"My alarm is making a noise"

List cordless-phone handsets and pagers right beside cell phones.

Also check for PDAs with alarms or alerts of some kind (for example, you may have someone's birthday set as a "day event" and have an alarm set for it, which in most cases would start it beeping at midnight).

Same goes for digital wristwatches, electronic organizers, etc.

Of course, if you're more of an asshole when you're sleepy, the obvious response is, "Yes, that's what it's supposed to do."

My favorites are the people who move into a new (to them) home or apartment with an existing alarm and no instructions. For some reason they decide to try out the keypad panic button at 3:00 am. With the siren ringing and the baby crying, instead of looking in the YP for the local alarm company that installed it they go online, find our DIY store and call for help.

Add dishwasher to #7

Pagers if anyone still uses one

Kids toys with batteries can make all sorts of different noises

Neighbors sirens that are within hearing distance

Some thermostats or any other control device for the home that have low battery audible indication

Note: Even had one elderly lady that said everytime the garbage man came, the alarm would start sounding. You probably figured it out. It was the reverse signaling indicator on the truck. If it beeps, it is always "your" alarm.

I think Crash posted something similar once before and I totally can relate, "Service department returning your call sir". Customer, "Your alarm is constantly going off and keeping me awake". Alarm co., "My alarm is not going off, so therefore, I don't understand how it could be keeping you awake. I was sleeping just fine until you called, but, since I am now awake, how can I help you with your alarm." At that point, regardless of how many notices, newletter articles, etc. they have received, you find out they haven't changed their battery in 9 years. Don't ya luv it!

What would ever possess you to answer the phone for a DIY store at 3:00am?

What would ever possess you to answer the phone for a DIY store at 3:00am?

RLB likes to ah, embellish. It never happened.

Some of the new fancy refrigerators have door ajar alarms now.

ADD: Stop Watches, and Digital Timers

James

TV, VCR, DVD, stereo, etc, etc, etc remote controls.

Had one last week where the motion detector in the living room was beeping. Told them motions don't beep. They tell me it does. So I go down there and find the TV is under the motion, and one of its many remotes (replaced by a universal remote) is next to the TV and is beeping for (i assume) a low battery.

If the phone rings and I'm awake I answer it. I frequently work on the store late at night because that's the only time the phones aren't keeping me busy.

I had one once that the customer swore blind was the lounge PIR causing the beeping. After advising her there was no way the PIR could make the beeping sound, and about 10 minutes of questioning, she insisted on an out of hours service call. I advised her that the company I worked for at the time would charge $52.00 for this. (was a few years ago). Got to site about 0230 to find a toy mobile phone on top of the TV. (not even near the detector). Unfortunately customers don't seem to have directional hearing, and they always assume the alarm system to be the fault.

Uh-huh... sure... You still haven't changed the contact information (old addy's still showing). You have a blank image place holder on your front page (it's been there for over a year.

I am glad you finally got rid of that annoying Winfixer/WinDoctor Popup though. What took you so long?

I had one client call once to complain that the light on the smoke detector was "locked on". The account was monitored and there had been no fire alarm signal. I checked the panel by modem and everything was normal -- no fire alarm or trouble condition. I asked her which smoke detector it was. She said "the one at the top of the cellar stairs." Well, we didn't install smokes at the *top* of the basement stairs. The system smoke was at the bottom of the stairs.

I explained that the detector she was looking at was one of the 110VAC detectors that the electrician installed -- not one of ours -- and that the constant red LED was normal for that type. She insisted it was ours and demanded that I come out and service it at once. When I got there I went to the basement, showed her our detector and showed her the difference between the two types.

No apology. No thank you. She said something about how I should have explained all of that on the phone. I handed her an invoice which she of course never paid. That's one more reason I prefer servicing DIYers. They don't expect you to come out and fix things that aren't broken. :^)

Mr. BAss:

If you communicated with that customer the same way you communicate on this newsgroup...I can see why you never got paid for the service call.

Norm Mugford

I choose Polesoft Lockspam to fight spam, and you?

Underneath the first step? Smoke rises. Duh.

- badenov

Something like heart problems last year and possible cancer problems this year. Was he lacking attention as a child?

Something like heart problems last year and possible cancer problems this year. Was he lacking attention as a child?

It didn't mean to imply that. It never occured to me. Are you suggested that he'd stoop so low as to feign lung cancer? Perhaps the heart problems were actually lung problems misdiagnosed. I think we are crossing a line here.

Nope. The line was crossed long ago, and not by us. js