Strangest Helpdesk Requests

Geronimo

Are You Kidding Me? Strangest Helpdesk Requests - Certification Magazine

cyberguypr

This is an actual ticket we got:

"I know this is probably an odd request... I miss having wireless in the restroom. It's impossible to get either phone or wireless signal in the men's restroom. If you can't (or won't) do this, I understand. However, it would be very nice."

We thought the user was kidding but that wasn't the case.

CodeBlox

I had someone call our helpdesk because he wanted us to adjust the noise the keys made on his keyboard when striking them...

Roguetadhg

Being a man in a woman's office...

"I think there's something wrong with my network, can you go down and see what's happening below my desk?"

Then there's nipple tassles...

...Yeah. And people generally think men only have dirty minds. Yeesch. There's some things that I haven't wanted to hear about working around cubicals in this office of old women.

RobertKaucher

Rouguetadhg, I don't even understand that and fear that I don't want to...

Oddest I have had was a call that the toilette on floor x of building y was over flowing.

"This is the IT help desk. You'll need to call facilities."

"Can't you do that for me?"

"No, I have no idea where you are. Nor do I have the number for facilities for your building."

"I told you I am in building Y."

"Sir, I don't know where that is and I do not have the number for the facilities for all of the locations we service."

"So you are refusing to help me?"

"Sir, this is the IT help desk, I am not refusing to help you. I am telling you I cannot help you with a toilette issue."

Roguetadhg

I try not to think about it too much, honestly.

the_hutch

At my last helpdesk job, we recieved a ticket that only had the following information:

"Workstation was struck by lightening approximately 3 weeks ago. Please map to printer."

Turns out somebody had submitted it as a joke.

the_Grinch

On my last night at work, my replacement received a call from an end user requesting my help. User, Bob, said I had spoken to him previously the night before about his monitor issue. I hadn't and it being my last night as well as after 10 PM I wasn't going to be able to do much for him anyway. Told my replacement to say I was on a call and to open a ticket. User becomes even more admit that he speak with me. I tell my replacement it's not going to happen, just open a ticket. User goes on for about 10 minutes about how he will not speak with anyone else and will continue to call till he gets me. Finally, I take the call and it is one of the helpdesk engineers busting my stones on my last night. I received calls from three more that night (and it was one of those situations where I had to pick up). Also, they put tape on my laser mouse so it wouldn't work. I am still planning my revenge and it will be very cold!

NOC-Ninja

One of my co-worker is from Desktop Support. A user opened a ticket for PC problem but once my friend got there. He was asked to help him move his office chair from one building to another. The users excuse was that his arms were hurting from moving all his things. The funny part is that the office chair can be move, by easily pushing it to another building. Also, we have a different department that does the moves.

Also, I personally know a lot of users that asks IT guys to help them fix their personal PCs.

MAC_Addy

I recently had a ticket come through asking for me to hang a picture for them. I thought they were trying to be funny, they weren't. Also what's funny is that my computer is divided into regions (we actually have a centralized helpdesk), the people at the helpdesk definitely got a kick when they saw that ticket come through for an IT Manager.

MAC_Addy

NOC-Ninja wrote: »

Also, I personally know a lot of users that asks IT guys to help them fix their personal PCs.

Yep, I've had that way too many times. It's got to the point where I just tell them that it's against company policy for me to fix their personal stuff. I had someone report me to my supervisor when I refused to fix their home computer. When they did report me, they made it seem like it was their work computer. My supervisor gave them a written warning justice!

YFZblu

Not a ticket - but I just had a user hit me up via text message on my work phone; after a few questions, he admitted the issue he was experiencing was on his personal computer at home. smh.

J_86

Had a user call one time and said she was working and her computer shut off. Asked her to check to make sure the power cord was still plugged in (thinking she may have accidently kicked it or knocked it loose). She says "Sure, just one second". Comes back on the phone and says "Oh, it wasn't unplugged but it was smoking a little from the wall outlet, guess I've been over working it today!" She was just upstairs from me so I told her I would be right up. I take a look and the whole end of the surge protector is black and so is the wall outlet!! How the hell she missed that is beyond me, lucky the whole dang wall didn't catch fire.


The user who asked me if I could remote into her boyfriends computer and get her pictures back after they broke up. We have remote access to all users computer and she apparently thought we could access any computer, no matter where it is, that we wanted to. I didn't even want to go into what kind of "pictures" she was even talking about.

People that asked me what their wireless keys/password is for their home network.

I had this one user that is was to college. She was apparently taking a class in basic word/excel processing and she would open up tickets with the help desk and ask questions about her homework ALL the time. Boss finally told her to stop it. I don't mind helping, but come on!

User that got mad because the replacement keyboard we sent him was white and didn't match his black monitor or mouse.



I could write a book.

J_86

Oh, this one was today and made us all laugh.

