Why do tech support people treat customers like muppets.

[timwilky]

Firstly I was working on the implementation of CSMA/CD & token ring protocols for networks back in 1980. To me that gives me a bit of credibility, I was installing/configuring 10Base-5 (Thick yellow cable with transceivers) back in 1984 and have installed/configured systems with every permutation of networking since. including fibre/infrared and wireless

To me this gives me a bit of cred. I also have worked on cisco/ acc routers, nokia/watchguard/netgear/netscreen firewalls. I have worked alongside the guys at BT installing some of the first SMDS networks and have configured/managed frame relay circuits.


Now I have a problem that my cable modem has an intermittent fault, and finally I get that ****ed off with it rebooting itself that I phone the tech support.

They tell me to reboot my PC. Err it is the modem not the pc. I can communicate with the modem and I am reading to you the log that is telling me it cannot acquire an upsteam. Then he tells me to disconnect my firewall and connect the PC directly to the modem. (Like hell) and he gets me to read out the frequencies that the modem is set to.

He then tells me enter the exact same frequency back on the modem and reboot. He now tells me the thing is reconfigured. No it isn't it still has the same frequency.

I have told him there is currently a Telewest technician next door investigating a similar problem and when I asked him if there was a problem in the area, he thought there may be as he cannot acquire an upstream. But to fault my problem as he is unable to help me directly.

The Numpty still has to go through his script. Will he connect to my modem and look at the log that is showing it has problems. No.

If I get the problem again they will assign a technician to come round.

Look there is a problem. Sort it.

Boy do I wish I had an alternative to this crummy service

A. They are useless themselves

B. They are sad geeks who laugh at normal people who dont understand why rebooting your besquizzle with your mizzle button would solve the problem.

It's not NTL is it? Has to deal with them for the (out)inlaws. Their proxies have cr@p balancing and keep going up the wall. Spent an age on the phone to some helpdesk monkey when all I wanted was a direct ip so my father inlaw could send out some important mails.

They should give you options when you call

Press #1 if you work in IT
Press #2 if you have a vague idea about computing
Press #3 if you are like my parents and still think a video recorder is witchcraft!!

I love calling NTL/Telewest... I just listen to them and say, done that...

But you have to remember they are not techies, they are just reading off a screen like monkeys.

Get alot of people on those lines just follow scripted responses to try and fix your problem as they're not technical, means they can pay them sod all... esp with ISP's

I always ask for a technical specialist if I have to ring a support line, altho i've not had too for years..

Working on an internal helpdesk (1st/2nd line) tho, I hate the ones who ring you to tell you they have a problem and while your getting the details/fixing it they tell you how to fix it and about how they "know about IT"..

SO WHY RING ME IN THE FIRST PLACE

lots of muppets in the industry esp IT Managers who don't actually know what they're doing... exactly why I want out of it

[TSM]

At the office we use Zen & Eclipse ISPS. Zen are brill and understand everything that i say, very quickly they change from non techi speak to techi speak which i prefer, all very helpfull and quick to resolve any issues. Eclipse on the other hand, i am asleep by the time one of them pick the phone up, they realy annoy me and have some realy odd policies that are just unworkable.

Anybody who has worked in IT support knows that 85% of people are numpties when it comes to PC's and most will lie to you to make it sound like they are not.
I lost count of the number of times I had to go and "help" somebody turn on their monitor because "my screen is blank"
For the other 15%, trust me when i tell you that your frustration at your support guys is minimal compared to the next benial question they will be asked.

[northwind]

Like's been said, their job is to elmininate the utterly stupid before involving an engineer. Unfortunately, some of them actually think they're giving advice and not just reading off a list, which is where it goes wrong.

We get this all the time dealing with BACS... They're pretty good, but occasionally we'll have a fault and just getting them to understand the fault is a nightmare. "That happens all the time, it's perfectly normal" "No it's not" "Yes it is, it's a result of the rejection process that you guys do" "We found it when we started the erjection process". They don't seem to believe in cause and effect, they're perfectly happy to say that something that happened on monday was caused by something we did today. So all we do is, we get their name and number and when it does turn out to be a problem, we drop them in it.

ooooooooooooo i used to do support..

Its the poeple who call you to have a massive whinge about their PC that isn't working and that its your fault? Scuse me, have you seen me at your PC? Have you ever even seen me, so how can it be MY fault.

They then also like to tell you that that thing your doing doesn't work and I should be doing something else (Why call me if you know the problem). They be quiet when the thing im doing works.

Or when you put people on hold (i loved this) and they start whinging to their other secretaries about how **** IT are, that their computer never works and your being fobbed off by that IT person on the phone, at which point you take them off hold and explain that you can actually hear everything they are saying.

This has led to many apologies to myself due to someone being a bitch down the phone thinking im not there..

End of the day people, we're there to help, not to have your sh1tty moods taken out on us.

I know, i'll come down to your secretary bay and slag everyone off because all they do is sit on their ass all day typing letters and scoffing chocolate and tea. Such an interesting life. Its nothing to do with me, but hey, pot and kettle and black and all that. But they always know best............ HEnce why i lvoe proving them wrong.

Tim, what you need to remember is that we can't see you, we don't know what your doing, you could be anyone. You have to go through set questions to eliminate issues that can give you your answer. You being IT literate get wound up, but how is that person on the phone meant to know you have experince when 95% of the people that call don't have an f-ing clue. HD people need to work out the issue for themselves, or at least get the right direction so they can pass it onto their appropriate team if he/she can't find the issue.


And being in IT, you should know that its the WORST job to have in IT, you get **** all day, and have to deal with it. You should be able to understand, so shame on you :P

I'm in 3rd-line support so I don't have to talk to the riff raff

To be honest if I do talk to a user, I try my best to behave, because afterall, we all had to start somewhere.

And besides I'm not a complete tw*t like some of the bods here at work