Baffling Problems

PRoblem

totally weird baffling problem, impossible to solve, makes no sense, tried everything and there is no answer, we simply can't figure out a solution, hopeless mess. We're at wit's end, baffled, stumped, lost, confused by a problem in MacNail construction management software.

Diagnosis

Get full info about their configuration.

Have they done anything different recently?

• changed hardware? added any software or utilities?
• replaced files from backup? replaced manager?
• is anything else also having problems?

Does problem occur on similar files?

Solution

Sometimes we simply can't figure out an answer. When that happens, tell the caller we're stumped! Apologize, validate their frustration. Tell them how frustrating it is for you to not have an easy answer!

• Refer to Microsoft tech? Refer to Apple tech? Refer to Printer tech?
• Is there a workaround we can try? E.g. export info somewhere else. Try
  a different Excel version. Try it on a different computer? ????
• Pass the call to someone else to try? Have a discussion here?
• Tell them you're searching Tech Answers and then do so.
• Ask them to send a disk-- maybe we can fix it here, after seeing the problem directly.
• Ask them to tell us the answer if they find it some other way!
• Tell them if we stumble onto an answer we'll call them back.

Comments

Entered 6/8/95 by Dennis.