Sometimes, the best outcome isn't just about solving the immediate problem but also about finding the best path forward for the client.

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Call of Concern

We received a call early in the morning from a client, an employee at a firm Tech-AD has an Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) with. He wasn’t able to connect to the internet. I can’t really be sure if he was happy or sad about it. After all, it was Friday.

On Call Troubleshooting:

We tried troubleshooting the issue over the phone, but nothing seemed to work. There was no WiFi, no internet even with an external adapter, and the LAN cable was of no use. It was clear that one of us needed to go there.

But First, Food!

Before heading out, I needed to grab something to eat. I had puri sabji for brunch, but it wasn’t quite enough. So, I got myself a burger as well. Feeling a bit too full and, honestly, craving sleep, I headed out.

At the Client’s Place

Upon arriving at the client’s place, I noticed that at least the Ethernet connection had started working. That was a small win. But the WiFi was still down. Here’s what I did next:

1. Initial Troubleshooting: Toggled Airplane mode using shortcut keys, disabled and enabled device
2. Try something else: Tried using a Tenda adapter, but it didn’t help.
3. Driver Check: Found a warning sign on the drivers.
4. Reset and Reinstall: Reset and reinstalled the drivers, hoping for a solution.
5. Reseated and Cleaned: the wireless card.

The Old Laptop

The laptop I was working on was a very old Compaq, originally meant for Windows 7, but now running on Windows 10. I even reseated and cleaned the wireless card, but it still refused to cooperate.

What Next?

We offered to take the laptop back to our office for a more detailed hardware check, but the client decided that it was too old to put more money into it.

A Happy Ending

Despite not fixing the WiFi issue, the day ended well. The client was impressed with my dedication and ended up placing two new orders:

1. Refurbished Laptop: Suitable for daily office work and expected to last a few years.
2. New Laptop: Specifically for graphic design work.

So, can I call it a success? I think so. Sometimes, the best outcome isn’t just about solving the immediate problem but also about finding the best path forward for the client.