Quote:
Originally Posted by DMcCunney
First line phone support works from a script, and tries to make everything fit the script. They can be derailed fairly easily.
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My favourite run in with scripted first line support happened about 4 years back. We thought the old air conditioning unit in the ceiling of the comms room had been properly taken out of service - turned out it hadn't, and it chucked a load of water all over several servers and soaked the carpet (yup, that comms room had a carpet - our new one doesn't). One server in particular was drenched. So we called HP and asked them to supply some bits under our support contract so we could basically rebuild the server from back ups.
I spent about 10 minutes trying to get the guy on the other end of the phone to deviate from his script enough so that he could either help me or put me through to someone who could. After the detail taking pleasantries, and after me explaining the situation, he asked me what happened when I turned the server on. I pointed out that it was full of water, and usually mixing electricity with water didn't mix. I admit that I was probably too flippant with him the first time. The second, third, fourth and fifth times I was a lot more clear. It got to the point that I was repeating back to him what he said, almost ("So you want me to turn the server, which I have said is full of water, on to see what happens?" - my colleagues were in states of hysterics and/or disbelief). About the 6th attempt he started to deviate, but it was like it had a magnetic pull and he still kept asking what happened if I turned it on. At this point I was getting worried for his sanity as he was tying himself up in knots with contradictions and obviously trying to help whilst not deviating from the script. Towards the very end of this the HR manager walked in - her suggestion was that I should have asked him to come round and turn it on.