it's just that simple

I may be overstating a bit, but it seems correct at the time written ...

Never has something said to me sounded more true. A friend of mine from my SBC days said, "You laugh because it is funny; You laugh because it's true."
You can find humor in just about any line of work, but customer service is a field ripe for the picking, more so for the technical support aspect. In speaking with a customer, conversation came to a crossroads before we could continue, and ultimately resolve the problem. I asked for clarification on an aspect of the situation. (I don't recall the specifics, but it was something to the effect of "Do you have a picture now, or is the screen still blank?"). The customer's reply? "Yes." I repeat the question. He replies, "Yah". Paging goof-tard?? I thought situations like that only existed in Abbot and Costello routines.
A friend of mine nearby had similar luck with another person on the line. SOP for most troubleshooting calls is to verify connections and settings before moving forward, since more often than not the solution is very simple if you know what to look for. This in mind, my friend asked the customer to check settings (correct channel number, equipment on/off, etc.). She even double and triple checked the wiring connections with the customer. She was assured everything was in order. Some 20 mins later, when all other troubleshooting was exhausted, my friend suggests that the customer remove the main signal cable from the box and then connect it back, just for the sake of trying. Lo and Behold!! The customer discovered that the main signal cable wasn't connected at all!!
What makes us so adverse to following instructions when we call for assistance when we couldn't figure out the problem ourselves?