Something I’ve noticed about people lately…. they come to me with something that needs to be done (turn a site on/off, fix an item that’s “wrong”, make minor copy changes, etc….) but don’t have all the info I’ll need in order to effect the change. Examples: What is the actual document name of the page with the error producing product, what *specific* domain am I supposed to be screwing with (when one client has multiple domains, telling me to turn off/on “two of them” is not very helpful)

When the specific information I need is not provided, and I cannot immediately call to mind the details of the account (we’ve got over 100 clients and I do not have an eidetic memory - you do the math) I will ask questions. These questions serve two purposes. 1.) Maybe the person with the request really does know what I need, and just doesn’t understand that they have to tell me. 2.) Failing number one, maybe the answerers they do provide will jog *my* memory enough that I can complete the request. Both of these things have, at different points, happened.

However, sometimes people just do not like being questioned. The want me to snap my fingers and produce their desired results out of the ether through the magic of technology. After all, don’t I work on this stuff every day? What do you mean you can’t remember all the domains registered to a client you haven’t worked on for three months?

Hey, I’ll admit - tact and diplomacy are not my best things. I’ll make a stab at being nice and understanding, but if you aren’t going to work with me, if you do not at least try to help me do what you want me to do, then I have no use for you, and you can bugger off. I’ll attempt to complete your request anyway, and if it’s not perfect, then use your brain and give me the correct info to work with. No one is paying me money to think for you.