His Supervisor Warned The Programmer Not To Sound Condescending To One Caller, But The Caller Needed Far More Detailed Instructions Than He Admitted
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Imagine working in tech support. After a while, you’d probably know exactly what to say to help callers navigate solving certain technical issues.
What would you do if you were saying what you usually say but the caller hung up on you, called your boss, and complained that you were being “condescending”?
In this story, one tech support worker is in this exact situation. He wasn’t trying to be condescending at all. He was just saying what he usually says. So, he called back and tried to be more careful with his words this time.
Keep reading to see how the story plays out.
Providing detailed instructions is reported to my boss as “condescending”
Just thought of this incident from mid-90’s.
Background: At the time, I’m in my early 20’s, fairly professional in all aspects of my job, and working for a business software company with less than 20 employees.
I’m the sole programmer for “warehouse software”, and the company has 3 tech support people for my software.
I’m at a point in the company where I usually don’t answer tech calls, unless the ticket’s been escalated to me or there’s no support staff available (out to lunch, at a client site, already on a tech call, etc.). So if I take the call, you’re getting the most knowledgeable person that can resolve it.
This story is about one particular phone call.
One day, I’m forced to answer a support call, and the customer is already very short with his responses. I’ll skip the general introductions and description of the actual issue (not relevant to the story).
$Me: Well, that shouldn’t be happening. It could be that you don’t have the latest file version of one of the programs. We’ll just need to check.
$User: Ok. Fine.
$Me: Are you at the machine?
$User: Yes. (slightly angry) Where else would I be?!?
Here’s an important note.
It should be noted, that they have several machines running the networked software at their site. From what I remember, at least 3 in their warehouse and 1 in the offices.
So how the heck should I know his location? Maybe he was in his office.
$Me: Ok. Can you get to a DOS prompt?
$User: I’m there.
Here’s some more important background information.
Now, for those of you that may not know… Back then, you had to use a 8.3 file naming system. And since the name of the software was longer than that, the software was installed in a directory name that was a condensed form of the software name with a version number.
Typically, anyone that wasn’t familiar with it, would have a hard time locating it in DOS.
Whenever I provided support, I would always spell it out, and it eventually became a reflex to do it fairly quickly.
I also always confirmed they using the correct drive letter, because our software required a mapped drive to connect to our server files and databases.
Back to the phone call…
$Me: Ok. Please type, C:
$User: (silence)
A few seconds pass by.
$Me: Now type in: CD\WHS_SFT2.1
OP kept going.
$User: (silence)
More seconds pass by.
$Me: And type in: DIR *.EXE
$User: (click) (dial-tone)
Weird just got weirder.
Well, that was weird. Guess we were disconnected when I started providing instructions.
A few minutes later, my boss (the owner) calls me into his office.
Now, my boss loved me, so it’s weird to get randomly called in unless he wants an update on my programming upgrades for the software, or to discuss an upcoming sale with client requests that we haven’t implemented before – but the Head of R&D is usually involved in those discussions.
$Me: Hey, what’s up?
Let’s see what the boss wants…
$Boss: I personally got a call from $User saying you were very condescending during a support call?
$Me: Huh? Ummm… I was just trying to find out the file dates of the programs, and the line was cut-off.
$Boss: Yea. He hung up. Saying you disrespected him and whatever. In his words: “I work on computers all day! I know what I’m doing!! blah blah blah”. He actually asked for someone else to help him. I know you’re busy with the upgrade, and I’d have someone call back, but you’re all I got today. I’ve known him for years, and he wants everyone to know he’s the smartest guy in the room. But I know you. You got this! Just call back and apologize in some way, even if he’s still being a jerk. Try to make it look like he’s not an idiot.
$Me: (Lol) Yea, sure thing.
Let’s try that again…
So I call back…
$Me: Hi $User. I’m sorry if there was some misunderstanding. I just wanted to get the dates of the executables from the machine.
$User: You should be sorry! I work on computers… (continues rant)
$Me: I understand. Again, I’m sorry. I’m just accustomed to providing detailed instructions to users that aren’t very technically inclined. But anyway, I’ll need the list of dates for the executables.
He had to choose his words carefully.
$User: Ok. (typing). There are none!
Geez, they have to be there. He told me before that the menu screen was displayed on the machine.
$Me: (trying not to sound condescending, so not spelling it out) Are you in the “warehouse software” directory?
$User: Yes.
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He’s trying really hard not to ask too many detailed questions.
$Me. Well. I’m not sure how to help. The machine was running the software before, so the executables have to be there.
$User: (silence)
$Me: Can you tell me what files are in that directory? (again, don’t want to be condescending by asking him if he’s in the right directory, or even to type DIR )
$User: (reads off a bunch of files)
It was user error.
$Me: Wait… What those files have nothing to do with the software. What directory are you in?
Ends up he’s in a completely different directory on the mapped drive.
$Me: Ok. You need to be in the “warehouse software” directory on the C drive.
$User: Ok. (typing). It’s not there! How do I get there?
Back to how it started.
$Me: Type in: C: CD\WHS_SFT2.1
$User: Ok. Here’s the dates for the files…
Ugh… Support knows what they’re doing, just follow instructions to get issues resolved quickly! We don’t say them to hear ourselves talk.
If only the caller had listened the first time instead of overreacting!
Let’s see how Reddit responded.
This is the real question.
Another person shares their thoughts.
This person vents about an annoying user.
Another person shares what a user once said.
If you’re calling tech support for help, don’t act like you know everything. If you did, you’d have no reason to call.
Some people need to get over their ego and listen. If they did, their problems would be solved so much quicker and with so much less drama.
Talk about a frustrating phone call!
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