We have a Panera across the street. New users calls the help desk today and asked it we could call over to Panera and get a "special code" to get around the 30 minute limit they have one their Wifi access.

MAC_Addy

J_86 wrote: »

People that asked me what their wireless keys/password is for their home network.

I almost forgot about this - the same thing has happened to me. The one that sticks out the most is someone called me at 10:30pm on a Sunday saying they couldn't get online. I walked them through the process and he said "It's not working, it's asking for a password". Usually when people are working out of the office we use Remote Desktop to access a server, I thought that he couldn't remember his server credentials. I was wrong. It was his wireless password. And get this - he got mad at me and hung up because I didn't know his own personal wireless password. I no longer answer his calls after hours.

tpatt100

Years ago a woman called me on the helpdesk and said "Is there something wrong with Microsoft today? I can't get to any websites".

JockVSJock

Somebody called in and said all of the systems were working great, keep up the good work, and hung up.

Roguetadhg

We need more tickets like those, JockVSJock.

nhpr

I once had a customer call in asking if he could get Jesus enabled on his server. I then realized that he wanted me to check and see if the packages necessary for "GZips" were installed.

Then there was another guy who called in and said only: "Balls! I'll call back."

JockVSJock

Roguetadhg wrote: »

We need more tickets like those, JockVSJock.

Agreed.

However we tried to trace down the number of the caller to put a name to the number, and it was tied to an inactive number.

DevilWAH

J_86 wrote: »

The user who asked me if I could remote into her boyfriends computer and get her pictures back after they broke up. We have remote access to all users computer and she apparently thought we could access any computer, no matter where it is, that we wanted to. I didn't even want to go into what kind of "pictures" she was even talking about.

I did work on a users PC who was also a good friend and very attractive to, and came across some rather interesting pics of her dressed up for he boy friend. After that I saw her in a whole new light, her Boyfriend was one lucky guy I can tell you. And yes I did tell her that I found them and after the initial red face we had a good laugh, we are still good friends, and it still makes me smile when i think about it. (no I did not take a copy! but yes I was empted )

DevilWAH

nhpr wrote: »

Then there was another guy who called in and said only: "Balls! I'll call back."

Had this a few times, I just use to think they didn't want to talk to me and would phone back trying to get some one else.

jibbajabba

Caller : My phone isn't working well
Me : What is your number
Caller : The one I am calling from
Me : I thought it is not working, hence I presume you call from a different phone
Caller : No, I mean I keep getting a busy signal when calling XYZ and I know they should be free

* face on desk *

J_86

I like the really upset people I get.

"WHY IS THIS [EMAIL="!@#$%"]!@#$%[/EMAIL] SYSTEM NOT WORKING AGAIN!

"Oh wait, I just figured it out, have a good day!"

People are always quck to blame IT.

rsutton

I've been asked to hang pictures, install keyboard trays, install a ceiling mounted projector, replace a light bulb etc. I also had a CxO ask me for her own "personal" technician that was on call 24/7.

pizzaboy

rsutton wrote: »

...I also had a CxO ask me for her own "personal" technician that was on call 24/7.

That's funny, I like that one. What would be even funnier is if she asked you why she couldn't have one. lol

whatthehell

My first IT job was support for a university, working specifically in a department that handled students and tenured professors.
One day, a tenured professor, who was supposed to be quite brilliant, called in, complaining that he can't use a CD because he did not have a CD-ROM drive. After 15 minutes or so of explaining to him that all machines that have been provided by our team had optical drives, I told him I will be physically there shortly.

I showed up to his office, only to find his optical drive bay open and ejected. I asked him, why didn't you use the CD-ROM here? His reply was, "what, the cup holder?"!!!!
ROFL -- I don't know what's worse --- the fact that everyone thought he was brilliant and this situation came up, or the fact that he has tenure and I made about $7/hr back then.

MAC_Addy

rsutton wrote: »

I also had a CxO ask me for her own "personal" technician that was on call 24/7.

Ew, sick. Unless they're hot, then thumbs up!

Frostbite

I had a lady complain that her keyboard wasn't working properly. Specifically, she couldn't type capital letters. I tried replacing the keyboard and she was still having problems so I came over to basically hover over her and see what the problem was. Turns out, she didn't know you had to hold the shift key down while pressing the letter you want capitalized. She thought you pressed the shift key, let go, then pressed the letter.

Her excuse was that she "wasn't very good with computers." The part I didn't understand is that she'd been working in an office for the last 40 years. I guess she'd never used a typewriter either.

the_Grinch

In regards to pictures, I was working on my sister's friend's computer. Issue was it would boot, but hang at the Windows login screen. So I put in a couple of CD's and was able to correct the registry issue without logging in. My sister's friend calls in a tissy pleading that I not login due to pictures on the laptop....still to this day I want to know what the pictures were lol

rsutton

MAC_Addy wrote: »

Ew, sick. Unless they're hot, then thumbs up!

Well that depends on whether or not you are in to cougars