Rant: IT support

[lokiju]

I work in IT and wonder all the damn time why my co-workers always seem to act like users are a burden? I mean if theres a user that can't work until someone in IT fixes their issue then thats a pretty big issue IMO, yet most people in my dept seem to not give a shyte and act like most users are a pain in their ass.

Come on people, we're one of the few (if not only) departments that most companies have that produces no income whatsoever (and cost a lot), we're solely there to help keep the people and systems up and running as well as possible for those that do produce money!

Thats the whole damn reason we're there! WTF do so many IT people not seem to get this?

I all the time get people thanking me over and over for helping them and saying things like "you're the only one that ever actually helps me" and I used to just brush it off thinking I'm just doing my job, but the more I'm there the more I really understand why it's so common for people to feel IT people are useless.

/weak rant.

 

[KLin]

http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts/frustrations/595d/

 

[akshatp]

Well if they are in IT support, its their job to help other people with their IT problems. If they dont like it, they should find another field of work.

 

[FoBoT]

Your ideas intrigue me and I'd like to subscribe to your newsletter.

 

[nakedfrog]

Nick Burns...

 

[isasir]

Ironically, a lot of IT people tend to be antisocial.

 

[thirdlegstump]

Did you just start working there?

 

[effowe]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Nick Burns...

Clicky

 

[Feldenak]

It's not that I mind helping users...it's answering the same questions & fixing the same problems for the same few people over and over and over...

 

[KLin]

Originally posted by: Feldenak
It's not that I mind helping users...it's answering the same questions & fixing the same problems for the same few people over and over and over...

That's a PITA for sure.

 

[neovan]

new hire?

 

[SampSon]

IT people (typically support) have a very over-inflated sense of self-worth in their workplace. Most of them do not want to face the reality that the vast majority of them are just fix-it bitches for the truely productive members of the company.

Glad I left that field.

 

[spidey07]

Some IT people don't do support.

Maybe it's not their job to deal with a user at all.

 

[lokiju]

Originally posted by: deathkoba
Did you just start working there?

This applies to every IT job I've ever had and this is my 10th year in the field but I've been where I currently am for about 2 months now.

 

[lokiju]

Originally posted by: Feldenak
It's not that I mind helping users...it's answering the same questions & fixing the same problems for the same few people over and over and over...

I totally get that but I'm not talking about that, I mean real issues that stop users from working until someone in IT fixes it.

 

[Mr Pickles]

That's a management issue more than it is a user issue. When it comes down to it, the "morale of the troops" is in the hands of the General is it not?

A lot of IT departments develop this disease of "us vs. them" syndrome where they share their horror stories of how stupid or how mean users were with them. It has been known to effect the entire department, save the few that know how wrong that attitude towards users is. It's kind of a sick control thing where the quality of help from a Support Tech is determined by how nice you are to them. "I NEED THIS ASAP OMG!!!111one1on!eon!!" normally means they just work less hard...

Knowing this, its the role of management to discourage this kind of attitude. My IT dept. recently began to support the use of the word customer instead of the word user. Granted, it's something minor, but it really gives you a different perspective if you know that your relationship with your customer is how your work is reviewed.

IT guys and girls are dumb, anyone can be IT. I don't care how much of a genius you are in a certain area or how much of an asset you may believe yourself to be to the company - you can be replaced in minutes. If tech's have forgotten that then they are worthless and management isn't doing their job.

Bottom line, IT is disposable. Ass holes that don't do their job need not apply.

 

[nakedfrog]

BTW, TFNN called, they want you back.

 

[Mr Pickles]

Originally posted by: KLin

Originally posted by: Feldenak
It's not that I mind helping users...it's answering the same questions & fixing the same problems for the same few people over and over and over...

That's a PITA for sure.

Then gtfo or go back to school so you can climb that greasy IT ladder. THe higher you are the less you speak directly with customers and get the stupid mundane ******.

 

[slsmnaz]

I know how they feel! If it wasn't for customers I could get some work done.

 

[Feldenak]

Originally posted by: MrLee

Originally posted by: KLin

Originally posted by: Feldenak
It's not that I mind helping users...it's answering the same questions & fixing the same problems for the same few people over and over and over...

That's a PITA for sure.

Then gtfo or go back to school so you can climb that greasy IT ladder. THe higher you are the less you speak directly with customers and get the stupid mundane ******.

I've got a Jump To Conclusions Mat for you. Our IT department consists of 5 people supporting 175 users. Everyone except the software developer wears multiple hats including general IT support.

For example a few of the tasks I had to take care of today:
Build new images for office & field machines
Configure a VPN Concentrator for field deployment
Chat with our Dell rep for better deals for some new equip
General Helpdesk
Troubleshoot a softphone issue (that was a pain in the a$$)
Sort out an iPod issue for one of the VPs

 

[SampSon]

I've got a Jump To Conclusions Mat for you. Our IT department consists of 5 people supporting 175 users. Everyone except the software developer wears multiple hats including general IT support.

So it's a glass ceiling then?

 

[Feldenak]

Originally posted by: SampSon

I've got a Jump To Conclusions Mat for you. Our IT department consists of 5 people supporting 175 users. Everyone except the software developer wears multiple hats including general IT support.

So it's a glass ceiling then?

Yes and no.

Smallish company on the rise and we're building the IT dept. as the company grows (we just added the developer at the end of last year).

 

[lokiju]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
BTW, TFNN called, they want you back.

:heart:

It's not working for me

 

[ultimatebob]

Originally posted by: Feldenak
It's not that I mind helping users...it's answering the same questions & fixing the same problems for the same few people over and over and over...

Exactly. 90% of my customers are cool... But it's the remaining 10% that cause 90% of my problems.

If you reset the same forgetful loser's password twice a month for a few years, you too will develop an negative attitude towards that person.