Somewhat kindasorta TS-related

[kizayaen.livejournal.com]

We've got a client, who I'm probably obligated not to mention by name, but we'll give them the code name GNTV.

GNTV, as with all our other clients, hires us to interface between their HR people and their insurance carriers and plan representatives for people who have insurance benefits and whatnot.

One of their carriers, who I'm again probably obligated not to mention by name but will be discussed under the code name MDC Health Solutions Inc., or MDC for short, has been an absolute fucking pain in the ass.

We developed our process for sending them weekly database updates. They're like "Cool, we're good." We send them our first file. They're like "Ehr, this thing is wrong." We're like "Uhm, why wasn't that discovered during testing?" Proceed for some thirty or forty file sends in the first week. In fact, screw the first week. Proceed for some hundred file sends to date up til... half an hour ago or so.

Now we just got an email from GNTV. Translation: "Are you guys QAing at all over there? We've got people who can't use their benefits because of this asshattery."

I feel like replying "Look, bitch, if it was us not QAing, you'd not only be missing your MDC benefits, but your benefits from [carrier2], [carrier3], [carrier4], and [carrier5] as well. We've got one weak link here. Take a guess who it is?"

I'm getting pretty pissed off at this point.

Meanwhile my boss is about furious every time we have to send another file, because regardless of whether it's our fault or theirs, it makes us look like the Keystone Kops of database work. Beginning to wonder if I should be updating my resume.

So yeah, this isn't HUGELY tech support-related, except for the fact that I have to troubleshoot their inane crap every time they fail another file.

Comments

[jecook]

After the third one I'd be calling them and asking them just how the hell they want their data given to them... but 100?? Whisky. Tango. Foxtrot Bang. Query.

[kizayaen.livejournal.com]

Would that it were so simple. New error with each iteration. Very complex file spec.

Ah feel yore pain.

[wherdafux-d-cat.livejournal.com]

Ugh. Been there, done that. Think health insurance, electronic claim filing, and an intermediary saying, 'We haven't changed the file format we want ... well, aside from this ... and this ... oh and that thing over there ... and this ... and ... and ...' They were somehow incapable of providing a correct file spec so we could change our program accordingly. They just kept telling us, 'That's all the changes, send a new file' then rejecting the file for more 'oh yeah' stuff. And of course on the other side, I was getting reamed by the poor customer who couldn't get their claims paid because the intermediary's head was so firmly wedged in their fourth point of contact. I don't miss that job.

Re: Ah feel yore pain.

[kizayaen.livejournal.com]

You do indeed feel my pain - that's nearly identical to what's going on here.