Intelligence Unplugged
(A customer’s cable box has an error and needs to be reset to correct it.)
Me: “Okay, we need to reset your box. We can do that by unplugging it for fifteen seconds and plugging it back in.”
Customer: “It’s not plugged in.”
Me: “It’s not plugged in?”
Customer: “No, it’s never been plugged in.”
Me: “So it’s not plugged in?”
Customer: “Right.”
Me: “The power light is on, right?”
Customer: “Yes.”
Me: “And we have that error message on the screen, correct?”
Customer: “Correct.”
Me: “But it’s not plugged in?”
Customer: “Right, it’s never been plugged in.”
Me: “…let’s check just to make sure.”
Customer: “Alright, but you’re wasting my time. This has never been plugged in since you guys hooked it up a few years ago.”
Me: “I understand. Just humor me.”
Customer: “Oh… it is plugged in. What did you want me to do?”
Me: “Unplug it for fifteen seconds, and plug it back in.”
(After that, it works just fine!)