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

[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).