Save A Document, Save A Life

(This happens back in the day when computers are still relatively new in the office — and yes, dinosaurs are already extinct by this time — and PCs and Microsoft Office are starting to be commonly used. We — mostly — work with forwarders, who have to make drafts that need to be copied and printed onto specialty paper in a form-like format. These drafts are first reviewed by their customer. I am speaking to an employee of such a forwarder who has had difficulty in dealing with the switch from typewriter to computer. His retirement is due about ten years after this conversation.)

Employee: “My customer just faxed me revisions and now I have to reenter everything again and hope I don’t make another mistake.”

Me: “But didn’t you save your draft the last time?”

Employee: “Of course I did. But then I need to make a new draft and the previous one is lost. With a typewriter, you could at least take your old draft and correct that one.”

Me: *after having processed what was said* “You do know that you can save every draft under a different name? The document number, for example. And you can easily retrieve this copy.”

(I then proceed to explain to the confused forwarder how to use the save function and how he can retrieve his documents).

Employee: “You saved my life!”

(I was just flabbergasted that he wasn’t sent to a course or and didn’t receive help from his colleagues. When I spoke to him next, he was much relieved and thanked me again for making his job easier.)