What if people bought cars like they buy computers?
2007-10-02 07:24:23
General Motors doesn't have a "help line" for people who don't know how to drive, because people don't buy cars like they buy computers - but imagine if they did...
Helpline: "General Motors Helpline, how can I help you?"
Customer: "I got in my car and closed the door, and nothing
happened!"
Helpline: "Did you put the key in the ignition and turn it?"
Customer: "What's an ignition?"
Helpline: "It's a starter motor that draws current from your
battery and turns over the engine."
Customer: "Ignition? Motor? Battery? Engine? How come I have
to know all of these technical terms just to use
my car?"
Helpline: "General Motors Helpline, how can I help you?"
Customer: "My car ran fine for a week, and now it won't go
anywhere!"
Helpline: "Is the gas tank empty?"
Customer: "Huh? How do I know?"
Helpline: "There's a little gauge on the front panel, with
a needle, and markings from 'E' to 'F'. Where
is the needle pointing?"
Customer: "I see an 'E' but no 'F'."
Helpline: "You see the 'E' and just to the right is the 'F'."
Customer: "No, just to the right of the first 'E' is a 'V'."
Helpline: "A 'V'?!?"
Customer: "Yeah, there's a 'C', an 'H', the first 'E', then
a 'V', followed by 'R', 'O', 'L' ..."
Helpline: "No, no, no sir! That's the front of the car.
When you sit behind the steering wheel, that's
the panel I'm talking about."
Customer: "That steering wheel thingy -- Is that the round
thing that honks the horn?"
Helpline: "Yes, among other things."
Customer: "The needle's pointing to 'E'. What does that mean?"
Helpline: "It means that you have to visit a gasoline vendor
and purchase some more gasoline. You can install
it yourself, or pay the vendor to install it for
you."
Customer: "What? I paid $12,000 for this car! Now you tell
me that I have to keep buying more components?
I want a car that comes with everything built in!"
Helpline: "General Motors Helpline, how can I help you?"
Customer: "Your cars suck!"
Helpline: "What's wrong?"
Customer: "It crashed, that's what went wrong!"
Helpline: "What were you doing?"
Customer: "I wanted to go faster, so I pushed the
accelerator pedal all the way to the floor.
It worked for a while, and then it crashed
-- and now it won't even start up!"
Helpline: "I'm sorry, sir, but it's your responsibility
if you misuse the product."
Customer: "Misuse it? I was just following this damned
manual of yours. It said to make the car
go to put the transmission in 'D' and press
the accelerator pedal. That's exactly what
I did -- now the damn thing's crashed."
Helpline: "Did you read the entire operator's manual
before operating the car sir?"
Customer: "What? Of course I did! I told you I did
EVERYTHING the manual said and it didn't
work!"
Helpline: "Didn't you attempt to slow down so you
wouldn't crash?"
Customer: "How do you do THAT?"
Helpline: "You said you read the entire manual, sir.
It's on page 14. The pedal next to the
accelerator."
Customer: "Well, I don't have all day to sit around and
read this manual you know."
Helpline: "Of course not. What do you expect us to do
about it?"
Customer: "I want you to send me one of the latest
versions that goes fast and won't crash anymore!"
Helpline: "General Motors Helpline, how can I help you?"
Customer: "Hi! I just bought my first car, and I chose
your car because it has automatic transmission,
cruise control, power steering, power brakes,
and power door locks."
Helpline: "Thanks for buying our car. How can I help you?"
Customer: "How do I work it?"
Helpline: "Do you know how to drive?"
Customer: "Do I know how to what?"
Helpline: "Do you know how to DRIVE?"
Customer: "I'm not a technical person! I just want to go
places in my car!"