Why bother with advance notice if nobody reads it? Tech Support |
- Why bother with advance notice if nobody reads it?
- At least I had a nice drive.
- 1st line Service Desk doing sys admin work with SSL certificates
- I'll just bring it back and camp there til I get my money back!
- lesson learned. don't be organised
- Context, who needs it?
- Tales of weird people in the support line Part 2
- No Mr. Engineer. you cannot insert a firewire cable into a USB port.
| Why bother with advance notice if nobody reads it? Posted: 29 Apr 2021 06:20 PM PDT So I've been writing bits and pieces of this story for a few weeks always to get a few sentences in, decide I was overreacting and canceling the post. Not after today... I'm currently a sysadmin for a 1200+ employee manufacturing facility that is owned by a German conglomerate. While we are an independently named company, we share the conglomerate's domain name for our email - a process that's always been a PITA since I started working there 6 years ago. The day I started we were still using an on-prem Exchange 2003 server. A physical box that was so fubar'd that I had a Hiren's Boot USB in the drive just to bypass Windows failing boot process just to get it operational. It took me 18 months to convince them to "upgrade" to a 2012 (non R2) 2010 Exchange environment and another year to convince them to let us add a second server to create a DAG environment for redundancy and uptime. Cut to 8 months ago when I get added to a conference call announcing a big project for our entire Business Unit to migrate from individual on-prem solutions to a centralized vendor-managed solution hosted in Germany with a plan to move from that on-prem to an O365 solution 6 months later. We as an IT department had numerous issues with the vendor solution - lack of ability to enact legal holds, EU-based privacy restrictions hampering the ability to have managers or other employees accessing the email of terminated employees, lack of onsite management of MDM just to name a few. We made voiced our concerns, raised our stink, and as expected lost all of our arguments. That being said, we started truly prepping for the migration about 6 weeks ago. I have been sending update emails out to all employees with what we know from a timing perspective, password requirements (of course this solution is on a separate non-trusted domain so the passwords and in some cases usernames aren't synced) and in general doing what I can to prepare everyone for the coming storm. This is the conversation and final straw to actually type this up: $Me - your exhausted essayist $SpecialED - the engineering director who finally drove me over the edge (yes I'm so mentally exhausted i found it funny, sorry if it offends you)
At this point in the story, I decided he just wants to complain. I get it. I've worked support long enough to know sometimes people just need to vent and if you give them a bit they'll yell themselves out and finally allow you to get to work. Not Ed... Ed's too important for that. I tell Ed that I don't know the exact times I may be available, so the best way to reserve my time is to schedule the meeting to reserve it for him and leave him to chill out some - or so I think. While I'm on a support call for another user, I hear a pounding on our IT room door (locked due to inventory stored within). I answer the door with my headset still on to Ed standing there SCREAMING at me that his phone doesn't work, I'm wasting his time and all in all a useless member of not only the department but the company and society as a whole (not making that up). The user on the other end of my headset says something along the lines of "Sounds like he thinks he's a higher priority, go ahead and work with Ed and call me back when you can." I walk into the Engineering Department and head to Ed's office where he immediately starts back into what a "clusterf***" this whole situation has been and how worthless I and the entire IT department have been. That's the point I broke
Silence.... that's all I heard through the entire office... silence. The kind of silence that makes you start immediately replaying the conversation over in your head trying to remember if you accidentally cursed or what other career-ending decision you just made.
