Dear Customer...

[tadiera.livejournal.com]

Dear customer who called at 9:55 PM and got sent to my phone...

Our tools system had just gone down and I could not check any of your settings from my end, which could have shortened the call because I believe you were connected the entire time.

When I have had you type 'ipconfig' about three times already in running commands and I say 'Now, let's type the same thing we just did...' don't beg me to spell it out (complete with 'i as in isaac...') when I get off at 10 PM.

I knew you were connected. I knew you had to be. But I couldn't look at my tools and be sure. So I had to humour you and walk you through those steps.

So when I rushed through answering your other inane questions, it was not because I don't like you. It was because I'd been on the phones since 2 PM, with no lunch break (I don't get one) and non-stop calls since about 5:30.


Thank you.

Comments

[tmercenary.livejournal.com]

You don't get a lunch break?
Many states have laws against that. Does yours?

[tadiera.livejournal.com]

If I work more than 8 hours, I'm supposed to get one. I'm there from 2-10 PM. x.x So I get 2 15 minute breaks- if, and only if, I can make it to the top of the break queue when not on a call. x.x I nearly didn't get my second break tonight.


No, what REALLY sucks about my job? On Federal holidays, you don't get ANY sort of bonus pay. Just your flat rate. So I get to work Christmas day and get paid the same amount as any other day.

[justcallmebethy.livejournal.com]

oh I'd be working out the shoeleather right about now. Ugh!

[tadiera.livejournal.com]

I have had someone offer to swap with me. He has X-Mas off and doesn't care if he works or not.

I may, I may not. To be honest, I don't really give a damn about Christmas anymore. I wouldn't mind working at all... if I got paid extra.

[swwinchester.livejournal.com]

Actually, under most state laws, anyone there for 8 hours OR MORE - not more than - is entitled to a 30 minute lunch break. You might want to double-check the wording of the law in your area ...

as working someone 8 hours with no gauranteed breaks is, if not necessarily against the law, very questionable ethics-wise.

[tadiera.livejournal.com]

If we go too long without a break, we can ask a supervisor to let us take one, fortunately.

Mind, I think that's if you've not even had one.

[200iso.livejournal.com]

sounds like ohio has some pretty shitty labour laws

[linguafranca.livejournal.com]

The way I understand it, federal law does not require lunch breaks. I don't think Ohio does, either, except for minors. HOWEVER, any employer that does not allow for lunch breaks is a shitty employer, especially if you're working tech support. ISPs should do all they can to make sure their call-center employees don't go batshit fucking loco. I get two fifteen-minute breaks and a half-hour lunch.

tadiera, get your résumé polished up and find a different job.

[tadiera.livejournal.com]

I'm scared to. x.x

I moved out here from Maryland for this job because I couldn't find one out there, save for some really crappy part-time jobs (had one that gave me a lunch, but no breaks, heh). I don't have a degree, so most places scoff at me. It bites. XD

[linguafranca.livejournal.com]

Hell, my degree's in English. (I'm also planning on becoming a librarian eventually.) Your experience can go a long way.

If you're interested in staying in the field - though I can't imagine why - Cisco certification, or some other certification doesn't take too long, and employers love it. AND you could do something other than tech support. Good luck. :)

[tadiera.livejournal.com]

Yeah, definitely want certification. Also sounds like at work they may be putting together some sort of program for people to begin getting certifications. So I may have to stick around for that. :)

Thanks!

[doctoreon.livejournal.com]

Even certifications aren't necessary (though they're helpful). I just recently beat out over a hundred applicant for the help desk position at a community college in southern California, and I have no computer certifications, and my degree is in philosophy. What I do have is eight years of experience working with computers, five of them working at a help desk. So, if you have experience and are motivated, you can do a lot.

Plus, you gotta know, working at a community college is pretty cool - if you can stand the users....I get breaks when I need them, I take an hour for lunch (give or take), we get all federal holidays off, and we accrue one vacation day a month. On top of that, continuing education here is free, so if you want those certifications, those classes don't cost anything as long as you pass the class (the tests still cost money, of course). And, I get paid decently (at least I think I do, I'm not sure what the going rate for a help desk schlub is...I'm really a grad student in disguise).

[tadiera.livejournal.com]

It's really the people I'm contracted through, I think.


ARC just merged with Pomeroy though. So I'm hoping that with the merge come some nicer stuff.

[prozacnation.livejournal.com]

No, what REALLY sucks about my job? On Federal holidays, you don't get ANY sort of bonus pay. Just your flat rate. So I get to work Christmas day and get paid the same amount as any other day.

Oh god. That completely sucks! :(

You don't get any extra bonus for dealing with jackass Lusers who have nothing better to do than to bitch on a holiday about connectivity. :\

[tadiera.livejournal.com]

Pretty much. At least I get Thanksgiving off (it falls on a Thursday, duh, which is one of my days off). Mmmm. Free day to stuff myself so that I'm high on Turkey on Friday.

"Sir, your connection is down? Well I'd like you to open the tratS unem and kcilc on nuR..."