Blowing off the Stream.
Hi, I'm new (kind of). I was just getting into the computer field from the bottom when the economy died on me. I was just getting into it at a place we local Texans call "the tech support equivalent of McDonalds," Stream International. Needless to say, I've been on a 4 year hiatus from the good ol' cloth covered box and headset.
But I'm back. And it's a not much different!
My luck for good calls seems about even with what it was last tech phone job. 4 to 4:30 pm I get a HORRIBLY long call. With the noobiest of n00bs. So far they always wanna stick it out.
And I being Mr Gung-Ho-I-Can-Solve-This-Shit-EASY guy that I am, I usually refuse to throw in the towel. If it's within our support boundries I WILL fix the customers problem or run them until they get tired of it. I've had to describe things like a phone cord, an rj-45 cable, a damn POWER adapter, hell, even Windows. "'What operating system are you running?' 'Dell' '*snerk* Ok, hit start-run, type in winver, what do you see? Win XP? Thought so.'" I don't care. I don't care if I have to become Helen Fucking Keller on that phone, I'll do it or I'll damn well have them give up on me. Average Call Time can blow me.
So today was, of course, Friday. We were, of course, supposed to graduate our little training class (6th place out of 20+, not counting the rehire. w00t). We were supposed to go for our certificates, cupcakes, and kudos at about 4:45/5:00.
4:00pm, enter call. Woman. Woman does not know computers (cannot even describe monitor). Woman speaks english as a second language (I concede the monitor bit). Woman is hell bent on fixing this issue (unable to browse any websites).
50 minutes in and we're still not done. I've gone long past 'reboot everything' and am into the shaky land of 'getting ready to reinstall network stack with a n00b.' A simple operation for me, a horrid operation to get the customer through. My trainer comes over and tells me to put her on hold. I do. He asks for an update, I lay it out.
Trainer: "Hmm... not gonna finish any time soon?"
Paco: "Dude, I'll be here till six at this rate."
Trainer: "Air gap the phone." ("Air-gap" means unplug, normally applies to DSL modem. Customers HAVE air-gapped the phones they're speaking on before.)
Paco: "What? No!"
Trainer: (patiently) "Why not?"
Paco: "Well because.. I mean... I'm about.. It's RUDE!"
Trainer: "We need you guys out of here PDQ. Here." *unplugs MY phone* "Now it won't show up as a disconnect. Don't tell anyone I did that."
Paco: (to blank, uncaring phone) "Ooooh... I'm so sorry lady!"
Yeah... I'm still human on some level.
I think that's kinda cute.
But I'm back. And it's a not much different!
My luck for good calls seems about even with what it was last tech phone job. 4 to 4:30 pm I get a HORRIBLY long call. With the noobiest of n00bs. So far they always wanna stick it out.
And I being Mr Gung-Ho-I-Can-Solve-This-Shit-EASY guy that I am, I usually refuse to throw in the towel. If it's within our support boundries I WILL fix the customers problem or run them until they get tired of it. I've had to describe things like a phone cord, an rj-45 cable, a damn POWER adapter, hell, even Windows. "'What operating system are you running?' 'Dell' '*snerk* Ok, hit start-run, type in winver, what do you see? Win XP? Thought so.'" I don't care. I don't care if I have to become Helen Fucking Keller on that phone, I'll do it or I'll damn well have them give up on me. Average Call Time can blow me.
So today was, of course, Friday. We were, of course, supposed to graduate our little training class (6th place out of 20+, not counting the rehire. w00t). We were supposed to go for our certificates, cupcakes, and kudos at about 4:45/5:00.
4:00pm, enter call. Woman. Woman does not know computers (cannot even describe monitor). Woman speaks english as a second language (I concede the monitor bit). Woman is hell bent on fixing this issue (unable to browse any websites).
50 minutes in and we're still not done. I've gone long past 'reboot everything' and am into the shaky land of 'getting ready to reinstall network stack with a n00b.' A simple operation for me, a horrid operation to get the customer through. My trainer comes over and tells me to put her on hold. I do. He asks for an update, I lay it out.
Trainer: "Hmm... not gonna finish any time soon?"
Paco: "Dude, I'll be here till six at this rate."
Trainer: "Air gap the phone." ("Air-gap" means unplug, normally applies to DSL modem. Customers HAVE air-gapped the phones they're speaking on before.)
Paco: "What? No!"
Trainer: (patiently) "Why not?"
Paco: "Well because.. I mean... I'm about.. It's RUDE!"
Trainer: "We need you guys out of here PDQ. Here." *unplugs MY phone* "Now it won't show up as a disconnect. Don't tell anyone I did that."
Paco: (to blank, uncaring phone) "Ooooh... I'm so sorry lady!"
Yeah... I'm still human on some level.
I think that's kinda cute.
