Don't be in such a hurry

"The phone is not working" .....she is telling me this over the phone. So that is my first thought and it clouds every other interaction I have with this user. " Can you explain in detail, just what is not working about your phone.....please" but I know what is coming, and sure enough..." how would I know, you're the 'tech guy". Man I can hardly believe that people say that sort of thing to the one who actually has the ability to make the phone not work.

Not that I would ever do such a thing mind you. Nope, would not even consider doing something that, in the long run, no matter how hard I laugh, would give me extra work.

"Okay, you are right, I will walk over there as soon as I can and have a look at your phone. I am sure I can find a fix for it". good reason to leave the office for lunch and maybe go to the range to hit a bucket of balls on my way to her cube..."Do you know when you will get here, I really need this phone for my work, so hurry if you will". CLICK.

I will be right there, right..

On my way out of the office I run into a couple of projects that I had been trying to get finished now for about 3 weeks. I stop and take care of both issues in less than a minute. Sometimes things just seem to fit and the key to doing the tech type job is having the knack to know when that is. If it feels right then everything works and I won't have to go back to fix the fix.
After pizza and beer for lunch I go to the course and I hit those little devils probably better than I have in weeks. I question myself, very briefly, as to wether or not it is in part because the annoyance factor I am causing. NO not me. When I do get to the phone ladies desk, she is talking on it. What the $%# am I doing here, she called me on the phone she says is not working and she is still on the phone some time later. She did not see me walk in to the work area and she is over there yakking away about .......You guessed it. "It was over an hour ago, and I told him that I need this phone for my job. I just don't know why he could be taking so long getting here". Suddenly I recall that I have another phone that was returned as not working some time ago. I run back to my office and grab it push it in a box and take it to her
She is so happy to see me that she won't even get off the phone long enough to let me change it out for the other one, the 'new' one.
I want to share something with her," did you know that your department is charged $185. per hour for my services and that I looked before I got here your department's budget is shot for the next 5 weeks, you can not afford to make me stand around, considering I am required to report to your manager why I charged 6 hours to change out the phone". "So please get off the phone and let me fix it".
If looks could scar I would look like a burn victim. 30 seconds later I am walking away old phone under my arm she is trying to make a call and yells to me." hey now I don't have a dial tone".
"And you don't have the money for me to come back and look at it. I am sorry that this phone broke when it did, and I hate it when the replacement works ever worse"
"Call me in a couple of days after you get the okay to go over budget"