[TeemFilla]

Seriously, I hate January, not only is it the busiest tech period of the year it also seems to bring out the ****** in people.

Take for example the people I just had to deal with.

I knew it was going to be fun when they were aggressively defensive before I even said anything.

"We bought this off you before christmas and the USB ports on the front have just fallen appart"

Thinking *oh great, I know where this is going*

I had a look and sure enough, it looks like somone has taken a blender to the front USB ports. The metal is twisted and buckeled, the plastic guides are gone.

"All I did was plug the camera in and it wouldn't fit, so I pulled it out and the whole thing just collapsed! Is this the kind of quality you're selling? When things just fall appart?"

"Did you try to plug anything in after it fell appart?" I asked

"No!"

"Well" I said "I suspect you pushed the cable in upside down. looking at how the pins are twisted and bent backwards. That and the other set are bent and pressed into the back of the ports"

"We did no such thing! I work with computers, I think I know how to plug in USB!"

I so wanted to say "Apparently not since you've managed to butt bang these ports successfully"

"Well, the fact is, intentional or not you have physically damaged the system. I can replace the USB ports for you but I'd have to charge £5 for a new case front. No labour charge of course. Or I can give you a 4 Port USB hub that you plug in the back and you can bring that round the front."

"That's disgracefull, I'm not having that! You sold us faulty goods and I demand a replacement system! I'm entitled to it under warranty!"

"Madam, you have ripped the USB ports off a system, you admit it happened when you "Couldn't get your camera cable to fit". I have no problem giving you a new USB hub at our expense, however, the case your system is built in has a rough value of £40, we have no spare fronts for these cases so for me to repair it would require me to strip another case for the ports and cables and fit them to yours. I am happy to do this, but my manager will not allow me to as effectively, we are then left with a non-resellable computer case. £40 of dead money if you will."

"Fine!" she said "Give me the ****ing USB hub and I will speak to my solicitor when I get home!"

This is about the 4th or 5th customer today who's brought back damaged items and gone all "I know my rights" on us.

"Yes, but you do realise breaking a warranty seal on a laptop and fitting the wrong memory that then blows the laptop voids the warranty right?"