Ten Truly Bizarre Help Desk Questions and Requests
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Ten Truly Bizarre Help Desk Questions and Requests
The annual turnover rate for help desk workers exceeds 30%, and considering these offbeat queries, it’s no wonder they’re heading for the exit. -
Dialing Dilemma
"Can I have the number to the worldwide Internet?" -
Stiff Drink
"My cup holder broke, and I need a replacement." (The employee thought the CD drive was a cup holder.) -
MIA
"Every time I try to print, my computer says it cannot find the printer. I even put the printer right in front of the computer, and the computer still couldn't see it." -
Spy Game, Part I
"Can you hack into my boyfriend's Facebook page?" -
Spy Game, Part II
"Can you put a tracking device on my daughter's tablet?" -
Error-Prone
"Is it OK if I use correction fluid on my monitor?" -
Dining Option
"Can I turn on my slow cooker from another location by computer or tablet?" -
Pet Peeve
"I need to have the cat hair cleaned out of my computer fan." -
Stalled Situation
"I am locked in the bathroom. Can you help get me out?" -
Weird Science
"Will you build me a robot?"
As a CIO, you should always convey your appreciation for good help desk workers. Especially those who are capable of fielding the following bizarre employee and user questions and requests, taken from a recent survey from Robert Half Technology. CIOs were asked, "What is the strangest or most unusual request you or a member of your help desk or technical support team has ever received?" A number of responses reflect how certain employees still struggle to "get" technology. Others speak the willingness of users to abuse their company's tech tools. Then, there are flat-out outrageous requests that challenge a help desk employee's resolve (not to mention sense of ethics). While the exchanges are more amusing than alarming, they underscore a more serious situation: help desk morale. In fact, the annual turnover rate for these workers exceeds 30%, as many say they experience considerable stress on the job while feeling undervalued, according to industry findings. The following bizarre help desk questions and requests were compiled from Robert Half Technology's research, for which more than 2,700 CIOs in the U.S. and Canada took part.