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Comment by soared | Hacker News Reader

This only works if the user is invested. I work in a a technical support role (not IT) where the customer is my coworkers. Most of them simply want task x completed, and have no interest in anything else. Even fixing the core issue doesn’t matter, as many people just glide on autopilot through the workday.

I’ve found it’s maybe 1 in 10 people who would even be willing to think about the cause of the issue and be willing to move any distance past “just fix it”.

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Yeah I wouldn’t have time for anything else. Just fix it, I have to focus on my main work. Can’t imagine any other attitude flies for most people.

Now, being able to delicately explain important details to a user who doesn’t care, that’s an art, which I have not yet solved for. The easiest I found was I think that’s a great idea, unfortunately the system cant do that, it would cost XXX to do it. Never say no, but make them say no by telling them the cost ;) Cost can also be time - it would take me 30 hours for this request, shall I proceed?

I would certainly not want to be 'invested' into fixing something in the car when you pay for a mechanic.

I'd much rather have the mechanic fix it and move on.

People don't want to deal with things that they don't care learning about, they just want it done

Depends on how you use your car. I travel long distances in very remote areas and am very invested in knowing that my mechanic has done their job well. I really don't want to end up on the side of the road waiting potentially days for somebody to come along and rescue me.

If somebody is interested in how things are being fixed, then it's a great idea to indulge them, they can be your greatest aid in solving other problems in their workplace so they never get to you.

Yeah I very much understand the logic. But if you have to go to the mechanic a couple times a day, it may be mutually beneficial to make that interaction less transactional.

But also, some days I do just put in my headphones and run through tickets. So I can’t blame anyone.

Getting invested is a trap. You could easily end up with more problems than what you started with, and there is no real gain in taking such a risk.

This is 100% my experience as well.

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