General Rant ahoy!

[jecook]

With the cost of Gasoline being what it is, I'm slowly but surely inching my way to getting my end users to bring in their machines to me, rather then me run around and blow all my gas money going out to them. Fortunately, I get re-imbursed for the gas, but only once a month, which means that when I have $20 left in the checking account, things tend to get creative for me to still make ends meet.

So naturally, when I do go out, I usually try to pack as many sites into the tour as possible. However, it's really useful for you to BE ON SITE even if I'm running late for whatever reason. I usually get there within 10-15 minutes of the time I say, and I tend to spend a good hour on site anyway, you if I'm running late, the onus is on my to get the problem fixed and get out of there quicker. And calling me five minutes after I've left on my office phone and leaving me a voice mail is unlikely to help either...

In other words:

Don't tell me a time and not be there. I get cranky when I waste gas. Also, for Dog's sake, when I leave your site a message to schedule, call me back and schedule! Don't whine about how it takes three weeks for me to get out there when I've spent the past two weeks trying to get a hold of someone to get out there!


Also, this is a friendly reminder that September 19th is International Talk Like A Pirate Day.

Edit: My bad on the date.

The Official Talk Like A Pirate Day Site: http://www.talklikeapirate.com/

Comments

[amplifiedmouse.livejournal.com]

this is a friendly reminder that September 21st is International Talk Like A Pirate Day.


ALREADY!?!

It seems like it just happened.

[rwmidl.livejournal.com]

Are these customers you are pickin gup equipment for? Or your own users? If they are customers I'd have a disclaimer saying if they are not available when you arrive for the appointment they are charged a fee (say $20).

[jecook]

Alas, these are my users.

The company I work for has various group homes sprinkled around the city, and I get to drive to each one when they break for no apparent reason. Half the times I roll up and the problem was a temporary issue with the Dialup ISP that we use, or the luser's own ineptitude.

Fortunately, I get a mileage stipend, but even at full federal allowance (36 cents per mile) I'm sure I'm either breaking even or paying to drive.

[rwmidl.livejournal.com]

That sucks. Usually if my guys go down I have them overnight the unit to me (since most of them are so far away it's cheaper to send it that way)

[jecook]

Most of these folks are "local"- the farthest sites out (for me) are some 35 miles one way.

We did just pick up a site that is a day trip by itself to go and and service. That one I might have them bring it down if they have to come down for any reason and the machine is not working.

We have another office in the southeast area of the state, and they have about 5-10 sites in that area that are truely a pain to get out to. Fortunately, I don't have to support them unless my counterpart for that half of the state is out on vacation or something... ::snickers::

[jjjiii]

I charge 2-3x for on-site work as opposed to stuff that's brought in to me.

[jjjiii]

Especially since a lot of on-site problems are dumb stuff like not having the thing plugged in or not having the switch flipped to "on" at the surge protector. And yes, I ask these things, and get the standard apparently-I-believe-that-no-actual-checking-is-necessary "yes" answers.

[darkblade1.livejournal.com]

I'm wearing this shirt for pirate day:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts/generic/7666/