This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.

The original was posted on /r/maliciouscompliance by /u/Negative-Net-4416 on 2024-12-21 02:14:45+00:00.

I once spent quite a long time fixing a computer for a new client, after the PC had crashed (the old hard drive failed completely). Fortunately, the customer had a basic file backup from perhaps a year or two ago, so we got most of the files back.

However, I had very little info to go on - I didn’t know the original version of Windows, no idea what apps they used, or what email client they used. I was met by repeated “I don’t know” and “it didn’t look like that before”. I continued to be patient, calm and understanding - bringing up images on the internet to see if any start menus / apps looked familiar. In the end, I installed the latest and greatest of everything. I got it looking really good, easy to use, and all their apps on the start menu. They started getting pretty moody when we had spent half an hour trying to recover the forgotten email password, apparently the security question wasn’t something they’d have ever known. The partial recovery phone number wasn’t theirs, until yes, it was their landline. Then they find the password in their book even though “that’s not the one I use for my email”. Except it is.

Finally, I’ve invested enough time on this, I’ve asked all the questions, and squeezed out a few answers. The computer is all good.

However - I get several calls over the next couple of days, asking where some obscure apps have gone. Why did I remove them? Why have I not installed the (dodgy) cleanup utility they paid for? Why have I deleted the email contacts? (they meant autofill, which obviously was empty). Where are the browser passwords?

I go back, and get a lecture on how it’s just not good enough. They have been invoiced ‘good money’ for the computer to be fixed, any frankly it’s not fixed. They just want it back the way it was.

TBH, I’d really undercharged for my time anyway, maybe 2 hours instead of the actual 5-6 invested - because no matter how hard I tried, it was never going to be a job they were completely happy with.

Being younger and less experienced, I’d missed some potential red flags: The customer was slightly outside my usual area (they should’ve been able to find several technicians closer to them). The first phone call had been out of hours. They had been a bit difficult and uncooperative from the start. They had almost expected the job to not be good enough, and during the small talk, they’d already complained about their plumber, and how many times they’ve had to find a new cleaner for their home because they have been ‘let down’ several times. They hadn’t yet paid the invoice.

Get it back the way it was.

The client popped out of the room for a couple of minutes and I was so fed up by this point. I took the side off of the case, removed the new drive, and reconnected the broken one (still in the case). I picked up my toolbag and met the client in the hallway: All sorted. It’s back exactly as it was before. And don’t worry, I’ll cancel the invoice so there’s nothing to pay.

I made a dash for it. I have no idea what happened next, I ignored a few missed calls and then blocked the number. I thought about how I’d reply to any kind of email or online review, but I heard no more.

I like to think that they got someone far less patient, more expensive, and got a worse result.