I survived that one but there are still 5 Phases to go. [link] [comments]  |
| Posted: 29 Apr 2021 07:22 PM PDT Got a call to the Gnome Tech Room. Customer: the computer is not turning on. We just get the "no signal" message on the screen. Me: is the computer turned on? C: yes, and we have checked all the plugs but still nothing Me: so there are lights on, on the computer? C: yes Me: ok, I'll be over and have a look. Twenty minute car ride and I walk in and turn the computer on. Customer, who has computer literate in her cv, was turning the monitor off and on thinking it was the computer. The person helping them and who I spoke to, who turns their exact same model PC on and off every day, didn't start the PC either. But it was a nice drive and I got to listen to a podcast along the way. [link] [comments]  |
| 1st line Service Desk doing sys admin work with SSL certificates Posted: 29 Apr 2021 01:00 PM PDT I'm 1st Service Desk, working for a mid size company (around 200 users). I really mean that. There's no one else, just me, single person. I'm taking a break from ITIL process management actually. I went back to SD, wanted to do technical stuff again. Today was the day we had a wildcard SSL certificate expiring. We host multiple different portals, some used only internally, some for external users and customers. All depending on that single certificate. The responsibility for these websites is split between IT, webdev team, and couple 3rd parties. We don't have any sys admin in-house. Two of them have quit few months back and our head of IT outsourced whole infrastructure management for on-prem stuff. I spent whole day tracking down different people responsible for servers hosting these websites, coordinating their efforts, or installing new certificate myself where I could and had access to. I even answered a call from a 3rd party technician (definitely better paid than me), who couldn't install the certificate to IIS. Using openssl I helped him merge .crt and .key files to .pfx, which seems to be the format IIS understands. I stayed an hour longer, on a task force call with management and another 3rd party, the one responsible for infrastructure management, figuring out couple last bits. Including our VPN solution (yes, in parts it relies on the same certificate as well). Before the call ended, I heard this from the Director of IT: "OK, you can drop off now if you want." And they just continued talking about other stuff. No pat on the back. No thank you. Just "you can drop off". The next time we have a major fire to put down, I'm not gonna move a finger. I'll just log a ticket, cause I'm 1st line. Or possibly by that time I'll be working somewhere else, where going the extra mile is more appreciated. [link] [comments]  |
| I'll just bring it back and camp there til I get my money back! Posted: 29 Apr 2021 01:28 PM PDT So I've been advised to post in here. I'm not sure it counts as "Tech"support, but my offical job title is technical customer support so it's something? I will be bleeping things to make reading easier. I work/am contracted for a large household appliance manufacturer. One of the things marketed are washing machines. While an online brand store exists, it's in its infancy and neither well stocked nor maintained. So it's Thursday, it's nice and slow, we're having fun in the office (because who needs Homeoffice anyway... hahahaha...), and I get a call in. I start my usual gist: >[manufacturer], my name is X, how may we he... "YOUR bleep COLLEAGUE JUST bleep HUNG UP ON ME THAT bleep bleep" I check the first tickets. Today is the 29th. First contact on the 13th, needs service for his washing machine. Machine is four months old and too loud. Cursetomer is afraid it will blow up any second. Refused troubleshooting. Technician called him on the 16th but didn't receive an answer, so they're waiting for a reply from the customer. "bleep YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE WHAT KIND OF bleep IS THAT bleep bleep bleep..." He already called on the 19th to complain about nobody calling him and the colleague back then decided to make a big escalationticket out of it. Reply from technician was "We called him, he just needs to give us a ring back and we can be there the next day." "bleep I DON'T WANT THAT TECHNICIAN ANYMORE JUST GIVE ME MY MONEY BACK YOU bleep I NEVER WANT TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOU AGAIN!!!!" >We can't help you with that, if you want to return your machine you will have to return it where you bought it. "YEAH I WANT THERE AND THEY SAID THEY NEED A LETTER FROM YOU TO DO THAT!!!!! bleep GIVE ME THAT THING YOU bleep bleep" I check the ticket the colleague who hung up made. The store correctly told him that after a 14day grace period, you need the manufacturer/technician to sign a paper that