Their Expectations Are Electric

I work as the sole tech support person for a mid-sized office. I swear we have the dumbest user base in the Rockies.

One of my users comes up to my cube:

User: “One of the microwave ovens in the break room isn’t working.”

Me: “What do you expect me to do about it?”

User: *In all seriousness.* “Well, you’re I.T. aren’t you?”

Me: “…you should really tell the Office Manager.”

User: “But you’re I.T! That’s technology!”

Me: “I do computers and things connected to them, like the printers.”

User: “I’m going to tell the Office Manager you’re not fixing the technology!”

She left in a strop. The Office Manager comes up to me a few minutes later.

Office Manager: “I know it’s not your job, but she’s a senior manager. Can you just pretend to look at it?”

Me: “No, because that will reward bad behavior.”

Office Manager: “Ugh… fine.”

Later I need a coffee so go to the kitchen. Out of curiosity I look at the microwave and see that it’s not plugged in. I plug it in, and it seems to be working fine. On my way back to my cube, I pass the Office Manager.

Me: “Whoever was trying to fix the microwave probably doesn’t need to now. It seems to be working okay.”

Office Manager: “No one has looked at it yet. What do you mean?”

Me: “Didn’t the repair guy unplug it to let everyone know it’s not working?”

Office Manager: “No one can look at it until tomorrow. No one has touched it. You say it’s working fine?”

Me: “Uh, yeah. After I plugged it back in.”

Penny drops for both of us.

Me: “It was never broken was it? It just wasn’t plugged in.”

Office Manager: “Should have guessed. It was a senior manager making the complaint. People at that level rely on others to problem-solve for them to the point where they can’t problem-solve for themselves.”

Me: “Well… I’m glad I could help… I guess? Just don’t—”

Office Manager: “—tell her you fixed it? Of course not. I will tell her how it was fixed though!”