Exec couldn’t identify a photocopier, which made for a fax-inating tech support call
One retro numeric keypad looks much like any other to some users
By the end of the working week, it becomes tempting to simply pass the problem on to others, but The Register aims to bring amusement through the continuation of the On Call column. This week, a reader named Orson shares his own tech support story that reminded him of a similar incident involving a lawyer and an italics misunderstanding.
Orson, who worked as a Facilities Manager for a major UK food company, recounted how he was called in one morning by the Company Secretary, who was clearly irritated because an urgent fax failed to go through the night before. The fax machine, a low-resolution scanner, printer, and slow modem device, required users to input the recipient's phone number via a numeric keypad.
In an attempt to resolve the issue, Orson followed the Company Secretary's steps: placing the document on the in-tray, entering the number, and hitting Enter. However, upon witnessing the situation, Orson realized she was attempting to use the photocopier instead. While the presence of multifunction printers (MFPs) in many workplaces made this mistake understandable, it still made for a humorous tale in the realm of tech support.
If you have a similar story to share, you can submit it to The Register's On Call column. They no longer have a fax machine, so sending a fax is not an option.
Written by urgent.news from The Register Science's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
