Working for the White Rabbit

[cinema guy]

Salespeople are the worst part of every job. They sell things they don't understand, and they leave everyone else to deal with it.

I concur. It is the same with windows where I work. (Ones with glass in, not Microsoft ).

[Ahbugger]

The Salesmen:

As you can imagine, they're all 18-25yr old males, tall, good-looking, etc.

This almost made me shit myself laughing as I pictured myself and the sales team I work with. Let's just say 'short, fat & fugly' might be a better way to sum us up.

Now having revealed myself as a salesman, considering the way this thread is going, I think I'm going to run away and hide.

[PatchO'Black]

I'm not going to say all salespeople are like the ones described in the original post. However, I believe that a good way to deal with such problem is to inform said salespeople who over-promise to get the sale (and the commission) is to let them know that if an item is returned due to such an over-promise, then the commission they got would be taken off their next paycheck. That should take away some of their incentive to mislead customers.

[Ahbugger]

I believe that a good way to deal with such problem is to inform said salespeople who over-promise to get the sale (and the commission) is to let them know that if an item is returned due to such an over-promise, then the commission they got would be taken off their next paycheck. That should take away some of their incentive to mislead customers.

Screw that, take away commission altogether. Where I work everyone (techs, sales & warehouse) get nothing except a bonus based on customer satisfaction rates. No mis-selling, no selling up unnecessarily & no friction between staff in different departments.

[dakhur]

The update for this week is going to rock. Stay tuned.

[dalesys]

The update for this week is going to rock. Stay tuned.

Updates with rocks in it? Are we going to be Pffratchetting?

[Kit-Ginevra]

If you are,you'll be cleaning it up yourself....

[Ironclad Alibi]

Updates with rocks in it? Are we going to be Pffratchetting?

And is C.M.O.T. going to start posting about his sucky customers?

(P.S. I'm reading Thief of Time right now.)

[dakhur]

Idiots, fools, and fellow employees

Ah, a fun filled week. We'll start with the idiots.

Monday morning, 9:05am. Guy rings up wanting free tech support. While I don't mind helping someone out for a few minutes or to solve a problem, I will NOT stay on the phone for 3 hours and answer every question you have. Starting with "so I've turned it on. What now?"

After politely answering a few questions, I had to be firm and push him towards a local no-money-involved free open-door place that you can go into and they will help teach you stuff and sort out computer issues. He didn't like it, but as I'd already been with him for 40 minutes, he couldn't argue much.


Fools. Two of these. Both frustrating.

Person comes in claiming to have been sold a program and unable to install it. I managed to get it installed inside 2 minutes, and while it was updating, asked what the real problem was. Customer tried to get me to promise an hours free instruction from me, after work, at no expense.

I fought down the urge to laugh outright, pointed out that my time was valuable, and no-one gets anything for free. He got upset and tried to claim that since we'd sold him the program, we were obligated to show him how to use it. I agreed, and gave him a quick driving lesson on updating the program (it was a virus program) and said I'd fulfilled the obligation.

He tried to bluff that no, he expected lessons on using the computer. Because he was over 60 and we sold him a program he didn't understand so we "owed" him. Then I did laugh at him, then pushed him towards the local free place and he left.


The second person was a lady who hadn't even bought the computer from us! She'd just bought a program from somewhere else as well, but talked her way past the Gatekeeper (I dealt with her later!) and I was instructed to install the program for her. I did, it was only a 5 minute job after all, and just as I was about to pack it up and get down to some money jobs, she suddenly turned into psycho-woman, demanding I was supposed to give her a lesson on how to use stuff.

I didn't even smother the snigger this time, while asking why I should do anything since she didn't buy it from us. She said that since we did customer support, and she was a customer, her had to support her. And she was a customer so she was right, damn it!

