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Education Do you remember your very First Computer Repair For Customer?

Discussion in 'General' started by DeafGamer2015, 15 Apr 2012.

  1. DeafGamer2015

    DeafGamer2015 Minimodder

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    Hello Everyone,

    to all Mods: please move this thread if in wrong section!

    Now to everyone else:

    Do you remember your very first computer repair job for an customer?

    Mine was a couple months ago: they were having issues getting online through Wireless. I went by their place to do my magic and I discovered that they don't have any internet.. literally.. so I explained that they can't get online since they don't have a internet modem so they bought one from an local telephone company.. and I set it up for them.. cleaned up their computer to make sure it's working very good for them.

    Do you know what's the funny part? They were trying to get online with a wireless receiver.. for an mouse!

    :hehe::hehe::hehe:

    Now Please tell us of your stories!!!

    *Patiently waits*
     
    Last edited: 15 Apr 2012
  2. specofdust

    specofdust Banned

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    Moved to General.
     
  3. DeafGamer2015

    DeafGamer2015 Minimodder

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    Thank you Specofdust.
     
  4. bagman

    bagman Minimodder

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    Today my mum didn't understand why she couldn't hear anything from the speakers. Untill I pointed out the youtube video was muted. :rolleyes:
     
  5. GoodBytes

    GoodBytes How many wifi's does it have?

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    I remember my first customer experience... well I think I do.. at least it's one I remember.

    The computer was running slow. Fair enough, I though... just a good temp dir clean and all that stuff, make a bit of space and defrag. Simple enough.... or so I thought... THE HORROR!!!
    The computer was plagued with malware and viruses. A/V was expired, and the client was like "Oh that.. I just move it aside, the computer still works." (or something a long that line) :|
    Ok so no biggie, let's get him AVG (that was many years ago, as you can see). Open Internet Explorer (only web browser, forgot the version.. probably 6), and about half the screen was tool bars, when maximized. Not to mention, that was an injection from a malware adding a pop-up ads. Most likely there was a key-logger running,
    So I explained about all the junk, and he agreed for me to clean all up. I check the size of document, images, and all that stuff and I see they are all about fitting on to a disk, so I explained, that it would be faster to just backup my client stuff onto disk, which he gets to keep, of course. And wipe everything and start from scratch. he agreed! Wonderful! So now where the OS disk or recovery disk, I ask. "Disks? The ones that came with the computer? oh I throw them out. I didn't see the need to keep them." Ok no problemo, I got my Windows XP disk, I thought, I would just need to get the drivers after that.. not too problematic. Then I look for the Windows product key... none. I asked about it, and my client says "Oh I hated the stickers so I removed them all.". So I explained, that I can't do anything.. he will need a new Windows XP license.. she through away all proof of purchase of his license, and everything. You can't even argue for the have the disk on the phone.

    Ok, so, no choice, clean up everything manually. After several hours, everything is GoodBytes Clean(TM). (star going on my smile with me doing a thumbs up). Give it back to the client, to test his system again aaaaaanandd "Where my tool bars!!!!!". "Wait what?" I said. "Yea now how I can search on multiple search engines!", i was like "WTF! What world I live in! Is this a joke?" I showed him Firefox search bar, and added the missing search engine site from the bar, and presented him with that "look it's all in one!" More space to see pages!. He was happy!... Wait! How come I don't have the pop-up anymore when I start the web "I was like, OMG you have to be kidding me!" is what I was going on my head. Yea I used to get promotions! he said. I was like "Yea ** right, this guy is shitting me, or trying to find any excuse to not pay me". So after trying to explain the whole spam ordeal for 30min or more. He finally understood, and he was happy. Great payed me approrpiately. I left.

    Next day, I get a call, same client. "My computer froze!". I was like ok, maybe just a random hicup, and I explained over the phone, that it could be because of all the crap he had, how about restarting, I said. Nope freezes at startup. Fine, no problem, I get paid for this, so I go check it out, and I was puzzled during the entire trip... I made sure the computer was working perfectly, and HE checked it before I go, and shut-down/restart/sleep, all worked.
    So I go check it out... and well what do you want, he had a wireless mouse, and the battery was empty. The computer was fine, just needed new batteries. He says "Well I put these expensive rechargeable batteries inside". Great, so you just need to recharge them. I ask him for the battery recharger.. and he was like "You need one! I thought they are rechargeable?!". I was loosing my head. So after explaining the concept of rechargeable battery, now he thought that the whole "rechargeable battery" is a scam, but wtv, not my money. Anyway, he had batteries, new, so we put it in, make sure everything works again, answer a few quick questions about Firefox, and off I go. Easy enough.

    Oh boy... sometimes... I tell you... You need nerves of steal, and incredible amount of patience as IT, and of course always stay professional, watch body language (ie: don't roll your eyes, and such) and explain everything clear and simple. It's definitely hard work, and I applaud people doing phone tech support as well. Not easy stuff, I tell you.
     
