# a 5 business day backlog \*IS\* a 5 business day backlog... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 2, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-5-business-day-backlog-is-a-5-business-day-backlog/319768 "2005-09-02T18:24:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-5-business-day-backlog-is-a-5-business-day-backlog/319768/1 "2005-09-02T18:24:28Z")
“Dear” customer; when you are quoted a FIVE BUSINESS DAY backlog before i can get your machine on the bench for diagnosis/repair _DO NOT_ call back in _TWO_ asking “is it done yet?”, no, it is NOT done, it hasn’t even hit the frakkin’ bench yet, and all your call is doing is pissing me off i _do not care_ that it’s your only machine and you run your business on it, if you rely _that much_ on a computer to keep you in business, then perhaps you might want to consider investing in a backup machine for these situations, or maybe you shouldn’t have sold the old machine to pay for the new one, wouldn’t it be nice to have a backup machine, even if it’s old, at least it still works… all your impatient whinging does is piss me off and make sure you get the bare minimum service to fix your machine, nothing more, only what’s needed to get it functional again, you won’t get the insides vaccumed out (special electronics vaccum that’s grounded and does not create an ESD field), the case cleaned, and the OS tweaked for performance i’ll never perform a substandard repair, but you won’t get the niceties that the nice, understanding, and above all, _PATIENT_ customers get, i won’t explain what i did (you can read that on your invoice anyway), all you’ll get is your machine handed back and a thank you for your business, no free hints or tips you were made aware at time of drop-off that we have 2 labor rates, standard (5 business day backlog), and emergency (on the bench _NOW_), you chose _standard_ so don’t expect _emergency_ service for that price i’m the only service tech here, and your machine is _NOT_ the only one i’m working on, you’ll have to wait in line like everybody else, i work on machines on a first-come-first-served basis, your machine is behind others that were dropped off before you, get a clue, if it’s truly an emergency, you’re more than welcome to upgrade to emergency service, but expect to be billed at the emergency rate one final note, you do realize constantly calling me asking for status is slowing down your repair, you’re eating up time i could be using to get my other jobs off the bench and yours _on_ the bench, your constant harranguing is slowing your own repair down, give it a rest… ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-5-business-day-backlog-is-a-5-business-day-backlog/319768/2 "2005-09-02T18:26:14Z")
oh, forgot to add my closing comment… remember the following quote and we’ll get along fine… “A lack of planning on your part _DOES NOT_ constitute an emergency on _MY_ part…” thank you, i’ll be here all week, try the veal and don’t forget to tip your waitress… ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-5-business-day-backlog-is-a-5-business-day-backlog/319768/3 "2005-09-02T18:37:09Z")
He should get a Windows box. Then he could _afford_ two machines. Hell, a Linux box. Then he could have three. …d&r… ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-5-business-day-backlog-is-a-5-business-day-backlog/319768/4 "2005-09-02T18:45:01Z")
How many times did this guy call? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-5-business-day-backlog-is-a-5-business-day-backlog/319768/5 "2005-09-02T18:47:35Z")
I wish we had a five-day backlog. Ours can be measured in months. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-5-business-day-backlog-is-a-5-business-day-backlog/319768/6 "2005-09-02T18:55:00Z")
> [@black455](#): > > He should get a Windows box. Then he could _afford_ two machines. > > Hell, a Linux box. Then he could have three. > > …d&r… okay, lets stop with the Mac Vs. windows thing in this thread, m’kay, it’s no secret i’m a Mac fanatic (as the username makes blatantly obvious) but this thread has nothing to do with Mac Vs. PC, _ALL_ machines have the potential to fail, the platform/OS is irrelavent this guy’s called at least 3 times since he’s dropped it off, he’s one of those “I’m important and you should move me up to Emergency status but bill me for standard” kinda’ people… ‘aint gonna’ happen, you want Emergency service, you _PAY_ Emergency rates, heck it’s only $25 more than standard anyway… …self important prick, go away and let me work ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-5-business-day-backlog-is-a-5-business-day-backlog/319768/7 "2005-09-02T21:30:34Z")
How typical is this in the industry? Are you always backed up 5 biz days? Is it the same way in PC service? ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-5-business-day-backlog-is-a-5-business-day-backlog/319768/8 "2005-09-03T04:14:06Z")
Next time he calls, tell him that you’re going to bill him $10 for every phone call before the 5-business-day backlog period is over. Maybe then he’ll figure out that he should either shut up or upgrade to emergency service. $25 extra, and he’s being _that_ bit a jackoff? Sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-5-business-day-backlog-is-a-5-business-day-backlog/319768/9 "2005-09-03T04:35:03Z")
> [@Mr. Slant](#): > > How typical is this in the industry? > Are you always backed up 5 biz days? > Is it the same way in PC service? 1; dunno, i’m the only tech in our store, really depends on the workload 2; not always, i _have_ had 1 and 2 day turnarounds in slow times, sometimes as long as 7 days when it gets really heavy 3; dunno, since hardware failures are platform-agnostic, i’d imagine so, if anything, the PC service departments (we’re a Mac-Only shop) would be more backed up due to the prevalance of PC Malware, but on the flipside, those stores probably have more than one tech on staff so the workload is spread to multiple techs… ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-5-business-day-backlog-is-a-5-business-day-backlog/319768/10 "2005-09-03T05:10:16Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > ‘aint gonna’ happen, you want Emergency service, you _PAY_ Emergency rates, heck it’s only $25 more than standard anyway… Have you told him this? Why not, the next time he calls, tell him exactly what you told us? “I have other machines ahead of yours, and your phone calls are delaying me getting to them, which means you’re delaying me getting to _yours_. If you want emergency service, you are welcome to pay for it, and I will fix your machine ASAP. Otherwise, I will be happy to call you in (x) days when I am finished with your machine. Thank you for your patience and understanding.” ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-5-business-day-backlog-is-a-5-business-day-backlog/319768/11 "2005-09-03T05:44:18Z")
> [@Mr. Slant](#): > > How typical is this in the industry? > Are you always backed up 5 biz days? > Is it the same way in PC service? Five days? Fuck it! We throw the box out.