it begins! with my first fucking call of the morning.

[wyldthyng.livejournal.com]

Listen, snotrag.

Do you want my help or not? Your whiny tone of voice and "so I gotta do this and this and this" type 'tude imply that no, you really don't - at least not in a sense that would require any effort. And really, I'm not asking you for much. Disconnect all cables (there are 3 - omgz0rz!!one!), power first, and try the power cable in another outlet to see if the receiver powers up.

Would you like to be responsible for an unnecessary $75/hr service call? No? Didn't think you wanted that big of a chunk out of your fake-nail-and-Hubba-Bubba budget. So put a great big Colgate smile on, get on your knees and obey my every troubleshooting command.

Good.

Now get outta my facial.

x-posted to my journal, customers_suck and techsupport

Need some advice...

[toxico.livejournal.com]

I work at a call center (duh) wherein I get calls from IT workers (external) regarding our software. Common duties involve troubleshooting SQL databases, client-server communication, and the occasional registry scrub. Normally, there are periods of business, but they subside and we'r able to get our existing work touched.

My shift lately brings a non-stop onslaught of one-off issues from IT managers and similar ilk. We literally start the day with calls on hold when the lines are transferred over at 7 AM from another location. Of such constant volume is the barrage of calls that, for two days this week, breaks have been non-existant, including lunches. That's 9 hours, no breaks, hardly being able to stand up. Ther is NO time for anything. Restroom breaks are a commodity, but serve to only increase your after call time.

We're given the option to work through lunch on most occasions, meaning that we get a voucher for free food from the cafe downstairs. We're allowed a few minutes to go down and grab it, and come right back up. Try to take more than that to actually EAT it, and a manager's at your desk saying you've been gone too long. Ever try to answer a customer's question with a mouthful of Chicken Caesar?

I wake up with a headache, go to sleep with a headache. my stomach hurts a lot lately, either from all the ibuprofen or maybe I'm developing an ulcer. My blood pressure is up, I lack energy.... you get the idea. I think it's having adverse effects on my health. At any rate, I loathe every waking moment I spend at this place.

Do I need to get out? Am I taking it too seriously and just need to relax, or should I consider that maybe my antisocial nature makes me possibly not "cut out" for phone support?

What do you all do to relax or alleviate stress? A remionder: oral sex at work is still illegal; that suggestion is right out.