One can dream.
May. 13th, 2005 03:07 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
jahbulon.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
techrecovery(if this is off-topic, sue me)
I'm having a really crappy time at work.
We've just released a new product with a new network infrastructure and a wholly new tracking system. We didn't receive training in the product or the tracking system until 9am on the day of launch (even then it was not even close to a majority of staff, let alone all the relevant and required data). This means we had customers calling who were subscribed to products we weren't familiar with, with issues we couldn't diagnose and no way of tracking the calls or finding the correct account information. Once we muddled our way through the tracking system and reached the relevant data, we didn't know what that meant for the customer's account or state of provisioning on their phone line.
Basically, SNAFU. But so FU that SN is gonna have to undergo radical changes - ie I'm desperately looking for another job. I mention this only to give some background to the fuming misanthropic rage I currently find myself in.
Do you think, and bear with me here, that we could sue or receive compensation for the emotional and social problems that Internet Help Desk hath wrought upon our innocent souls?
I didn't know when I started this job that these people would hate me, though I have never spoken to them. I didn't realise that the people with problems would actually fight ME, the person trying to help them. I thought I could help people with my superior knowledge of technical issues. I was innocent and naive, I didn't think I could change the world but I thought maybe I could help a few people, a little at a time. I wanted to do good things.
Instead I have become the destroying angel, coming soon to a clock-tower near you. I have little respect for humans because every day I am shown first-hand just how stupid, obtuse, difficult and self-defeating these worms can be. I have social problems because I cannot be asked "How's work?" or "What do you do?" without being reminded of my entire existence at work, which is one long exasperating event - thus dominating the conversation with angst until I finally peter out and excuse myself.
This job is not healthy. I think this is demonstrable in a court of law. I live in Australia, we're not so litigious as you Americans.. Do you think someone over there could get away with it? Please try, I need a precedent.
I'm having a really crappy time at work.
We've just released a new product with a new network infrastructure and a wholly new tracking system. We didn't receive training in the product or the tracking system until 9am on the day of launch (even then it was not even close to a majority of staff, let alone all the relevant and required data). This means we had customers calling who were subscribed to products we weren't familiar with, with issues we couldn't diagnose and no way of tracking the calls or finding the correct account information. Once we muddled our way through the tracking system and reached the relevant data, we didn't know what that meant for the customer's account or state of provisioning on their phone line.
Basically, SNAFU. But so FU that SN is gonna have to undergo radical changes - ie I'm desperately looking for another job. I mention this only to give some background to the fuming misanthropic rage I currently find myself in.
Do you think, and bear with me here, that we could sue or receive compensation for the emotional and social problems that Internet Help Desk hath wrought upon our innocent souls?
I didn't know when I started this job that these people would hate me, though I have never spoken to them. I didn't realise that the people with problems would actually fight ME, the person trying to help them. I thought I could help people with my superior knowledge of technical issues. I was innocent and naive, I didn't think I could change the world but I thought maybe I could help a few people, a little at a time. I wanted to do good things.
Instead I have become the destroying angel, coming soon to a clock-tower near you. I have little respect for humans because every day I am shown first-hand just how stupid, obtuse, difficult and self-defeating these worms can be. I have social problems because I cannot be asked "How's work?" or "What do you do?" without being reminded of my entire existence at work, which is one long exasperating event - thus dominating the conversation with angst until I finally peter out and excuse myself.
This job is not healthy. I think this is demonstrable in a court of law. I live in Australia, we're not so litigious as you Americans.. Do you think someone over there could get away with it? Please try, I need a precedent.
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no subject
Date: 2005-05-12 05:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-12 05:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-12 06:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-12 06:08 pm (UTC)But thanks for the offer..
no subject
Date: 2005-05-12 06:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-12 06:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-12 06:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-12 06:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-12 08:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-13 01:41 am (UTC)There are ways to deal with the stress, although many of them aren't terribly mentally healthy. My own method is to directly control my level of empathy with callers, keeping it artificially low at the beginning of each call and being prepared to switch off entirely. Only if I get the rare call from a well-known and tolerable staff member can I allow myself to start caring.
No, it's not terribly good for remembering how to be a human being when I get off the phones. If I take personality tests during work hours I tend to peg the sociopath-ometer, and it's too easy to carry this over into personal time. People are saying I should be in management.
(BEWARE! BEWARE!)
no subject
Date: 2005-05-13 12:13 pm (UTC)I tend to keep my empathy low, except for those callers who I either know personally or those that I have forged phone friendships with.
I've been supporting the same product for 7 years, and supported a couple of different things the years before.
But yeah, I remember the days of being the "assistant computer specialist" beacuse I was the only who understood the difference between a server and a terminal.
no subject
Date: 2005-05-12 06:01 pm (UTC)I think I'm on to something here... Frivolous lawsuit here I come!!
no subject
Date: 2005-05-12 06:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-12 06:09 pm (UTC)