But wait, there's more...

Zap Rowsdower wrote:I occasionally run across a certain type of user who calls in for what seems to be a singular issue, a simple fix.
Once in front of the user, they will begin to pile on the issues they're having.

Any idea what motivates these types of people?

Yes. While certainly the following description is not accurate for every user of this type, most are probably people that don't want to bother IT. A "pile of issues" suggests they are users that have waited, and waited, and waited to contact IT, because they feel like the issues they are having are not worth bothering IT, that possibly IT will fix it with an update/patch, or that they will eventually get around to fixing it themselves, or that they know they can't duplicate the error and so they postpone.

Eventually, they do have an issue they need fixed. It is a singular issue and here you come. And you are such a friendly and helpful guy, while you are here anyway, I might as well mention X, and Y, and Z issues and maybe there is an off chance you have been dealing with that other issue I can't duplicate with other users. Maybe I can't duplicate the error, but maybe it is an error you have dealt with 100 times, being the IT expert and all.

Think of it this way. Many people don't go to the hospital every single time they have a cough or the sniffles. When they do have a problem and make an appointment for what they consider to be an actual illness, they then mention to the doctor about the other two minor issues they have had taking place. Why? What motivates them to wait? Their motivation is based in good intentions. They don't want to burden the doctor over minor issues, going to the hospital every time they have the sniffles. But, once they are at the hospital, once the doctor is in front of them, then that is the time to bring up the side issues, in hopes the doctor, the person with vast experience can quickly help them with the other minor illnesses.

Not all people/users are like this. Some contact IT every single time. You go to them, they have a single issue and you fix it. Ticket closed. Then they call again, and again, and again. The user you are referring to doesn't want to bother IT with what they believe to be insignificant issues. Yet, when they do have a real issue and they open a ticket, then they awkwardly ask if you might help them with the few other side issues they have been experiencing.