straight to ubuntuforums! (c;

[cariboo]

There are some issues, that can't be solved using the forums. My isp has live chat for support, they seem to have it staffed with support people that actually know what they are doing, instead of people that are only allowed to answer scripted questions.

[undecim]

A while ago my parents had a computer store, and they had a lady come in who had worked at tech support for several years, but knew nothing about computers. She said all she ever did was read from a script.

[Dragonbite]

The 4 R's of troubleshooting (originally for Windows PCs, but actually works for a lot of things.. technical and non-technical ;) )

Restart the application
Restart the operating system
Reinstall the application
Reinstall the operating system


(and, in the case of a Windows PC, Replace with Linux)

[Austin25]

The 4 R's of troubleshooting (originally for Windows PCs, but actually works for a lot of things.. technical and non-technical ;) )

Restart the application
Restart the operating system
Reinstall the application
Reinstall the operating system


(and, in the case of a Windows PC, Replace with Linux)
And when all of that fails,
Recycle, by giving to a geek.

[TNT1]

There are some issues, that can't be solved using the forums. .

:shock:

Then I'm screwed...

[Dragonbite]

and when all of that fails,
recycle, by giving to a geek.
+1 !

[Groucho Marxist]

Who calls tech support these days?

To paraphrase Maddox's The Alphabet of Manliness (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/080652720X/bpitu-20/103-1503073-4111803?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&link_code=xm2), men like to get angry. So, I when I feel the need to get HULK MAD, I usually call up Dell Hell and listen to someone tell me that "Despite the fact that your computer is under warranty and repairs should be free, you'll have to pay $500 to fix it."

[ubunterooster]

Recently contacted ISP about a forgotten password to an account so they sent the password to that account so I could retrieve it and then closed the help session; "thanks guys" :(
To paraphrase Maddox's The Alphabet of Manliness (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/080652720X/bpitu-20/103-1503073-4111803?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&link_code=xm2), men like to get angry. So, I when I feel the need to get HULK MAD, I usually call up Dell Hell and listen to someone tell me that "Despite the fact that your computer is under warranty and repairs should be free, you'll have to pay $500 to fix it."Always have your computers fixed or they reproduce and make little nettops
:shock:
Then I'm screwed...Yup, me too

[Legendary_Bibo]

When my brother's dell laptops' motherboard fried itself (the laptop was only about 6 months old), and while its under a 3 year warranty dell wanted to charge $1300 to replace the motherboard (The laptop itself was $1400-$1800 when my dad bought it) for labor costs, parts, and some other BS fee. That didn't go over so well with my dad considering how they told him it was covered until the guy replaced it and tried saying that it was my brother's fault the laptop fried (using it apparently constitutes as being your fault :confused: ).

[beercz]

:shock:

Then I'm screwed...
You could try google as a last resort!

I've done that on more than one occasion!

[pricetech]

I usually begin the conversation with unknown support people by telling them that I'm an ******* and they just drew the short straw when they answered my call. If necessary I go on to tell them I have a Jeckle and Hyde personality and their response to my request determines which one they get to deal with.

I don't have a lot of grief from them after that.

[Ctrl-Alt-F1]

You could try google as a last resort!

I've done that on more than one occasion!

I do that at work FREQUENTLY where I work in tech support (only in-house though) :)

[beastrace91]

I usually begin the conversation with unknown support people by telling them that I'm an ******* and they just drew the short straw when they answered my call. If necessary I go on to tell them I have a Jeckle and Hyde personality and their response to my request determines which one they get to deal with.

I don't have a lot of grief from them after that.

LOL. Going to give this one a try next time me thinks...

~Jeff

[Dragonbite]

I usually begin the conversation with unknown support people by telling them that I'm an ******* and they just drew the short straw when they answered my call. If necessary I go on to tell them I have a Jeckle and Hyde personality and their response to my request determines which one they get to deal with.

I don't have a lot of grief from them after that.

Very tempting to try this one out! :)

[giddyup306]

Sadly it seems like a lot of people just read a flowchart and follow their script. When I worked for Ford I somehow got stuck fixing all the computers and scanners. The WDS (scanner) ran on Windows ME so needless to say it crashed all the time. I went through the same thing every time I had to call tech support. It usually boiled down to a "10% reghost". Did you try... Yeah I did all that long before I called you. Then it took an act of god to get the scanner or docking station warrantied including a conference call between WDS and Ford. I finally got a chick named Angie that new what she was talking about. I got her extension and called her every time after that.

It's not only with computers. I installed a remote starter once that wouldn't work after I installed it. The guy had asked where I put my ground. I put it under the LH kick pannel like I always did (I used to build police cars for OPD - that's where several grounds were placed). I was arguing with this guy that it was a sufficient ground, and I ended up humoring him by wiring a ground all the way back to the battery. Still nothing. I called tech support again to get someone else. Before he even ran through any diag he told me that the PATS (security system on some Fords) bypass module didn't produce a strong enough signal to temporarily bypass PATS. I've been working on cars long enough that you better know what the hell you're talking about if you say I'm wrong...

I guess it is the same all across the board. These companies want cheap labor, so they'll hire any idiot off the street...