Is it just this industry or is it customer service in general that turns adults into children?

[thecomputerguy]

I just don't understand how grown adults turn into children when they want help. I've been doing this for almost 20 years now and I honestly feel embarrassed for people when I put them in their place. Like how do people not feel like children when they behave this way.

Just last weekend I had a client (non-MSP) call me 4 times on a Sunday between 9pm and 11pm, leave 3 voicemails, text me 4 times, send me 3 emails, 2 facebook messages, then call me at 5am, then 530am then 6am the following morning, then have their spouse call me and text me several times when I don't respond at 5am, then I finally contact them at 8am and say hey, I have kids that I need to dropoff at daycare stop fucking spamming me I will get back to you. Then they show up and their like ... oh yeah I forgot that other people have lives too.

All because they just needed to remove the battery from their laptop and re-insert it.

You literally get put to the bottom of the list when you act this way.

I'm 37 years old and I feel embarrassed for these people in their 60's that turn into absolute children when they want something. Is this like boomer entitlement or something I just don't understand... Like hold up, shut up, mind some boundaries, and give me half a second to get back to you.

I just don't understand how you CANT be embarrassed acting this way.

The amount of people that call, then call immediately after, then call again immediately after, then leave a voicemail, then text me after is just unreal.

Grow up, you're not that important.

 

[frase]

Happened to me the other day one of many times, was taking a break on a Saturday chilling out at the cinema. Phone rang twice one after the other time out, then voicemail.

Once movie finished I rang back, and never got an answer arghhh..

 

[nlinecomputers]

It’s a sign that you are not charging enough.

 

[Larry Sabo]

You need to fire people like that, to teach them common courtesy.

 

[mikeroq]

You need to fire people like that, to teach them common courtesy.

Agreed. I would drop them even if they were my best client. I would have called them back, told them their behavior was unacceptable and told them to never contact me again.

 

[timeshifter]

Just last weekend I had a client (non-MSP) call me 4 times on a Sunday between 9pm and 11pm, leave 3 voicemails, text me 4 times, send me 3 emails, 2 facebook messages, then call me at 5am, then 530am then 6am the following morning, then have their spouse call me and text me several times when I don't respond at 5am

What did they think was wrong? Surely they didn't know that they just needed to take the battery out and replace it. I presume this was a client you've done work for before? We all need to keep in mind that was is dead-simple to us can cause panic and anxiety in our customers because many of them are really clueless about how things work, in ways we can't comprehend.

I've considered, but not acted on, changing my phone system. Right now that basically consists of my cell phone. It's the number that published, my personal number, etc. I'm a one man business. Some customers will call or text after hours or on the weekend at odd times. Even just a kind "hey, I know it's Sunday afternoon, but I need some help tomorrow, please get back to me when you're in tomorrow..." is disturbing. True, I don't have to act on it. But I don't want to have any business pressures in mind during my time off, unless I decide to do work stuff.

So I've thought about getting a new cell phone and converting my existing cell to a business system that will respond appropriately after hours - to calls and to texts. Even put prompts or autoresponders that say "it's Sunday afternoon, if you need a response today it will cost $x extra".

 

[mikeroq]

I mean it's one thing if they call once on say Sunday and leave a voicemail, saying they have X problem, call me Monday, etc.

But calling dozens of times and texts over night and morning, and different numbers, seesh!

 

[Philippe]

2 phones for me. The professional one I turn off after hours and, if I need to relax, I don't take it with me
But, I'll always call back everyone who leaves a message by the end of the (working) day.

 

[Sky-Knight]

I only have 1 phone, but it's a Pixel and it has DND scheduled, and personal contacts configured on override. It goes quiet all on its own! Not to mention the spam filter... can't live without it!

 

[wavey]

It's not that some adults turn into children, it's more that some children never turn into adults.
Also we should separate work life from home life 100%

 

[dcunnings]

Moved out of support into the layer behind second level and consulting.
Can't say I have much childish behavior these days ;-)

 

[cypress]

Yeah I would have honestly just fired the client after doing all that. Wow.

 

[VISA MC]

I have this discussion with friends in the business all the time. I’ve never seen an industry as a whole disrespected as much as this one.

 

[timeshifter]

I have this discussion with friends in the business all the time. I’ve never seen an industry as a whole disrespected as much as this one.

I'd bet restaurants and hospitality would win out if compared.

 

[VISA MC]

I'd bet restaurants and hospitality would win out if compared.

They have different issues but I agree probably right up there. I’ve never seen someone sit at a restaurant be served food then act surprised when they get a bill.

Or sit there and say “oh my grandson could cook this at home, no need to come here”

 

[timeshifter]

Or sit there and say “oh my grandson could cook this at home, no need to come here”

That is irritating. I get so tired of hearing comments like that.

 

[nlinecomputers]

I once told a dentist right to her face when she said something like that. "What do I need you for? I'll just have my cousin give me a shot of bourbon and have him yank my bad tooth out with a pair of pliers." It got the point across.

 

[britechguy]

I guess I have a thicker skin than many here, probably because for years before I started doing this as a business I was "that grandson," so to speak.

I know very well that for most of my clients there are things that they must bring to me and other things where that's optional if they have the right help. And if they don't have "the right help" I know that I'll have another service call after an abortive attempt by whoever.

 

[nlinecomputers]

I guess I have a thicker skin than many here, probably because for years before I started doing this as a business I was "that grandson," so to speak.

I know very well that for most of my clients there are things that they must bring to me and other things where that's optional if they have the right help. And if they don't have "the right help" I know that I'll have another service call after an abortive attempt by whoever.

That's fine. But this is about the a$$hole cheap client that HAS called you, listened to your explanation, and then is dismissing you by saying the CousinIT can finish the work or even do it better. If you don't want to go with what I have outlined, fine. If you end up getting someone else to do it, fine. How about not being a jerk and telling me that directly to my face and in the most insulting way possible. That is the complaint. I have fired clients that did that to me. Cheap clients are bad clients and I don't need the ulcer kissing their fat asses.

 

[VISA MC]

That's fine. But this is about the a$$hole cheap client that HAS called you, listened to your explanation, and then is dismissing you by saying the CousinIT can finish the work or even do it better. If you don't want to go with what I have outlined, fine. If you end up getting someone else to do it, fine. How about not being a jerk and telling me that directly to my face and in the most insulting way possible. That is the complaint. I have fired clients that did that to me. Cheap clients are bad clients and I don't need the ulcer kissing their fat asses.

I almost fired a client for it this week! They were moving their office and instead of moving their brand new ubiquiti setup they wanted to put in a netgear mesh pro that they saw a Facebook ad for. Mind you the new office was wired and took me 90 minutes to move equipment.

After I said I won’t support anything that touches the network they decided I actually do know what I am talking about and it got moved.