On Call The Register understands the frustrations that come with tech support, which is why we present a new edition of On Call every Friday. This reader-contributed column shares real-life support stories, allowing you to commiserate with others.
This week, we introduce “Brad,” a reader who recounts his first tech support job at a major US grocery retailer.
Brad primarily worked at the company’s largest store but was occasionally sent to other locations.
“My boss gave me a lot of freedom as long as the PCs were functioning,” Brad shared with On Call, noting that his boss had a degree in Psychology, not tech.
Despite the lack of support from his boss, Brad was tasked with testing software before major deployments. The story he shared with On Call dates back to 1996, when he was instructed to upgrade the retailer from Microsoft Office 95/7.0 due to stability issues with large spreadsheets.
After thorough testing, he upgraded to Office 97/8.0. However, issues arose with Excel files being corrupted when shifting between PC and Mac. Brad’s desperate attempts led him to contact Bill Gates directly, expressing his frustration with the software bug.
Following Brad’s email, a Microsoft developer reached out to offer assistance. After a detailed discussion, the developer provided a fix with Office 8.01 that resolved the issue.
Grateful for the prompt help, Brad considered offering his QA services to Microsoft. He encourages others to do the same with other tech companies.
