It sometimes takes more than money and time to have your computer fixed in Moscow: good looks, lots of patience and a special sense of humor may prove helpful as well. LJ user kmaka reports (RUS) on a recent conversation with a technical support service representative:

Discrimination

I call the service center to arrange taking my warrantied laptop there. I ask how long it'll take them to replace a CD-ROM. Ten days, they reply. How come, I say, all it takes is pushing one button twice… Well, there's this and that. I do arrange to take it there, then they'll make the order. And then, when the part arrives, I'll take it there again.

And you say you work from 10 to 6, I decide to clarify. Does it mean you really open at 10? That is, if I come at 10, will anyone be there?

No, they reply, there won't be anyone. Not until 11.

And could you somehow arrange for someone to be there, I say, because I have to go to work, too.

Well, a service representative Sergei tells me, if you are a long-legged, slender blonde, then yes, this can be arranged.

We ended up agreeing that Sergei would bother showing up at 10:30, thus doing a favor to a nice-looking brown-haired woman with an incredible decollete, husband and child.

I'm wondering now whether I should call the IBM headquarters and tell them about the peculiarities of the Russian service – or whether I should visit the hospitable office first.