Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Just the Fax Ma'am

And you think I am bad with technology? Well, I am. But that is besides the point. Today, expecting a fax from another office, I instead received 11 blank pages with the fax transmittal header on it. I call the woman back and we have the following exchange:

Woman: Hi, did you get it?
Me: No. Actually I got 11 blank pages with your header on it.*
Woman: Huh!
Me: Do you think maybe you faxed it upside down?
Woman: Maybe.
Me: I have been known to do that [I haven't, but was trying to make her feel like less of an idiot]
Woman: I will try again.

And, again, I get 11 blank pagers with a transmittal header. I call her again:

Woman: Did it come through?
Me: 11 blank pages with a header came through.
Woman: I think there is something wrong with our fax machine.
Me: I would say so.
Woman: It is scary because I have been faxing papers all day. IMPORTANT papers. And people have been telling me they haven't received them.
Me: Can you email them to me?
Woman: We have another fax machine.
Me: Okay....
Woman: I will just email them to you.
Me: Sounds great.

Let's review:

1. She has been faxing papers all day
2. These papers are IMPORTANT
3. People have told her they aren't receiving the papers
4. She has a second fax machine
5. She has scanning capabilities
6. Despite the importance of these papers, she still chooses to continue to use the fax machine that people have been telling her is (a) not sending or (b) sending blank papers

Wow.



*When I first typed this, I had "with your head on it" instead of header. I think that is much more appropriate considering I wanted to rip this woman's head off. I changed it anyway.

7 important things being said:

EP said...

Eh. That's not good, but I bet I would be that woman because I have technological issues, too.

rachel elizabeth said...

oh man, i deal with people like that ALL DAY. drives me INSANE. i work in an office of people who are double my age or more with a few exceptions and they are the most technologically retarded people i have ever met. did you ever get your papers?

Anonymous said...

My office is comprised of fifty year old women and two men in their fifties. I am in my late twenties. With the exception of the men, they are incapable of faxing, checking email in Outlook, and one of them confessed she has never used Microsoft Word (WTF?!). Not only do these women drive me crazy, I'm terrified of catching menopause from them. I'm sacrificing my fertility and stable hormones for a paycheck and job security.

Jennifer said...

I may have faxed something upside down once or twice myself. I also have copy machine issues and have no idea how much a stamp costs, so I always need help at the postage machine.

Don't you wish I worked in your office?

Oh, and if you can scan and e-mail, why even bother faxing???

*~Dani~* said...

EP - I am not that good either, but I am sure neither of us would continue to use a fax machine that we have been told doesn't work when we have other alternatives.

rachel - yes, she scanned and emailed them. You will appreciate this part - she's a realtor. By the way, love the new avatar!

Anonymous - your comment cracked me up "sacrificing my fertility and stable hormones for a paycheck and job security." Hmmm...I wonder what I am sacrificing...probably my sanity. I am sure of it. Hope you come back and visit Anon and feel free to give yourself a name when you comment :)

Jenny - I really shouldn't talk and should blog about the time I tried to fax in our office and made the person give me three different fax numbers. Turned out it was my fault. Oh well.

As for the rest, I dont know how to work out postage machine and won't even try. I do know how much stamps cost. I think. Why do they have to change the prices every other month.

Faxing is so last year. PDF and email is all the rage in 2009. At least in my book.

Jennifer said...

Is this the person I think it is who you were dealing with? If so, that explains ALOT!!!

*~Dani~* said...

Jenny - why, yes it is. In fact, I walked around with those 11 blank pages declaring "these pages are the very essence of her stupidity." Or something like that.

Blog Widget by LinkWithin