Should a Cyber Cafe have a Help Desk?

What good is a cyber café when you can’t connect to their network? I have connected networks in all shapes and sizes all over the world- but this new little cyber café near my house is giving me a headache. It’s the forth time I’ve come here and I can’t connect to it. I’ve called it all sorts of names, (which really hasn’t helped) asked people their secret, complained to the manager and yet no one can help me. Shouldn't’t it be a requirement for cyber cafes to have a help desk? I’m joking, of course. But seriously, I’ve asked the people that work here, I’ve asked the people sitting here with computers. Only one person was able to tell me that he was able to get a connection. In fact, he tells me he’s found 200 wireless networks in range. How can that be, when I can’t even find one? I think he’s trying to one up me on my computer knowledge. He must drive some fancy sports car too. Ok maybe I’m just a little jealous.

I want to be high-tech. I want to blog and youtube and google and any other high-tech verb out there. I know I can do this. I used to work in the high-tech industry, for gosh sakes. This isn’t rocket science. Knowing the latest high-tech gadget today is like knowing the latest rock & roll band in the 60s. And no- I don’t have an iPod or a myspace page. I still have a Walkman and excited that I can play CDs in my car.

I want to sit here and watch people as I type. Now I’m destined to go back home and watch CNN while I type. Wouldn’t my life be better if I can sit here, in this cyber café, watch CNN AND sit and meet people? This would make me happy.

When you’re a real estate agent it’s important to meet people. You never know where your next client is coming from. But more importantly, you get to talk to people, get to hear what they are thinking. I’ve learned that strangers always want to talk to a real estate agent. In fact, this woman sitting by the fireplace in my little cyber café is watching me as I type. She asked me if I’m a journalist. No, I chuckled as I went back to name-calling this wireless network. Finally, I forgot about the network, opened up Word and started typing. Is it still blogging if you have to save and store it for later? I don’t know- I’m new at this.

This woman is still sitting by the fireplace looking for someone to talk to. She tried to talk to one of the actors from the local theatre down the block- he doesn’t have much to say. Guess he’s memorizing his lines for tonight’s performance. Computer guy from before has his head buried in his computer. So I just look up and say hi. Why are people so ready to talk to me? Within 5 minutes I found out that she’s from the west coast, got in last night and is still on west coast time; is visiting her boyfriend who just moved here for work; they are playing tourist for two weeks here in DC. She used to sell real estate, but went back to school, has an almost grown daughter who is over getting Thai food with her boyfriend. She’s thinking about moving to the east coast although she’s never lived here; they are going to take a short trip to New York City. Most importantly – she asked me for my card. Her boyfriend is renting now, but may buy in a year. I started suggesting places to go and see while she is here. As we’re chatting, her boyfriend and daughter com back, I had a nice conversation with them. I congratulated him on his new job he was interested in knowing where to go shopping. They are a nice couple; I hope they have a nice time. I gave them some suggestions.

Will he call me again when it comes time for him to buy? I don’t know, it doesn’t really matter because this is one conversation I could not have had if I was sitting at home typing on my computer watching CNN.