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How do you deal with someone who is computer retarded !?!?

RatchetRatchet
edited April 2008 in Technology
At the moment I am in the retail business, and for the most part I try to help everyone that I can, and the store I work at offers computer rental services. The downside to this though is that I deal with people who are literally computer retarded to a high level. (Example: People asking me how to check their email when they don’t even have an email address!) Now as stupid as this sounds it is my job to help these people (meaning this is what I get paid for) is their any logical sane way to help these people without loosing my mind?

Comments

  • PaulathonPaulathon
    Isn't this something you should be asking your boss? If you're not getting support in the role you're supposed to be working in then get a new job.
  • RatchetRatchet
    Well yea I am defiantly looking for a new job, and hopefully something should come up sooner then later. But just in the mean while, and plus the response my boss would give is the generic retail answer, and doesn't really help me out.
  • ......
    is their any logical sane way to help these people without loosing my mind?
    Smoke relaxing drugs on your break? Or take great joy in spending hours upon hours just talking to those people with very clear and detailed explanations. That way you don't have to help that many people and won't have to deal with a lot of computer illiterate people.
  • jccjcc
    edited April 2008
    Make sure to think of them as being ignorant, not as idiots. Very important when it comes to delivery and thinking about how to approach the problem.

    Avoid jargon as much as possible. Remember that it is always better for them to understand you than it is for them to know that you know a lot about computers. If they thought you didn't, they wouldn't want your help in the first place.

    Try to relate internet and computer things to older offline things they may be familiar with. (Of course to do this, you have to be familiar with older, offline things. :) ) It makes understanding easier for some people.

    Answer the questions as concisely as possible, and only go off on tangents if they appear interested. Some people just want to know how to solve whatever problem is in front of them at the moment. It's a bit short-sighted, but trying to teach those who don't care about a subject is a quick path to frustration on both sides.
    Post edited by jcc on
  • HungryJoeHungryJoe
    Now as stupid as this sounds it is my job to help these people (meaning this is what I get paid for) is their any logical sane way to help these people without loosing my mind?
    Give them bad information. For instance, if they don't have an email address, tell them that the government gives everyone an email address when they file their tax returns, unless they are on the terror watch list.
  • ZeehatZeehat
    By accepting that it's your job. If you don't like it, quit and get a new one.
  • RymRym
    By accepting that it's your job. If you don't like it, quit and get a new one.
    There is, you know, another path. One can always taste the dark side, embrace it, and become, as I did, the worst god-damned pizza chef ever to walk the Earth.

    /hated that job
    /gave five minutes notice when I quit ^_~
  • raquorraquor
    By accepting that it's your job. If you don't like it, quit and get a new one.
    There is, you know, another path. One can always taste the dark side, embrace it, and become, as I did, the worst god-damned pizza chef ever to walk the Earth.

    /hated that job
    /gave five minutes notice when I quit ^_~
    Aww man...are you serious? My first job was a pizza chef and then pizza delivery back in high school...I took great pride in being the best damn pizza chef in the joint. Good times...good times. Of course it helped that the joints entire workforce consisted entirely of my friends.
  • whateverwhatever
    There is, you know, another path. One can always taste the dark side, embrace it, and become, as I did, the worst god-damned pizza chef ever to walk the Earth.

    /hated that job
    /gave five minutes notice when I quit ^_~
    Here's hoping you went Tyler Durden on every pizza.
  • kage_rodkage_rod
    Why dontcha try doing some visual guides and give them out to these people? XD Complete with red arrows.

    "Your icon to get onto the internet with be THIS (IE), THIS (Firefox) or THIS (Safari). Click it."
    "THIS is the "URL BAR". You will be putting the address in it."
    And so on and so forth.
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