Custard16
From DotelTech
- Client: Kid with WAY too much Money
- Problem: Upgrade
- My Job: Repair Dude
A kid, probably about 19 comes into the store with a ultra tiny Sony portable. This is one of the very nice tiny units, built in video camera, edge modem, tiny screen, the works. Great piece of hardware. This unit was a few years old but still in serviceable condition. Until was about 2 years old, and probably cost about $4,000
The customer tells me the CD-ROM has stopped working. I test the drive and find that it is in fact very dead. I do a little research and find I can get a replacement. I can, and I can even upgrade him from a normal CD-ROM to a CD/DVD burner combo. If he wanted to spend the extra $200. (Keep in mind this was back when $200 was normal for a CD-BURNER in a laptop). He asks about other upgrades, I check for availability on parts and options. He opts for the memory upgrade, harddrive upgrade and a bunch of software as well. I give him an estimate of about $2000. These ultra portables are very difficult to work on, I even suggest he get a quote directly from Sony.
I upgrade the little laptop, and it is running perfectly. A laptop I would love to keep for myself. I call the customer and let him know it is ready. Customer comes and picks up the laptop and pays in CASH.
I check him out, close the report. Customer walks out the front door. Tossing the laptop to himself. Yes Tossing a $4000 + $2000 in upgrades laptop, in the air, to himself. I cringe. He steps off the sidewalk into the parking lot, and misses the catch. Not only does he miss it, he attempts to recover. In doing so he propels the laptop across the parking lot. sliding and tumbling and landing under a car.
I'm horrified, he then picks the laptop up, and tosses it into the back seat of the car and drives away. I calmly log back into the service order and type up a report, and invalidate the warranty. Customer never did come back or complain. Either some laptop angel was looking after that Sony, or customer was too embarrassed to return to the scene of the murder.