a machine is no longer able to be repaired so it can be processed as a return. Which of course he won't get because the technician hasn't seen the machine. >That is correct. I just checked the tickets and the technician has tried contacting you on the 16th. You weren't reachab... "I AM ALWAYS REACHABLE THOSE LYING bleep'" >...They have left you a message on your mailbox asking that you call them back so you can fix a date for a repair. "THEN GIVE ME THEIR bleep NUMBER!!!!" >For technical reasons, I am not allowed to. If you check your mailbox, you can easily find it however. "I DONT HAVE A MAILBOX!!!" >A mailbox is integrated in almost every mobile service. Please ask your provider if you're unsure how to acc... "IM FROM THE COUNTRYSIDE I HAVE NO IDEA BOUT THIS WEIRD bleep" At this point I start having issues understanding what the customer is saying as his accent is getting worse. He is very much not from the countryside. >In that case, please check your phone logs for unknown numbers on the 16th and call them back. "I AM THE CUSTOMER I AM KING WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS YOU bleep bleep bleep bleep..." Aaaand I'm loosing my patience. >The technician has contacted you on the 16th. Please check your phone and mailbox and call them back in order to fix a date for them to come take a look at the machine. Incoherent angry words. >The technician has contacted you on the 16th. Please check your phone and mailbox and call them back in order to fix a date for them to come take a look at the machine. More angry words, starting to talk while I am still talking. I ignore them. The colleague sitting across puts a snickers in front of me. >As I just said, the technician has contacted you on the 16th. Please check your phone and mailbox and call them back in order to fix a date for them to come take a look at the machine. I cannot do anything more from you at this point. "FINE I'LL JUST BRING IT TO THE STORE AND STAY THERE UNTIL I HAVE MY MONEY BACK!!!!!!!!" >Okay, that's possible too, best of lu... *click* I sigh and have a snickers. I get sympathetic looks, we all know those customers. _____ Two hours later. Yet another colleague comes up to me. "You know... a certain store just called us. There's an angry customer there with a washing machine." From what we gathered, the customer made his threat true, put the washing machine into the trunk of his car, drove to the store, and then entered it with the machine in a wheelbarrow and instantly started yelling at the next employee. It made the employees' day and the apparently had to all rush behind the scenes in order to not burst out laughing in front of the customer. He tried claiming we refused service to him, but well... we have a good relation with most stores who sell our stuff. After a two minute chat, the last info we got was that the store employees were escorting the customer, who now did want a technician to come look at the machine, back to his car and helping him load the machine back in. They wanted to be sure he was gone before curfew. We applauded him being consistent with what he said he'd do but we were all surprised and might have just regained a bit of respect for that guy. We also poked the technician and asked them to try calling the customer again. [link] [comments]  |
| lesson learned. don't be organised Posted: 29 Apr 2021 06:20 AM PDT about 2 weeks ago one of the managers raised a ticket about a new starter. this person wouldn't be starting until 1st june. in normal circumstances i'd not do it yet, but i found myself with time on my hands, so i set him up. created the user, assigned licences, set up the laptop, set up the profile, assigned training, amended policies and begun the induction process. All in all took me about 4 hours. I commented to my colleague "this is the earliest i've ever set a new starter up. i feel so organised." his reply - "knowing our luck he'll not turn up" i had to email said manager for a clarification so i can amend the policies correctly. her reply - "i think we need to hold off on anything for [new starter]. he hasn't replied to [HR] and if we do not hear from him by tomorrow evening his offer is rescinded" i laughed for a solid minute when i saw that. serves me right! [link] [comments]  |
| Posted: 29 Apr 2021 12:01 PM PDT A large part of my job is being an escalation resource for tough issues my team runs into. Another tech is also an escalation resource. It's more difficult than it needs to be... IM exchange I had with a coworker earlier today:
Roughly half an hour later.
To be clear, there was no previous conversations related to anything about this. Whatever Coworker is talking about is the first I'm hearing of it. But sure, let's roll with it.
Let's not question how popups being blocked or not would give "bad request" for a website.
