Direct action
You may find that alot of IT support calls are frustrating because people just don't try, whether its power cycling a device that doesn't work before you pick up the phone, or simply looking at the 'out of ink' light busily winking away at you from the printer perched on the edge of your desk. Here is the opposite.
A company director with a unit at home for out of hours work (playing FIFA and downloading songs) wanted to upgrade his graphics card for better.... spreadsheet and pie chart viewing with his sons. We talk this over with him and agree that he can do this from his own pocket, so he does. He buys a nice card, brings it home and sets about upgrading the box himself. Now PC cases have changed over the years, from the impossible to open with hidden screws and levers, to the 'I scooped it of the desk and it fell open'. Dell are particularly good the latter and for anyone spending a few minutes around one of their PCs and is remotely inquisitive the thing will fall open like a much loved jazz mag at the centerfold.
However (and you knew there was a however, right?) when you expect a PC to open with a screwdriver, and you spend a good few minutes circling said PC, prodding, poking, swearing, brandishing, this then leads into Jabbing, Stabbing, Levering, WEDGEing, BENDing and eventually snapping random pieces of plastic casing off with a bent screwdriver whilst spittle flies and the kids depart the house least they be blamed. Maybe, just maybe this is the time to stop, and give your support guys a call. The sheepish call the next day was a delight. The evidence (sadly binned now or there would be a picture) carried into work under a cover was priceless. The culprit can take a joke very well, and dishes out twice as many as he gets under usual circumstances. However this time, faced with stiffled mirth and altogether too much 'coughing' we were informed to "Just facking fix it!" and off he trompted.
(Szetak fears the wurst! (Saus-o-phobe), Thu 24 Sep 2009, 17:06, Reply)