How was that again?

[celyste.livejournal.com]

So my floor of the center was full today and I ended up having to migrate to the floor that is predominantly tier 1 support. Things I overheard:

- oh no ma'am. I can't help with that but if you call microsoft, they can help you. No ma'am... they have a 1-800 number so it's a completely free call.

- actually sir, if there are no messages waiting for you on the server, then outlook express is designed to give you an error message like that if you try to send/receive.

- oh my gosh, sir! you should really call your computer manufacturer. It's giving you error messages and I can't help you with those on the computer. true, except the 'error message' was " are you sure you want to shut down? Other users are logged in to this computer..."

- ok sir, and what version of Windows do you use? WinNT? What's that... no sir I don't want the OS, I want to know the version of Windows.

I'm scared. I'm going to have to do callbacks and fix their problems tomorrow. I really start to worry about the hiring and training procedures around here.

x-posted to callcenter techsupport celyste

Comments

[kalidor.livejournal.com]

*twitchfit*

[ravenshrinkery.livejournal.com]

Idiots. Makes me understand why people put up anti-corporate websites and share tips and tricks about getting around stupid procedures. My cable ISP has some "fan" sites offering these, along with my cell phone provider. Maybe that's why we don't have escalations - I think in some places it's used as an excuse to have a bottom barrel team that can weed out the bullshit and send the real problems to someone with clue. Except they aren't even weeding out the bullshit apparently :).

[thalionar.livejournal.com]

holy crap... thats absolutely crazy.

*sigh*

I don't know if its that the techs are stupid, they haven't been trained or that management doesn't care.

[samwize.livejournal.com]

*shudder*

I am hereby awarding you the Order of St. Isadore for restraint above and beyond the call of duty. The lack of multiple extremely severe assaults is conclusive evidence that you are a tech of outstanding character and poise.

[geekgrrl-ca.livejournal.com]

I suspect the only reason you're not in jail for mass murder is you didn't have a gun. My site has a policy about guns, even though the gun laws in Canada are far more stricter then the gun policy at my work. I figure it's so if some one brings a gun and goes postal the company can deny all liablity by saying he was told when he was hired not to bring guns.

[celyste.livejournal.com]

I think I can answer that... all of the above. I just don't understand how people can live in today's world and not know some basic things like the windows versions... or that microsoft is greedy and will charge for everything it can.

[celyste.livejournal.com]

*L* that and tethered to my desk by my headset.

[celyste.livejournal.com]

we keep having bets as to when someone will go postal at work. Can. here too.

[celyste.livejournal.com]

I've seen our company's "fan" sites. most amusing. Some of them are really good and super techie and I've (sadly?) learned from them. Others are just so whiney and incredibly dense.

[geekgrrl-ca.livejournal.com]

You working for rogers?

[fuego.livejournal.com]

dude...whoa....ouch

[katyism.livejournal.com]

sounds to me like some of them (namely the microsoft call one) were just trying to creatively lie to get the user off the phone. i'm constantly saying things about how cool and efficient and cheap a call to Dell is when a customer calls us about hardware problems (which we dno't support anyway), when I know dell will frustrate them more. less time on the phone with me!

[eightofspades.livejournal.com]

Umm.

Wow.

I always wince when a coworker mentions to me that Dell/MS walked them through some home thing...

But wow, if I ever heard someone who claimed to be even remotely technical saying anything like that...

[celyste.livejournal.com]

nah... we're a third party outsource. shhh... don't tell anyone *L*

[celyste.livejournal.com]

nah... we nabbed her and told her that MS charges, and she honestly replied "but it's a 1-800#!! They can't charge!" We explained how 'having your cc ready' works and she nearly called the cust back to apologize.

I was doubly appalled becuase I also do time in billing, and I've heard far too many customers say "tech support told me it was free! And then I was charged! YOU need to credit me!" oh fun.

[the-s-guy.livejournal.com]

Well, the first couple of seconds of the call is free...