Scott DeWar
Prof. Emeritus-Supernatural Events/Countermeasure
Ruyjn, I had to re read that, but now I understand. yeesh.
One time while working IT...
Ryujin
Legend
I figured that, in this case, the most straight forward description of events would also be the most confusing. Seems I was right
I could likely post one or two a week that are equally head-scratching.
Scott DeWar
Prof. Emeritus-Supernatural Events/Countermeasure
post them, PLEASE. make my brain work!
Ryujin
Legend
About once a month I invariably get a call that involves a frozen computer that's constantly beeping and won't respond to keyboard input. The usual solution is to pull the keyboard drawer out all the way.
Scott DeWar
Prof. Emeritus-Supernatural Events/Countermeasure
so there is something pressing a button on the keyboard on the keyboard drawer?
Ryujin
Legend
Usually the whole row of function keys. Sometimes just a single key like ESC. The call either comes in like I described or as, "User cannot log into computer."
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Scott DeWar
Prof. Emeritus-Supernatural Events/Countermeasure
I could never do your job. Too hard not to laugh at the user.
Ryujin
Legend
Twenty-five years ago I had a service manager who taught me the secret to surviving in client contact IT. It consists of having a room with thick walls and a heavy fire door to swear in, and a heavy bag to punch. Through the years I've found that just the first works fine, if the second isn't also available
Scott DeWar
Prof. Emeritus-Supernatural Events/Countermeasure
That would work quite well. As an electrician, I sometimes need that.
Ryujin
Legend
Our usual compliment of 5 techs, to cover an entire university campus, is currently down by two (one on vacation and the other died several months back, but hasn't yet been replaced). As a result I'm more than usually busy at work and the (rather slight) delays to our usual response times is making some people a little testy. It can now take a whole business day before one of us shows up to perform the work, rather than a few hours. Due to work prioritization (low/medium/high priority) it can occasionally take 3 business days. Otherwise delays are usually due to lack of response to our queries, from the users. With that in mind.....
1) One of my co-workers picked up a call for a "high priority new computer installation." There are really only two valid reasons for a new computer installation to be "high priority"; either it's a new hire who doesn't have a computer to use, or an existing user's computer is dead. This was an existing user. My co-worker showed up on site and, sure enough, the existing computer was dead. Because the user had disconnected it and insisted on having his new computer installed immediately. He told the user to reconnect his existing computer and left to do several real high priority calls that he hadn't been able to get to, because of this user. He'll likely catch hell for it, because it was on the administrative floors, but it was the right thing to do.
2) My own issue is with respect to the sort of thing I'm surprised I haven't mentioned earlier, as it has come up in every IT job I've had; "the name dropper." With the current workload we've got I can't get to everyone so if I see an issue I know the solution to, that I can explain to the user in an email, I'll typically type up the solution while I'm on lunch or a break. That's my own time.
There was a work order for problems with a VPN (virtual private network secure access) client, that had been submitted by a manager in a PPP project that's housed on campus. There are a finite number of causes for this issue most of which involve user error (failure to follow directions), with a couple that involve system settings. The steps that I send solve fully 90% of the users' problems with this application. Of the remaining 10% I find that about half are real problems that I need to troubleshoot, while the remaining half are because the user didn't actually do what I suggested.
I sent a first email that essentially restated the setup steps, with special emphasis on the steps I know cause the most issues. No dice. He emailed me at the end of business to say it still didn't work. I followed up this morning with a couple of system settings that can also cause the same issue. Still no good but, this time, he capped off his email response with the question, "Maybe [insert first name of CIO here] knows what the problem is?"
My response was words to the effect, "If you mean [insert full name of CIO here], then I don't think that he deals with that sort of thing, with that sort of granularity. If you are going to be in your office early tomorrow morning I can have a look at the issue, as I am going to be in your building dealing with another prior issue. I'm afraid that I don't know my availability later in the day as I'll be acting as tech support for a meeting of The Board of Governors from noon, onward."
No reply.
*CORRECTION* He replied after 8:00pm saying, "Any time after 12:00 would be fine." Reading: It's fundamental.
1) One of my co-workers picked up a call for a "high priority new computer installation." There are really only two valid reasons for a new computer installation to be "high priority"; either it's a new hire who doesn't have a computer to use, or an existing user's computer is dead. This was an existing user. My co-worker showed up on site and, sure enough, the existing computer was dead. Because the user had disconnected it and insisted on having his new computer installed immediately. He told the user to reconnect his existing computer and left to do several real high priority calls that he hadn't been able to get to, because of this user. He'll likely catch hell for it, because it was on the administrative floors, but it was the right thing to do.
2) My own issue is with respect to the sort of thing I'm surprised I haven't mentioned earlier, as it has come up in every IT job I've had; "the name dropper." With the current workload we've got I can't get to everyone so if I see an issue I know the solution to, that I can explain to the user in an email, I'll typically type up the solution while I'm on lunch or a break. That's my own time.
There was a work order for problems with a VPN (virtual private network secure access) client, that had been submitted by a manager in a PPP project that's housed on campus. There are a finite number of causes for this issue most of which involve user error (failure to follow directions), with a couple that involve system settings. The steps that I send solve fully 90% of the users' problems with this application. Of the remaining 10% I find that about half are real problems that I need to troubleshoot, while the remaining half are because the user didn't actually do what I suggested.
I sent a first email that essentially restated the setup steps, with special emphasis on the steps I know cause the most issues. No dice. He emailed me at the end of business to say it still didn't work. I followed up this morning with a couple of system settings that can also cause the same issue. Still no good but, this time, he capped off his email response with the question, "Maybe [insert first name of CIO here] knows what the problem is?"
My response was words to the effect, "If you mean [insert full name of CIO here], then I don't think that he deals with that sort of thing, with that sort of granularity. If you are going to be in your office early tomorrow morning I can have a look at the issue, as I am going to be in your building dealing with another prior issue. I'm afraid that I don't know my availability later in the day as I'll be acting as tech support for a meeting of The Board of Governors from noon, onward."
No reply.
*CORRECTION* He replied after 8:00pm saying, "Any time after 12:00 would be fine." Reading: It's fundamental.
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