    Last edited: 16 Apr 2012
  6. DeafGamer2015

    DeafGamer2015 Minimodder

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    umm Bagman, did you read the title on this? it said Customer.. not family.. Family doesn't count for customers.. Still.. that's pretty interesting!


    Wow, That's pretty interesting there GB. You must be really going crazy for that.. lol at least you fixed that computer for him.. I hope he'll contact you again for more help!
     
    Last edited: 16 Apr 2012
  7. noizdaemon666

    noizdaemon666 I'm Od, Therefore I Pwn

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    Magic Jellybean Keyfinder would have saved you all the trouble :thumb:

    On topic, my first customer experience (excluding friends and family) was well...never lol I've only ever done work for family and friends. Before I got my job I was in my teens so didn't really do "work" and now with my job, my contract forbids me from doing anything that we, as a company, do ;)
     
  8. PabloFunky

    PabloFunky What's a Dremel?

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    I think it was a pla chip fix back in 1980 something if i recall, for the commodore 64, in the days when i used to repair 8 bit pcs to component level.

    Yes i am old.
     
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  9. Margo Baggins

    Margo Baggins I'm good at Soldering Super Moderator

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    I cant remember fixes I was doing last week let alone the first fix I did. I'm sure it was a long time ago, The first thing I fixed for myself was no doubt something I had originally broken. first thing I fixed for a customer, no clue!
     
  10. Byron C

    Byron C Multimodder

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    I had always thought that the "CDROM Cup Holder" was an urban computing myth. Sadly, no such luck: one of the very first machines I looked at for repair had, amongst other issues, a snapped CDROM drive tray. When quizzed, the customer admitted that he'd used to hold pretty much every beverage under the sun; apparently the straw that broke the camels back was a can of lager. Thankfully he realised his stupidity and wasn't an ass about paying for a replacement.

    I saw some gems while working at that store... Including a very..."novel"... way to use an optical mouse. Back when they were a relatively new thing, a customer brought one back as faulty. It was within a week of purchase and she had all the original packaging/documentation/receipts/etc in 'as-new' condition, so I just swapped it out no questions asked. Tested it in the workshop and it proved to be fine - back on the shelf for sale. The customer came back in a few days later complaining of the same problems. This time I tested it while the customer was in store, just to make sure - lo and behold, it worked fine on a workshop test bed. The customer still argued that it didn't work on her machine so I took it to a display PC and asked her to try it. She picked the mouse up off the table, held it vertically and pointed the LED at the screen. She then proceeded to wave the mouse around in front of the screen while saying: "See?! This is what happens at home - it doesn't work!" I have never seen anyone go quite as red when I calmly took the mouse off her, put it on the desk and explained that: "'Optical' just means it doesn't have a little ball - it doesn't mean that the computer can 'see' the little red light. You still have to use it the same way as any other mouse."
     
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  11. DeafGamer2015

    DeafGamer2015 Minimodder

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    That's pretty cool.

    Naw... not old.. very wise..

    Quite understandable there Margo.

    Jeesh, why does everyone do that to their CD/DVD Drives, I will never know...
    :eyebrow: well that's quite interesting there, BLC.. I'm glad that you explained everything!! :rock: have some rep!
     
  12. DeafGamer2015

    DeafGamer2015 Minimodder

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    Anyone else want to join in??
     
  13. Landy_Ed

    Landy_Ed Combat Novice

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    iirc my first commercial repair job was resoldering some transistors on an old tandy 2000 machine that had dry joints. pre-multilayer board. pre VGA. thinking about it, pre DOS 3.3
     
  14. DeafGamer2015

    DeafGamer2015 Minimodder

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    Oh that's cool Landy_Ed
     
  15. lilgoth89

    lilgoth89 Captin Calliope

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    customer complained that there was a large boom in there pc while on the phone to a tech support helpline and my friend at school ( there nephew ) said i was good with computers
    so i went round...poked around and quickly diagnosed the problem
    the tech support had told him to look for a switch on the rear of the case...flick the switch and then boot up thats when the boom happend
    needless to say, a new psu was on the cards for them, but the system itself ( a brand new swanky p4 ) wasnt damaged ( how the hell that happend ill never know ) so new psu and a bunch of zip ties to clear some clutter and they were happy and on there way.
    and they still use the pc to this day :)
     
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  16. DeafGamer2015

    DeafGamer2015 Minimodder

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    Holy that's awesome, dude! Have some rep!
     
  17. Elton

    Elton Officially a Whisky Nerd

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    I'd rather not.
     
  18. lp rob1

    lp rob1 Modder

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    You lot carry on making me rofl! At 15, I haven't really had any exciting 'customer' experiences.
     
  19. DeafGamer2015

    DeafGamer2015 Minimodder

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    That's fine with me Elton.


    lol that's okay. at least you're still young.. by the time you're.. 19 or something.. you'll have alot of funny experiences to tell us!
     
  20. DeafGamer2015

    DeafGamer2015 Minimodder

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    Anyone else wish to join this thread?
     

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