Part of my job involves me having to deal with certain of our suppliers with regards to machines or components having to be sent it for Warranty Repairs or General Repairs. These are typically Laptops and Faulty Components. So recently one of our Web Development Guys brings in his personal laptop to have the Faulty mainboard replaced at his cost.

So I have now been fighting with Supplier for 3 days to get the Laptop booked in with them ... the conversation has been something along these lines each time and I am yet to have someone in charge actually get back to me.

Me: I need to book a Laptop in to have the mainboard replaced at cost because the machine doesn’t boot anymore.

Supplier: What is the Serial Number of the Unit?

Me: I can’t see the Serial Number on the unit because the Sticker has faded.

Supplier: Please boot the machine into the Bios so you can see the Serial Number then.

Me: Ummm ... the machine doesn’t boot hence me having to send it in to have the mainboard replaced.

Supplier: [Long Pause] So you can’t see the Serial Number on the bottom of the machine.

Me: No. The stickers that you (Supplier) use are crap and rub off.

Supplier: [Longer Pause] Well we can’t book the machine in without the Serial Number.

Me: So what now?

Supplier: [Sound of a Cockroach falling] I don’t know ... I will have to get back to you.

So here I am ... still waiting. Guess this is going to be a long week.

The name of the supplier has been changed to protect the guilty.