So Easy A Caveman Can Do It...

Sometimes it's hard to keep my sanity while I work...

I do tech support for business accounts which means we usually get calls from people who are intelligent enough to have their own business, but tend to be not at all technically adept at using the equipment needed to keep the business going.

Well, I get this call from a computer repair shop having trouble processing a check transaction.

I asked him all the default questions about the connections to the equipment, the modem, etc. All of which this guy was very proficient at detailing for me. My confidence was high that his technical skills would help me complete the call quickly. I then reviewed the software he was using, which was a very simple setup and basically easy to configure. To be safe though I verified the settings and even modified a few for optimal performance on our end and a few on his. He was very good at following my directions and it seemed we were making progress. Had him try again and...nothing. He confirmed he still was not getting a correct response.

After almost twenty minutes of troubleshooting, I asked him to walk me through the step by step process he was using to initiate the transaction. This I hoped would point me to new direction to take.

This individual, who is in the business of selling and repairing computers, told me he was taking the check and holding it up to the monitor and then pressing the check button...

Perplexed by this process I asked him why he felt holding the check to the screen would allow him to process the transaction...

His reply is firmly etched in my mind. "Well, the Sales Representative who sold me the equipment told me it's got a multiscan monitor, so I figured it would capture the image clearly."

Needless to say, I instructed him in the proper use of his equipment, software, and the attached flatbed check scanner. I've resolved myself to ask better questions in the future and not take anyone’s technical expertise as a replacement for common sense.