Tuesday, August 31, 2010

No Title Needed

I've talked about the tier one support before, and how unimpressive their technological skills are yet never cease to amaze us with the lack of effort they put forth in their bumbling attempts to "help" people. For every person I blog about (which apparenlty has been in the 60's), there are at least two stories of these bafoons I could tell but choose not to because the conversations only last a few seconds. They will ask things like "Why can't this person get on the internet?" To which I/we will reply "Are they connected to it?" "Oh, I didn't ask... hang on". That is but a small example of what we deal with. It is really more the lack of effort than the actual questions. Not knowing something is one thing, but not even TRYING is something else.



This time... I can't help but share. I was so excited, I dropped the phone, and proclaimed this to be the BEST phone call I have ever recieved, and will stop taking calls from our tier one due to never being able to top it.



Caller: This is *insert name here*. I have a question for you. Where is the power-button on the *insert workstation type*.

Me: As in... the button you press to turn it on?

Caller: Yes.

Me: So... it IS plugged in... you just don't know how to activate it?

Caller: Correct.

Me: Have you tried looking at the FRONT of the box?

Caller: Well... no... I mean... I can't find it.

Me: Check the frong again... there should be a power-button right above the Dell logo.

Caller: Oh... okay... thanks...



Wow.....

Monday, August 23, 2010

More Bars; More Stupidity

It took me a couple of days, but I was finally able to arrange an appointment with this one particualry indiviudal who apparently, needed their blackberry setup. I emailed them a few minutes before I left my office to make sure they where at their desk. They where, so, off I went. I walked to the stair case right outside my door, went up the two floors, and crossed a hallway to get to this persons desk. It was a TOTAL, of no more than 30 feet (as a crow flies anyway).
The following conversation took place between the hours of 730.30 and 730.37. The converstaion happened in real-time.

"Hi, I'm Nick, I'm with IT."
*confused look* "okay..."
"I am here to setup your blackberry... I JUST talked to you."
"Okay."
"..... do you have your blackberry?"
"No"
"Did you leave it at home?"
"No"
"..... do you HAVE a blackberry?"
"No."
"Ah. Okay. Well, when you get one let me know, then we can help you set it up."

*sigh*

Friday, August 13, 2010

Shake Rattle and Roll

I am going to start off with taking some advice I gave to a co-worker the other day. I am just going to start typing whatever comes into my head until I find a way to open and close this blog. It really shouldn't be that hard, it is about some silly users who don't know how to use a computer, how hard can it be to write about that? I guess that just after so many posts, the creative aspect of writing is starting to go away. There are just so many ways I can open up with "So, this user walks in" or "I got a phone call from so and so". The setup is generally always the same, its just the punch line that changes. Any advice on what I can do/say to add more variety to my posts will be greatly appreciated.

"I need you to come down to the NRCC and take a look at some of the computer, people are saying they can't login." (see how I just hoped right into it there?)
As I try to sneak into the room without disturbing the meeting going on, I'm called about the instructor that I'm the IT guy, and anytime they need help, come see me. He then proceeds to tell me that there are several computers that are not working/people can't login to them. He also then tells me "I think this one computer is actually broken, it rattles when I shake it", to which I immediately replied, "Well then don't shake it! Its not a rattle!"
As for the non-working computers.... they where turned off. I just needed to turn them on.

/sigh