Coworker then decided they didn't like my answer, then proceeds to talk to the other escalation tech, who gives them the same answer I did. Because I still have a desire to be helpful, I went searching the ticketing system for a ticket for the user's issue. All I could find was a recent ticket complaining about issues with their PC, and in the notes Coworker says the PC was replaced. And I recalled something that needs to be done for that specific client. Back to chatting:
Another half hour later…
At this point most of my team has been told, multiple times, to list what you've done when you need help and escalate. Almost all of my first replies to requests for help are "What have you tried already?" And more than a few times they've tried nothing. One tech now basically stream of conscious documents his troubleshooting steps into a word document but also manages to include random screenshots with no context to them. It's kind of impressive, actually. Bonus, also happened today:
I also know that the reason Boss was talking to Tech is his continued installing of licensed software without making any attempt to find out if we actually have licenses available for that software. I can only imagine that conversation was not a fun one for Tech. [link] [comments]  |
| Tales of weird people in the support line Part 2 Posted: 29 Apr 2021 10:45 AM PDT you can find part one here. other stories can be found here (the apple of Kevina) and here (Customer failed to reboot) Sooo, up to the many stories I am able to share. And I just worked a bit more than 2 years at this place.... So, I decided to pick 2 stories (as always, a bit longer), that are kinda linked. I said kinda, cause it's 2 different incidents by 2 person and only one is myself. but trust me, one thing connects the other. And the second is.....kinda creepy, I suppose. I might later tell some stories of other stuff I heard of, that are also ridiculous. Anyway, here we go: As always, not 1:1 talk, rather the gust of it. cast: me= me and OL = Old Lady This is actually the bonus story, lol. one probably busy day (can't remember), I get this call. It was a nice old Lady that informed me she's having cracks and noises in her stationary phone while talking. both parties could here it. Now, stationary phones exist in a wild range, just like the issues that can influence them. I just wanted to tell that lady everything's going to be fine and either I figure a way out to help her during the call or I am having her line checked by an technician. But I could never say the words, cause she right away said: OL: ....and I really want to ask you to stop monotoring my phone me (confused): I am sorry? OL: you heard that. Stop spying on me. me: Ma'm, there is no way we're doing that! OL: I heard the cracks and noises while I am phoning! Don't try to fool me! me: Ma'm, those noises have other reasons than spying your phoneline. For example, your phone line could have interferences or your connection cable to your phone might be too old to insulate the sign- OL: everything's new! me: then, when did you bought your phone? OL: 10 years ago! me: and when did you exchange the cable? OL: 10 years ago when i got my new phone! it worked until you started to spy on me. I am just an old woman and I am living in a retirement home. Why can't you leave me alone?! me: .......Ma'm, I can guarntee you, we are not spying on you. your cable is old and the insulation broke, which lets interferences in. It's like you're playing music on the radio and then set it on an old tv, with the tv turned on. the music on the radio will then accompanied by white noise, too. OL: So you're saying you can't spy on me when I get a new cable? me: ............(If I said "yes", I might have ended the call here and then, but I can't have me accusing my employer of spying on people and telling a lie....you know, getting fired and sued and stuff?) the noise most likely will stop. OL: yes yes, but will you still spy on me? me: Ma'm, we're your provider, not the STASI (secret service of the GDR) this thing went back and fourth, while I realized she's probably in the early stages of Dementia. So I told her to proof we are not spying on her, I can send her a specialist to control her line on secret service spyware. But to make sure he can do his job properly, she's required to make a pre-check, so his identity is protected. She legit wrote down all the steps I require of my customers to check before I can send them a tech person for free. She told me she can't do that, cause she's old. I asked her if there is any person she trusts and to make that person go through with the list she just wrote down. I told her after the check to test if the phone works fine. if it does without further issues, she probably removed the component causing it. if not, to call again and request a tech. Never heard of her again. the next two stories are faster written out. not as amusing as the bonus, I guess, but still: hold your pants. Cause if you thought that old lady was weird..... the first one is about a guy from the Ukraine. he had a thicc, Russian dialect and spoke really, really quiet and seemed to be a bit nervous. and oh boy, from his perspective there was an 100% reason to be. you see, from what he told me, he flet the Ukraine cause he had some run ins with the authorities who did not agree to