The best IT technicians are those who read

First I want to make clear this isn’t a joke, it’s actually something that happened to me today.

In every line of the chat I’ve added «# comments» to make it clear.

Let’s analyze this chat between me (Technical support level 3) and Technician (technical support level 2):

lvl2Tech: Hi Miguel, sorry for answering so late
I left yesterday earlier
I have this notebook, the VPN isn’t working on it

Me: Alright, check if the correct packages are installed # At this moment I had no idea which problem it was
use the documentation to debug the VPN connection
and check if you can access through the old VPN

lvl2Tech: The old VPN isn’t present
I have not the old one and the new one isn’t working
The URL of the VPN is displaying an error as well

Me: That’s a known error, there’s an e-mail with the solution # Now I know which problem it is, I ask him a couple of questions about the origin of the notebook
wait
where did you get that notebook?
are you fixing an user’s notebook?

lvl2Tech: It’s the notebook from our support team
I don’t remember making changes on it

Me: I’ve just sent you an e-maiul # I sent an e-mail which clearly explains how to fix the VPN
mail*

lvl2Tech: It has installed the package of the VPN
It has an updater
there’s a missing package
and it’s weird that the old VPN access is lost

Me: Yeah!
check the e-mail 
this happened to a certain amount of users last week
when you apply the fix the old VPN access will be restored
and the new one will work as well

lvl2Tech: Now I’m gonna try to install the lacking package
and this specific XXXX package as well

Me: You have not to install anything

lvl2Tech: The package isn’t available on the server

Me: You just have to execute the fix on the e-mail which is executing the VPN through a command
and everything will be fixed automatically

lvl2Tech: But Miguel! I open the new VPN and isn’t working and I’m unable to connect

Me: Did you read the e-mail?
the one I’ve copied you?
I’ve just resent it to you!

lvl2Tech: I’m reading it # ??? Are you really reading it ???!!
I’m sorry but in the documentation isn’t anything about the problem I’m experiencing # Of course because it’s on the e-mail…
It says I have to extract a zip file
and it doesn’t explain where that file is

Me: Option B: # I’ve extracted the part of the e-mail with the fix and sent it to him directly, not expecting him to read the e-mail anymore.
1 – Press : ALT+F2
A new window appears «Run the command to execute»
2 – Type this and pulse enter:
sudo -u ffuser run_vpn.sh

lvl2Tech: Oh, that line…

Me:You have to read dude! # I’m referring to the e-mail ofc
;D

lvl2Tech: I swear I’m unable to find that line! I’m guess I’ve seen it before somewhere but I’m searching on the document and there isn’t anything like you’ve said.
the word «vpn» only appears one time. # He’s still searching on the webpage of debug, not reading the e-mail.

Me: (picture showing the e-mail) # I took an screenshot of the e-mail where the fix can be seen clearly and sent it to him
It was easier to read the e-mail than using the search bar

lvl2Tech: hahaha sure!
But I’m on the URL and
there’s no command as you’ve said! # He even didn’t saw the picture and is still searching the fix on the webpage

Me: It’s on the e-mail # (Again)

lvl2Tech: Ohhhhhhhhhhh

Me: I’ve just sent you by chat the picture of the e-mail 

lvl2Tech: Alright… now I got it.

Me: I just sent you the e-mail like 1 minute ago
did you check your e-mail?

lvl2Tech: I did but I thought it was on the documentation page # Wrong deduction instead of reading the e-mail, possible sign of being lazy?

Me: As I’ve said reading the e-mail and understanding the problem would have been easier, the e-mail is quite clear.

lvl2Tech: Yeah, yeah.. but I assumed it was the link on the e-mail # No comments….
Now it’s fixed, the VPN works!

Me :You didn’t read the e-mail, you just clicked on the link without reading the e-mail
:p

lvl2Tech: Probably

Me: Not probably, you didn’t read the e-mail

lvl2Tech: I didn’t because someone else was working on it I didn’t pay attention, I just overheard there was a link with the solutions for vpn problems and went directly to that link hehe

Me: Yeah… but I told you to read the e-mail 😛