Today I almost quit my job. If I had another job lined up already that I know would pay me comparably, I would have just left. I’m sick of lying to customers and getting yelled at when I tell the truth.
Here’s the situation. For those of you who don’t know, my job is doing tech support for an internet company. People call me and tell me their internet is broken, and I have to fix it. We do the same thing that companies like AOL do, only we’re a lot smaller. Small as in a two-room office in a building in Worcester. A lot of people sign up with us for that reason- it’s a small company, you talk to the same 5 people every time you call, we know what we’re doing, generally nice, we can get things done without going through a dumb script. We all have real-life computer knowledge, whereas some companies just get people to read pre-scripted questions and answers off a paper.
Anyhow, I think my boss doesn’t want people to know we’re a small company. I personally think it’s cool that were a little indie ISP like that, competing with the AOLs and Verizons of the country. My mistake tonight was this: there was a business DSL customer who had been down for a week. We needed to send him a new modem, but nobody could figure that out except me. He was pissed and told me he’d better have the modem at his desk by 10 on Saturday. I told him I would configure him a router myself, make sure it works, and get it shipped as fast as possible. I’m only allowed to authorize 2-day ground shipments, I need approval for anything faster.
Well I get in trouble for telling the customer I would configure it myself. Apparently I have to make up some fucking bullshit story about how “I need to contact the warehouse to get a new modem sent to the engineering department and have them configure it, and then the shipping department would figure out how quickly it would be shipped.” Here’s what really happens: I reach over my desk and grab one of about 200 modems that are stacked up in the corner. I plug it in and set it up. Put it in an empty box, give it to a fella named Big Ryan who prints out a shipping label. Then I take the box and get on my skateboard and ride down the street, up an elevator, and drop the shit in a box. There is no warehouse, no shipping department, none of that shit. It is me and Ryan and my skateboard that is getting these things sent out.
Also, my boss called the guy and told him we would send the modem “DHL OVERNIGHT.” DHL is a shipping company, like UPS or FedEx. The term “overnight” would make you think that it would be there the next morning. But this is “DHL Overnight,” and it is the weekend, so he won’t have that until MONDAY. Meaning he is going to call me tomorrow and ask where the fuck his shit is, because we promised him overnight. And it is my job to tell him it was sent DHL OVERNIGHT which doesn’t necessarily mean the next morning. Then he will probably cancel and I will get blamed for losing a customer.
My job stresses me out.
Hung out with Julia and her friend tonight, went to Moe’s for the 4th time this week, etc. The girl asked “where is your friend with the black hair?,” meaning Rod. But he was working. Met up with Cailah and her friend, drove Julia home, went to Cailah’s and watched tv and now I am home trying to fix my mp3 player which broke and it sucks. THX 2 JULIA 4 CHEERING ME UP 2NITE. <3
she said to me, “darling, please don’t be so naive you could burn like a constellation but don’t go before i leave you could fool yourself or maybe someone else like me
Comment by soulinstilettos — May 21, 2005 @ 6:00 am
DHL is a pieceof shit. my other job required them sending us stuff and it was always late and the people there were fucking jokes.
Comment by tonyceratops — May 21, 2005 @ 6:22 am
i hate them, but whatever. they always pick up the shit early and then our stuff gets delayed another day.
Comment by zig_mover — May 22, 2005 @ 2:14 pm
NEIL DONT BREAK :'(
Comment by this_is_me_emo — May 21, 2005 @ 6:23 am
I WON’T THX
Comment by zig_mover — May 22, 2005 @ 2:14 pm
PHEW
Comment by this_is_me_emo — May 22, 2005 @ 3:57 pm
Thanks for the peek behind the veil of certain types of computer tech support. I am so low-tech that such ruses would dupe me. That kind of *impression management” for customers and even employees and shareholders is commonplace in all organizations. Your description brings to mind a wonderful book entitled Confederacy of Dunces (if I recall correctly). At least you are aware of the Catch-22 situation at your job and the resulting absurdities, so that makes it more bearable for you. You will find a better job eventually, and in hindsight this may appear to be a learning experience on several levels. Take care. Have fun. Oh, and about that #%$&@! modem… 🙂
Comment by numb3r5 — May 21, 2005 @ 11:44 am
i started to read it but then my add kicked in.
Comment by _hannah_leigh — May 21, 2005 @ 11:51 am
i started to reply but then my CTS kicked in.
Comment by zig_mover — May 22, 2005 @ 2:15 pm
wow, that bites. i’m not a big computer person [as you know], but i couldn’t lie to people either. and get yelled at from both ends. yikes. but it’ll be okay. just keep on trucking…er…skateboarding, and looking. something new with come along. 🙂 have a GREAT summer.
Comment by footsie15 — May 21, 2005 @ 2:14 pm
I would be stressed out too if I were you. ps- it wasnt meant to rhyme. But that’s cool with me.
Comment by beaching — May 21, 2005 @ 2:47 pm
THNX 2 NEIL 4 BEING SWEET! feel bettz
Comment by radioxsurgery — May 21, 2005 @ 2:48 pm
sry i couldnt go 2 tha show last night i want to hang out again soon tortilla sams what?
Comment by zig_mover — May 22, 2005 @ 2:15 pm
oh and neil you got anymore bands you want to suggest. the jealous sound is awesome i’m all ears for more. 🙂
Comment by footsie15 — May 21, 2005 @ 3:11 pm
i’m glad you like them 🙂 check out The Velvet Teen. Specifically the songs “Counting Backwards” and “The Prize Fighter.” Let me know what you think :]
Comment by zig_mover — May 22, 2005 @ 2:16 pm
😀 The Prize Fighter…..is now on repeat. Love em! My cd want list just keeps getting longer, but it’s a good thing. thnk you. And i think you should check out “My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend” by Her Space Holiday. They have some neat lyrics. MORE!!!!!! ^_^ [and counting backwards is good too, along with Mother of Love]
Comment by footsie15 — May 22, 2005 @ 6:14 pm
Er….wait. Nevermind, you already listen to Her Space Holiday! But i really like that song of theirs. so we agree on their music. :] Sorry.
Comment by footsie15 — May 22, 2005 @ 6:17 pm
Is Big Ryan really that Big?
Comment by xcarex — May 21, 2005 @ 3:18 pm
he is big enough to be called Big Ryan. who’re you?
Comment by zig_mover — May 22, 2005 @ 2:18 pm
i’m sorry you’re so stressed out.
Comment by ilove_yourmom — May 21, 2005 @ 4:16 pm
TEKNAWLOGEE IZ WAKK.
Comment by panda518 — May 22, 2005 @ 5:06 pm