his opposition to them. and he was afraid they followed him to make sure they had one problem less. Now, what has a tech support agent to do with that? - you#re probably asking. Well, he was convinced that he, just the old lady, had somebody listen into his calls. But this time it wasn't us, but the secret service of the Ukraine or Russia or whatever, I don't exactly remember. Anyway, he said he tried already EVERYTHING to had it checked. he said, he did open that box and found "something that doesn't belong there". I had him describe it and it turns out: it was the now out of service digital radio cable plug that was covered under the plastic of the cable box. We went through the usual check ups and I sent him a technician, with the extra note they check closly and for everything out of ordinary. In case that customer messed up something or there is anything broken that's not instantly recognized. Mainly, I wanted this man's mind to be at ease, so I thought sending him somebody and have it seem like there was some extra check added would help him to calm down and relax. I ended the call. And one of my co-workers who listened my side chimed in: "what was that about?" I told her about the guy and she said: "You know, I once worked at another company in the same section. We had a man, who called in at least once a week over months and told everyone he was sure he got spied on by somebody. We all laughed it off as him being crazy. by the end of the year, several people were at his place and found nothing. The last one we sent over was instructed to check thoroughly, since the customer was offering to take on the whole cost of it. Guess what he found? his ajar neighbour broke into his connection and leeched off him." I was baffled, to say the least! I suddenly felt bad, cause, you se, even if something is fairly unlikely, it's not impossible, is it? So there was a small chance this guy DID get spied on. I sometimes wonder what the technician I sent found.... [link] [comments]  |
| No Mr. Engineer. you cannot insert a firewire cable into a USB port. Posted: 28 Apr 2021 11:35 PM PDT Long time electronics tech here. This is a story from my internship way back in the early 00's. My school, like all credible schools, required us all to have a part time internship for the last semester before we could graduate. After a few weeks of looking I secured one at a local affiliate of a national radio network. The broadcast engineer for our station was ...special. Disorganised to the extreme. Only broadcast backround. no computing backround at all. 2 best examples of that are 1 when i happened to stop in the office on my day off because i had forgotten something. we had just had a major thunderstorm blow through and knock out power. He is in the computer room on the phone with corporate tech support and getting very aggitated. He shoves the phone in my hand and has me take over dealing with them. Turns out one of our critical servers that should have come back up on back up power wasn't coming back up. turns out he didn't have that server plugged into a UPS or even a computer grade surge protector. low and behold it was completely fried, rebuilding it with parts corprate sent out turned out to be a rather fun project for me the following week despite everyone from the on air talent, my boss, and the station director chomping at the bit to get this repaired and back on line turns out it was part of the EAS system and tgey were facing fines every day it was offline and they had to rely on other means to recieve EAS messages. The second episode of his antics involved me installing a new pc and a new digital mixer board in 2 of our sound booths. i spent most of the First day getting the first booth upgraded the way he wanted it. the pc installed in the equipment box were he wanted it and was routing the cables where they needed to go. i get to the point of hooking up the firewire port on the mixer to the Firewire port on the PC he ordered... hmmmm no firewire ports. crap. i take the cable into him and explain the problem, tell him it can be fixed by a quick trip to Staples or Circuit City(yeah yeah i know). He is not impressed. i'm an idiot just bend it to fit into the port...WTF? "Um no thats tnot going to work". nope i don't know what i'm talking about. he snatches the cable out of my hand and reaches for a pair of needle nose pliers to "straighten things out" while hevis doing that i turn to the computer on his desk and dogpile diffrences in USB and Firewire. I pull up a comparisson picture justvas he gets frustrated and guves up on the cable. he looks at what i found. Yells why didn't you tell me that....just as the director walks in the room to ask a question. after seeing things were getting a bit tense the director asks whats up. We both give our sides of the story i'm told to go work on the other booth and the Engineer gets an ass chewwing for the order mixup and is sent to the store to get the expansion cards we need to finish up. 2 days later when i'm next in the office i finish the upgrades and get the new systems online. Much to the sound guys delight. Appologies for formattIng. I'm in that i need sleep but my brain wont shut up mode right now. If i check this tommorow i doubt i'll like how it turned out. [link] [comments]  |
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