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02-12-2007, 04:04 PM

On Mon, 12 Feb 2007 07:38:24 -0600, Doc O'Leary wrote:

> In article <eqngl0$k26$2@news.xmission.com>, D_Frumious_B@ndersnat.ch
> wrote:
>
>> Doc O'Leary <droleary.usenet@1q2007.subsume.com> wrote:
>>
>> > So you tend to laugh at people who actually need your services? That is
>> > the oddest customer service I have ever heard of. It is even more
>> > strange that you'd post your poor attitude, seemingly *bragging*, to
>> > Usenet.
>>
>> I've seen the proverbial Clueless Newbie many a time. During my
>> planetarium years we sometimes had people ask us if we closed during
>> cloudy weather. At Bryce Canyon NP we had people ask us (a) who carved
>> all those sculptures and (b) was the canyon lighted at night. At Grand
>> Canyon a guy I know tried and failed to convince one tourist (we called
>> them "dudes," with the old meaning, not the current one) that the canyon
>> does not fill with snow up to the rim in winter. Give me a little time,
>> and I'm sure I can think of more like these.
>> And yes, I'm sure I've asked dumb questions myself in computer shops,
>> at airline ticket counters, or somewhere.
>> To the inititated, things like this will always be funny. The only
>> thing you can do is keep a straight face and answer the newby's question
>> in terms s/he can understand. But if you don't laugh about it later, you
>> ain't human.
>
> You're adding confusion to the issue. A lapse in logic, even one's own,
> can definitely be funny, but that is not the case here. This is a case
> of misunderstood terminology, which can be corrected simply by giving a
> definition. The only humor in the situation is laughing *with* the
> now-corrected customer if they find the misunderstanding funny, and not
> *at* the customer by posting the incident around the world on Usenet.
>

Hmmm, I can see both sides of the picture here, and suffer from the same
kinds of situation behind the counter of a computer Establishment.
If someone clearly doesn't understand some jargon, I immediately backup
and try to give them the information they need in a form they understand.
Some, however, do not seem to comprehend the "basics". Eventually, they
usually grasp what I'm trying to say, except for those who think I'm
trying to rip them off, or those who infrequently, have for some reason,
very firmly grasped the wrong end of the stick, or even the end of a
completely separate stick, and utterly refuse to let go.

Personally, someone who responded with the comment about CDs would in
my opinion fall into the latter camp. I would attempt to clarify what I
meant, but the completely disjointed nature of the reply indicates to
me their inability to use logic in their everyday life.

02-12-2007, 04:04 PM	#9 (permalink)
me Posts: n/a	Re: Customer had a problem with our service On Mon, 12 Feb 2007 07:38:24 -0600, Doc O'Leary wrote: > In article <eqngl0$k26$2@news.xmission.com>, D_Frumious_B@ndersnat.ch > wrote: > >> Doc O'Leary <droleary.usenet@1q2007.subsume.com> wrote: >> >> > So you tend to laugh at people who actually need your services? That is >> > the oddest customer service I have ever heard of. It is even more >> > strange that you'd post your poor attitude, seemingly bragging, to >> > Usenet. >> >> I've seen the proverbial Clueless Newbie many a time. During my >> planetarium years we sometimes had people ask us if we closed during >> cloudy weather. At Bryce Canyon NP we had people ask us (a) who carved >> all those sculptures and (b) was the canyon lighted at night. At Grand >> Canyon a guy I know tried and failed to convince one tourist (we called >> them "dudes," with the old meaning, not the current one) that the canyon >> does not fill with snow up to the rim in winter. Give me a little time, >> and I'm sure I can think of more like these. >> And yes, I'm sure I've asked dumb questions myself in computer shops, >> at airline ticket counters, or somewhere. >> To the inititated, things like this will always be funny. The only >> thing you can do is keep a straight face and answer the newby's question >> in terms s/he can understand. But if you don't laugh about it later, you >> ain't human. > > You're adding confusion to the issue. A lapse in logic, even one's own, > can definitely be funny, but that is not the case here. This is a case > of misunderstood terminology, which can be corrected simply by giving a > definition. The only humor in the situation is laughing with the > now-corrected customer if they find the misunderstanding funny, and not > at the customer by posting the incident around the world on Usenet. > Hmmm, I can see both sides of the picture here, and suffer from the same kinds of situation behind the counter of a computer Establishment. If someone clearly doesn't understand some jargon, I immediately backup and try to give them the information they need in a form they understand. Some, however, do not seem to comprehend the "basics". Eventually, they usually grasp what I'm trying to say, except for those who think I'm trying to rip them off, or those who infrequently, have for some reason, very firmly grasped the wrong end of the stick, or even the end of a completely separate stick, and utterly refuse to let go. Personally, someone who responded with the comment about CDs would in my opinion fall into the latter camp. I would attempt to clarify what I meant, but the completely disjointed nature of the reply indicates to me their inability to use logic in their everyday life.