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October 4, 2007
On the Phones, But It's So-Not-Sexy
My other job is answering calls from stylists who need help with their store computer point-of-sale system.
So I spend two nights a week and every other weekend helping non-technical women and gay men to use their store system or troubleshoot when there are problems.
:: sigh ::
I like helping people, mostly, but sometimes it gets old.
Explaining to someone that the VCR-sized box under the cash drawer is the actual computer several times a night loses its charm after a while.
I don't know of many careers left where some level of computer-literacy isn't a huge benefit both personally and professionally. I know not everyone dives into technology with the same enthusiasm I've had since I was 15, but these things have been around for a while now. Let's all learn about abstraction and the difference between what you see on your monitor and the physical location of the actual computer.
You might call it the CPU, but the CPU is inside. You might call the hard drive, but the hard drive is inside. It's a PC or a computer or a Mac (most likely). Just please accept it.
Oh, yes. I'm wearing gray trousers and a black polo shirt. I'm several days unshaven. I have a Treo on one hip and a Blackberry on the other. And lots of USB storage in my pockets.
And I'm happy to take your call.
[+] Posted by Sinner, who was transgressing at the time (October 4, 2007 8:01 PM) by revealing evil. [+]
6 Comments
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I was very lucky. While I'm not on Medicare, I'm not exactly young either. I had a son who developed a fascination with computers at age 10 (Commadore Vic-20) and he had a friend at Purdue University who began teaching him how to access the "machine language" after he "got" Basic at around age 12.
My kid insisted on explaining things to me. As a result while most nurses I know hate having to use computers, I'd much rather use the tools that they are. My current trainer at my new job is insisting that I use lots of paper-tracking to do the job, her office is a disaster and most of it could be done with one Access database and one Excel spreadsheet. Pouf the paper, save a few trees. I know by accident that she's leaving; I'm going for her job and pulling it from the 19th to the 21st Century. I'm already doing the designing for when I interview.
Awesome!
That sounds like an excellent strategy.
Processes on paper are good--if you have an effective filing and record-keeping system. Sounds like it will be relegated to your fall-back when you take over. ;)
Ahhh, I feel your pain. I am the local IT person for my company. It's a true pain in the rear some days. I have colleagues that know just enough to completely screw up an operating system. Then there are the ones that know absolutely nothing. I find I like them better. It's easier to walk someone from the ground up than to have to figure out what someone has done because they think that they have a clue what to do. I started doing IT work in the early nineties when folks would call me up and ask what to do with the new cupholder that was provided with their new machine...that one always caused a laugh riot. I applaude your grace in the face of the monotony and frustrations. Have a fabulous evening and next time I get a oddball call, I'll be sure to fill you in. :) Blessed be!
PnthrKitty,
I didn't know you were in IT, too!
For me, the hardest thing is knowing who wants to learn about what's happening and what they can do about it, versus the ones who just want you to "fix" the problem. They don't care so much about what went wrong or steps they can take on their own--they just want it to work.
We will have to exchange war stories some time.
~S
There are days when I love the ones that want to learn, as long as they are capable of learning that is. All in all they are better than the ones that know enough to make you want to slap them, and not in a loving way either. :) War stories I have in spades, I'd love to talk "shop" with you. Just let me know when and where. I'm sure we both have stories that will encite laughter for hours. We might even find a few more things that we have in common in the process. Blessed be my dark prince.
So here's a fine example of ignorance for you. I had to call our "national" IT dept today for some files to switched from a PC that I did not have admin control over. Not only were the files NOT transferred, the files I had on my machine were transferred out, never to be seen again. I get to recreate 3 yrs worth of work. I tried to tell Mr. "I'm an IT guy" that he was tranferring out and not in, but he argued with me. (The folks that get hired and simply read from a manual piss me off greatly) You know, some days being right is SO not worth it. Thought you might like a chuckle! Blessed be my dark prince.