Bullfrog

I work in a company doing computer support for about 100 people. Its an old fashioned company and has quite a few employees that have been here for 25 and 30 + years. In the computer support world I have learned it is better to keep your finger on the pulse of the building to anticipate computer requests and requisitions then to wait till there are problems.

Heres my problem that i would like feedback for, These 23 or 30 year people are the the technophobes who think a computer is a major PITA but before a pin will drop will be at the IT departments door for a icon that moved saying the computer is broke. Recently a coworker of mine was in conversation with one of these people and made mention after seeing me talk to someone else for 10 minutes that "dont i do any work, it looks like im always just standing around talking".

As a contractor to the company i really have no say so even if i had a valid point to bring up to people their word is over mine because they been here 30 years. I just don't like that fact that someone who does not know my job had the gaul to say that i stand around and talk to much when they don't even know what my job is. Then if they really have a bug up there arse they call my supervisor who is in California and only hears when people complain, Almost a lose lose situation.

This same individual has to walk past the IT office to go out for a cigarette break and is outside at least 6 times a day.
im frustrated that these people can do nothing but harm my career and not know a dang thing about it.

What i want to say is "Until you understand anything about computers or my job shut the hell up, and stop taking so many cigarette breaks"
We are talking the 15 minute kind not the 5 minute stretch your legs and go kind.

How does one get out of a lose lose situation? a Kobayashi Maru ?

I more or less wanted to vent, thanks for listening.

Rixshark

I had a similar problem once. The next time you hear it from a smoker, reply with "Why is it that the only people that can take 15 minutes off, stand around talking, are smokers? Do I have to smoke to be entitled to stand around talking?"

OR

Light up a cigarette in the office and tell them you're on a smoke break, come back in 10.


I know exactly how you feel. People think I do nothing all day as well, but if it were true...everything would fall apart. Maybe suggest to a manager that they hire someone to do an educational seminar to teach people the basics of using Windows, or Office. We did that here and it eliminated A LOT of the stupid little questions I get on a day to day basis.

DTN

Just keep doing your job. Know you're doing a good job. Don't let it bother you.

I'm a biomedical equipment tech. In my job, 1/2 of it is customer service. Alot of people don't realize that keeping the customer informed, happy, and famliliarized with equipment is part of my job. We have other people who deal with the facilities here. They think that if you have tools and you're not using the tools, then you're not gainfully employed. They tend to think that we do alot of slacking here because we're not constantly tearing apart a piece of equipment.

Look at it like this. You are in a customer service job. Anyone can look up how to do something on the internet and figure it out. As long as the customer is happy, then you're doing your job. If you're talking computers, then you can say that you're helping people feel more comfortable with their computer, troubleshooting a problem, or increasing understanding.

As long as you smile and do computer stuff, noone can say anything about your job... If they do, ask them if they're happy in their job.

supercow

I have pretty much the same job as you except I go to ~20-30 different offices. There will ALWAYS be people that think your doing a bad job/think you are just there to get some money. What they don't realize is their opinion doesn't matter too much, just make sure to keep the people you report to happy.

I'm thinking of a couple people now that think it's outrageous that I'd possibly have to go to their office to fix stuff more that once a month. I've been accused of "making things break every two weeks". These are the same customers that when I started working for them had no domain setup, dns was relying on a little cisco router so any inside request was taking minutes, no virus protection, etc. People have asked "if this will finally take care of things for 6 months." These aren't the people with simple networks but the ones using vpn, hosting their own mail, and ~15 employee's. They fired the last company because they never showed up and they want me to show up less!

Next time you work on their pc just be super nice and after you talk to them for ~5 minutes toss in something along the lines of how your so busy but most of the time its talking to people to diagnose their problem. Make em feel good and silly.


Anyways chances are this person thats talking about you talks about EVERYONE in the office and everyone knows that and pays little attention to them.

edit: HEY!! I just notice DTN stole and edited my sig! The gall!! Well I guess I can't fault you for waiting to be like Nathan. Theres not to many better role models. Just remember we all can't be superheros.

domi

I totally understand you man.

Just let them keep talking smack. They don't know what they're doing.
For my thesis I have to do lots of reading, when a colleque stops by they're always talking crap; man stay home if you're not doing any work...
Pisses me off, but I tend not to listen anymore nana.gif

We have the smoking and talking problem aswell here, but from the first of july we have an all smoking ban inside (or seperate smoking rooms)
The board of directors want to take this oppertunity to ban the small cafeteria smoking area and get a smoking room on the other side of the building to keep the smokers not smoking every 45 minutes.

Goodluck and you know what you're worth!

supercow

Yeah, I've employed smokers and to all you out there that smoke, not only do all the non-smokers think its gross it also makes us less likely to hire you.

DTN

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Supercow @ Apr 18 2008, 10:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>edit: HEY!! I just notice DTN stole and edited my sig! The gall!! Well I guess I can't fault you for waiting to be like Nathan. Theres not to many better role models. Just remember we all can't be superheros.</div>

Actually, I stole Barrack Obama's quote.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (wikipedia.org)</div><div class='quotemain'>In American politics, "I approve this message" (sometimes in the past tense, with "authorize" in place of "approve," or with "ad" instead of "message") is a phrase frequently said by candidates for federal office in political advertisements on television and radio in order to comply with the so-called "stand by your ad" provision of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, enacted in 2002, that requires "a statement by the candidate that identifies the candidate and states that the candidate has approved the communication."

The provision was sponsored by Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), with the stated intent of discouraging negative campaigning by forcing candidates to associate themselves with their attacks. Wyden has since proposed to extend the requirement to political advertising on the Internet.

The phrase can be said at any point during the ad, but is typically inserted at the beginning or the end.</div>

Lol... I'm going on smoke break.

Rixshark

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Domi @ Apr 18 2008, 09:22 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>We have the smoking and talking problem aswell here, but from the first of july we have an all smoking ban inside (or seperate smoking rooms)</div>

We have that here too. The company banned all smoking on company property (Staff Only). Since I work at a funeral home, theres really no way to ban people who come in from smoking on the property...

So a bunch of geniouses that work here decided to go and stand on the corner to smoke, technically off company property.....they didn't realise that because the company provided them with a uniform at no cost, and covers the dry cleaning...the suit is COMPANY PROPERTY....basically, if you come into the building smelling like smoke....you're sent home to change, and docked a day's pay.

Bullfrog

its partly my manager to blame as well. IF you just tell me not to talk to people because without asking what my side is its a no win. Im never given the benefit of the doubt.

I dont care people smoke, i go stand and talk to them all the time, it just the nerve of people to say something about me talking indoors and then take added up over and hour of breaks during the day. hypocritical B!itch.

UrS0NvS

what is funny is when big companies turn welding shops into non smoking facilities. um, hello, weld smoke dumbazzes.

frog, buddy....I go through this daily. being a supervisor in a weld shop that actually has to work side by side with my guys instead of sitting on my butt in a office i get scrutinized daily. what the little peons don't realize is i know how much time it should take to do everything am i'm always in that timeframe. i hear the bantering, flip up my hood, ask why they are worried more about me than what they are doing, and usually it stops.

i've been with this comapny now for 3 years come june 13th. we have a list of options people can do if they get their jobs done early which usually consists of other welder's projects that are lagging behind timewise. i've been on this list two times in 3 years and one of those times was when i had a ankle sprain so bad that the doc told me i would've been better off breaking my ankle than what i did.

i guess in the end, don't sweat the small stuff. as long as the person who is talking sh!t isn't your one and only supervisor, think nothing of it.