Introducing A Battery Of New Problems

(I work in a call center in tech support for a Canadian cell phone company. I tend to get this particular situation a few times a month.)

Me: “In order to do a quick refresh of your service, I’m going to ask you to take out your SIM card after turning off your phone. Then, we’ll put everything back together in about two minutes and then test your service.”

Customer: “Oh, I don’t know where the SIM card is. Where is it?”

Me: “I see that in your particular phone model that you’ll have to take the back off and then your battery so you can pull it out.”

Customer: “Oh, all right. Let me do that.”

(The customer fumbles around with their phone and then finally locates the SIM card. Two minutes pass by.)

Me: “All right, let’s put the SIM card back in now and get to turning your phone back on.”

(More fumbling goes on the background.)

Customer: “This isn’t right! It’s not working!”

Me: “I’m sorry. May I ask what’s wrong?”

Customer: “The phone won’t even turn on! It’s not working!”

(I start to realize what may be the problem.)

Me: “Sir, did you put the battery back in?”

Customer: “No. Do I need to do that?”

Me: “…”