It started like any other day in the IT support department, with the usual flood of password reset requests and printer jams. Then, the team received a ticket that made everyone do a double take. The ticket simply read, “My coffee maker isn’t working. Please fix.” No category, no priority level, just a desperate plea for help.
Curious, an IT technician named Dave opened the ticket and replied politely, asking for more details. The employee explained that their office coffee maker, the sacred machine responsible for jumpstarting mornings, had stopped brewing. Apparently, it wouldn’t even turn on. The kicker? The employee had never tried unplugging and plugging it back in—or checking if it was even plugged in.
This was, of course, way beyond the typical IT remit, but Dave was determined to help. He responded suggesting some basic troubleshooting steps: checking the power source, ensuring the machine was clean, and verifying there was water in the reservoir. The employee replied, “I’m not sure I’m comfortable opening up the machine myself.” Dave started to suspect the coffee maker was undercover IT equipment disguised as an espresso machine.
When none of the suggestions worked, and the employee insisted the problem was a “software fault,” the ticket escalated from funny to absurd. The employee wanted IT to remotely “debug” the coffee maker. Despite gentle explanations that the coffee maker had no remote access or software interface, the employee persisted in asking if there was a “coffee maker app” or “firmware update.”
The support team finally had to break it gently — IT’s expertise extended to computers, networks, and printers, but not kitchen appliances. As a final gesture of good will, they recommended calling the manufacturer’s customer support or turning to building maintenance.
The ticket closed with a note from the employee: “Thanks for trying. I’ll just have tea today.”
From that day on, the support team kept a secret coffee maker repair kit next to the helpdesk, just in case another brave soul tried the same. And yes, they still chuckle whenever they see the ticket ID. Sometimes, IT support really is a matter of life and coffee death.