Random ranting.

[drnazo.livejournal.com]

Why do people continue to post to this community for techsupport when the user info on this community clearly states that it's "For Technical Support Reps to say everything you always wanted to say to a customer, without losing your job." Isn't this community more for trying to get away from these fuck puddles and complaining about them instead of them getting free tech support?

Does anyone else feel the same?

Comments

two things to remember...

[blackrat.livejournal.com]

1) Users are not always the sharpest tools in the box (Thankfully, or we wouldnt be needed ;-))

2) We are such helpful chaps that we provide answers when questions are asked of us.

But yes, blatantly ignoring the community statement is somewhat annoying... Where is the BOFH when you need him...

Perhaps if we bitch more about the users in full on posts, then users will be scared to tread here? :)

Re: two things to remember...

[drnazo.livejournal.com]

It's not like the dull tools are in short supply. I'm pretty sure that tech support will always be needed as long as there are people.

I say we bitch on their posts and make them cry. It's obvious that they don't look up information if they won't even read the community statement before spewing PEBKAC problems to us. Let's kick their ass!

[infusco.livejournal.com]

bah, bothers me little ... whether its the case or not, those techs who feel like answering will answer, and those who don't can simply ignore them.

[natertots.livejournal.com]

I agree with both of the other two replies...

Basically, if I'm in a good mood, I will reply to brain-dead idiots who think this is a support forum, and be helpful.. as I am all day at work.

If I'm in a bad mood.. I'll just roll my eyes and say nothing... as I do with other people's customers.

;)

[drnazo.livejournal.com]

They can't read any thing dealing with technology. After all, they are "computer illiterate."

From the NON - BOFH

[liquidmercurial.livejournal.com]

As the person who wrote the user info for this community...I feel I have to say something.

I think it's funny when people ask for help in here. Because you guys can say whatever you want...tell them to RTFM!! Tell them to f-disk!! If they actually do what we tell them instead of checking it out on their own, or calling their OEM, then they deserve whatever happens. They can't get us fired...THIS isn't work!!!
Hey, I'm not gonna fire anyone from the community... *grin*

Re: From the NON - BOFH

[drnazo.livejournal.com]

I was hoping that you would comment. I fully plan on giving these tards the virtual finger in the future. Especially now I know you won't fire me!

Re: From the NON - BOFH

[liquidmercurial.livejournal.com]

I couldn't possibly fire anyone here...
Hell, I created this community JUST SO I wouldn't get fired.... It's a great place for me to vent... I do so love hearing everyone else's personal experiences with HELL....

[eliz.livejournal.com]

It's the cyber equivalent to being the default tech support person for your family.

No mom, I have no idea what you did to your PC. I don't even know what was on your PC. I told you to buy a Dell. You're the one who got the HP who doesn't even have a toll number for tech support. And were stupid enough to take back a P4 for a P3 because some dumbass at Wal-mart (WALMART!!!???!!!) told you that P3's are "better".

So no, I will not be driving five hours to try and fix your computer when you don't even have your recovery disks and there's enough dog/cat fur to kill me in the first ten minutes.

I'm going to GenCon instead. :)

I think you're gonna buy a Dell next time, aren't you? :)

[chiria.livejournal.com]

Dells are evil.

Re:

[eliz.livejournal.com]

Sometimes you have to go with the necessary evil. Actually though having dealt with HP, Dell, Gateway, Compaq, IBM, Toshiba, Handspring, and Fuji (camera) I'll take Dell first anyday. I just thank god Packard Bell dissolved in to HP... HP has better tech support than PB did anyday.

Re:

[chiria.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't take Dell tech support now. They shipping too much of it overseas. My outsourcing center took our Dell client to the Philipines. Everyone complains about them and there's nothing you can do as a tech except apologize and try again.

Re:

[eliz.livejournal.com]

Oh lord. Not Dell!!!!

Argh. Nothing more frustrated than a user who barely knows what a computer is trying to explain to an ESL tech support person with a heavy accent what happened and then trying to figure out what the tech is trying to tell them to do to fix it.

You'd _think_ the phone charges for all the extra time it takes to translate would make it cost prohibitive.

GRRRRR!!!!

Re:

[chiria.livejournal.com]

You'd think, but no. Dell's taking some heat because it's taking jobs out of the US. But it's not Dell's fault, it's Service Zone.

[tattooedgirl.livejournal.com]

i work for service zone. blech!!!!! stupid people there....

[thecrazyfinn.livejournal.com]

Packard Bell Dissolved into NEC, not HP (Which ate Compaq and DEC)

Oh, I pine for DEC's wonderful onsite service.

And Dell's are ideal for the computer illiterate with one's phone number. UNless you get them to buy a Mac.

[drnazo.livejournal.com]

I'd have to say why the hell wouldn't you just build your own computer. All of the tech support centers will eventually be outsourced to shitty assed $6 per hour customer service agents posing as tech support. That's what happened to Gateway and they were the ones that basically sold their systems on the premise that their support was the best. It's shit bomb support now.

[kyndig.livejournal.com]

interestingly enough, when Gateway was advertising their support as the best it was actually being done almost exclusively by IBM. Gateway contracted IBM to provide technical support to their users under the Gateway name.

[drnazo.livejournal.com]

Actually IBM only handled their onsite support (which I must say, most were horrible entry level technicians). All of their regular tech support was handled by actual Gateway employees that were actually capable of decent tech support. It was handled by Gateway call centers throughout the country.

Of course stocks went down and they decided that "technically" support would keep them from being held legally responsible as well as keep costs down by hiring fuckbundles to do their support.

Now other companies are following suit and dumb technicians are gaining the upper hand in landing support jobs.

Re:

[kyndig.livejournal.com]

While I can vouch that most IBM onsite technicians are rather...well they could use some further training, that IBM only handled their onsite support is contradictory to some of the things I have heard. A few guys in my group used to be on the "gateway team" so I'll have to ask them exactly what went on. I know they weren't onsite technicians though, so it had to be at least some remote support.

[drnazo.livejournal.com]

I was one of the original "in house" technicians before they replaced everyone with onsite support. Eventually the technicians hired were dumber and so were the clients that called in.

[eliz.livejournal.com]

Because this was a computer for my mom who lived five hours away and I didn't want to be the one expected to drive up there and "fix" something everytime she or my step dad screwed it up. I love them, but I've got my limits. For her case it is a much better alternative to get a package deal from a company that can offer tech support and a warranty and faster service.

CSR's as tech support? *gag* Though I know it happens. I got offered 20k a year (and they thought htey were being GENERIOUS) for a tech support job because of all my experience and such-- I laughed my ass off at them. I could make more working at Wal-Mart on the graveyard shift. People are disallusioned with tech support and god help you if you're specialized in certain areas or your companies propriatary stuff once you go job hunting again.

[chaobell]

It depends on the user, I think.

If the user is polite, has a legitimate question/problem, and doesn't hammer and hammer and hammer on it until I want to hammer on him/her with a sixteen-pound sledge, it doesn't bug me.

But if it's a luser like that one fuckchop that came through here, bitched and moaned, and then had the gall to tell us she'd taken her box to a shop and would tell us how they fixed her problem (I believe I left a comment voicing my suspicions that PEBCAK played a large part in her difficulties) because we apparently didn't know what we were doing....STABSTABSTABBITYSTAB. Grar.