Being technologically challenged can be quite a handicap when working in a computer shop! Mind you, since many of my customers are no less challenged than myself, it can make for some interesting conversations and amusing moments.
Take a typical day in the life of Jayne! Customer walks in with a small piece of paper,
"The man next door who knows EVERYTHING about computers, tells me I need one of these?"
(hands over small piece of paper with random numbers and squiggles on it)
"Um . . . what exactly is the problem with your computer then?"
"Well, I'm not sure but the man next door says this will fix it!"
(grab paper and rush into back office, looking for help from First Born Son, who has NO idea of what the squiggles on paper are either and is on the telephone to important potential customer wanting to buy expensive new gaming computer!)
"I'm sorry but the technician suggests you might like to bring your computer in so we can have a look at it to ascertain the problem" (smiling politely)
"I already have the guy next door who says he can fix it!" (sounding a little peeved!) "I just need that part!"
"Perhaps you could get your man next door to phone us and describe the part he needs then? These squiggles don't really help us much. Do you know what part of the computer is broken?"
"It was making a funny noise."
"Ah! Could it be from the fan perhaps?"
"No, I don't have a fan!"
"Um, most computers do have a fan inside them."
"Oh well, I don't know about that - I'm not very computer savvy, but the man next door didn't say anything about a fan when he took the back off?"
"Tell you what! Here's my card - tell him to phone and I'll get one of the technicians to speak to him. Perhaps they can figure it out between them!" (gritting teeth and SMILING!)
"Well, I'll have to see what he says - he's very busy you know and I don't want to put him out!"
Turn to long line of other customers patiently waiting, smile and say, "May I help you?"
Seriously, it's fun and I've met some lovely people in the shop. Just wish we all knew what we were talking about?
Take a typical day in the life of Jayne! Customer walks in with a small piece of paper,
"The man next door who knows EVERYTHING about computers, tells me I need one of these?"
(hands over small piece of paper with random numbers and squiggles on it)
"Um . . . what exactly is the problem with your computer then?"
"Well, I'm not sure but the man next door says this will fix it!"
(grab paper and rush into back office, looking for help from First Born Son, who has NO idea of what the squiggles on paper are either and is on the telephone to important potential customer wanting to buy expensive new gaming computer!)
"I'm sorry but the technician suggests you might like to bring your computer in so we can have a look at it to ascertain the problem" (smiling politely)
"I already have the guy next door who says he can fix it!" (sounding a little peeved!) "I just need that part!"
"Perhaps you could get your man next door to phone us and describe the part he needs then? These squiggles don't really help us much. Do you know what part of the computer is broken?"
"It was making a funny noise."
"Ah! Could it be from the fan perhaps?"
"No, I don't have a fan!"
"Um, most computers do have a fan inside them."
"Oh well, I don't know about that - I'm not very computer savvy, but the man next door didn't say anything about a fan when he took the back off?"
"Tell you what! Here's my card - tell him to phone and I'll get one of the technicians to speak to him. Perhaps they can figure it out between them!" (gritting teeth and SMILING!)
"Well, I'll have to see what he says - he's very busy you know and I don't want to put him out!"
Turn to long line of other customers patiently waiting, smile and say, "May I help you?"
Seriously, it's fun and I've met some lovely people in the shop. Just wish we all knew what we were talking about?
7 comments:
Hi Jayne,
I suspect you're in the wrong business. Not because of your lack of computer knowledge mind you, but because of your lack of killer sales instincts. Really, when handed a page of squiggles by a man who knows nothing, you should load him up with everything you can think of that might be what he needs. Or, you should suggest that, in your professional opinion, his problem is not repairable and he'd be better off with a new computer, like this top of the line model over here.
Not that I could do such, which is why all of my jobs in sales lasted less than a week :)
I would also point out that you might think about hiring the man next door who knows EVERYTHING about computers. I'd bet you could get him part time for a new computer game every week and that he would double your profits ;)
the Grit
Now just maybe I was that
customer! After all I pass your shop several times a week!
Great to see you blogging in earnest again. I turned my back and 3 posts appeared!
Hey - what a lovely surprise to see visitors to my blog again :)
Sadly Grit, while customers want the impossible, they are rarely prepared to pay for it!
And Keith dear - if you're passing, I put the kettle on several times a day and sometimes there are choccie biscuits? lol
Great to see you both :)
Wot, no cheesecake? :D
As my 'computer man' says ... it's not so much knowing stuff as knowing where to find out!
Cheers!
Keith K.
Don't you just love those type of customers? lol
I have to get the link to grit and ? again, as I shut down before copying the link! Email it to me, pretty please.
Crystal Dawn
Well, I bet you have some rather interesting, as well as, comical dinner conversation, eh?
Crystal Dawn
I had a beauty today - some amusing fellow who seemed to think we should drive out to his house, take his computer apart and then give him a quote - all for FREE!
He'd never heard of 'petrol costs', 'labour charges' and 'technician's time' before and really thought I was being very unreasonable when I suggested he bring it in and we'd have a quick look for free?
Ah well?
Jayne :)
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