I pointed out she hadn't bought a thing, so technically wasn't a customer, and asked who had told her I would help so I could kill them later. She took her computer and vanished at the speed of light, while I went looking for the sales guys. Who, for some reason, were no-where in sight. I thought I heard little thunder-claps they moved so fast.


Fellow employees:

Had a major issue with the bloke who thought he would get my job and didn't, and thought he'd be offered the 2IC job and wasn't. He tried a new approach this week by being cheerful and helpful. I was immediately suspicious. Sure enough, on Friday he told the boss he was quitting, and his final day will be Monday. Which explains the happiness and light attitude this week.

The other guys are still trying to palm anything to do with computers off on me, despite the boss' instructions that they're to ask first. I suggested seeing if I could get a deal with the local pet shop for those electric shock collars. By Wednesday, he was asking what sort of deal.

And Monday, the new 2IC starts. He's come from another store to manager the computer department at this one. About early to mid 30's, another tall, tanned, buff male. Very square-jawed, blond hair, etc. I shall kick back and enjoy watching the fallout from this I think.

And on a side note, the warehouse guys are not pleased. Their new head cockroach has decreed that they shall no longer have loading dock beer at the end of the day.

I pointed out that they were a) in a warehouse, and b) had unfettered access to stock, both new and returned. Therefore, if they could rub two braincells together and drive a loading tray, surely they could . . . . 'liberate' a returned fridge, bribe the tech cage person with something alcoholic, and hide it in there at the back where the power points are.

You'd have thought I just invented the wheel! I could see the lights going on above this guys head, and it wasn't a light-bulb -- more like half a candle.

So, that was last week. And this Monday, I expect an influx of "broken" electronics from the lightening storm Saturday morning. The amount of people who can't hit a reset button on a power board are truly stunning.

[fireheart]

Oh boy...

I really do hesitate to ask, but is the concept of a "Neighbourhood centre" foreign to the area you work in? Quite a number of either neighbourhood centres or libraries will offer FREE computer courses, especially to seniors.

If there are courses available, I'd strongly recommend asking them for a batch of flyers and keeping them on hand at your workplace.

[dakhur]

Fireheart..... this is the outer-edge of the known world here! The concept of people wanting to read voluntarily and not at gunpoint is almost unknown in this outer suburb of the barcoo.

Imagine, if you dare, that the entire town of Nunavut has been uplifted and replanted as a western suburb of Perth -- a city where, when the plane lands, you put your watch back 3 hours and your mind back 30 years.

And now imagine that the citizens of the mythical town of Nunavut can now access electricity, and phones, and Maccas, and booze, and can get enough computers for everyone in the village!

And I'm running the repair/tech support/customer service bay for them.

And I'm running very low on Vodka.

[fireheart]

Fireheart..... this is the outer-edge of the known world here! The concept of people wanting to read voluntarily and not at gunpoint is almost unknown in this outer suburb of the barcoo.


And I'm running very low on Vodka.

Actually, the computer courses I've seen are very hands-on .

As for your second comment, you should try some Tap King.

*pours you a draught of whatever beer of your choice*

For everyone else, the Tap King is the keg system that I mentioned had the "Do not iron or tumble dry warning"

[dakhur]

Thanks, but beer is for weirdos. Tastes like my 3 day worn washed socks. Smells about the same.

Now, if they made Vodka in 5lt kegs, we'll be talking!

[fireheart]

Thanks, but beer is for weirdos. Tastes like my 3 day worn washed socks. Smells about the same.

Now, if they made Vodka in 5lt kegs, we'll be talking!

What about goon bags? They do them in vodka flavour

Also, who are you calling a weirdo?

[Moirae]

lol. Yeah, that's the nature of tech work. Alot of people are completely clueless when it comes to tech. I had to teach one of our employees (who has now moved to another vocation where she's much happier) how to right click. That took several tries because she kept thinking I meant left click. I was actually starting to get aggravated because she didn't understand any method of copy and paste, usually had 30 windows open at once because she couldn't move between them, etc.