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So I'm out of retail (HOORAY!) and into the exciting world of IT Helpdesk work (ONOEZ!) for a government contractor.
Since I've just started and all of my accesses are not yet turned on (due to some hiccup in the system that they're working on untangling), there's a limit to what I can help people with, but fortunately, some of my new coworkers have told me "Just send those tickets to us, we'll take care of them." So, yay!
One of the calls I could actually help with was from a helplessly non-tech-savvy woman who was having problems with a web page. Sanitizing identifying info as much as possible, the page is one she -- and she alone -- has the ability to edit, and has important information she must enter about where she works, in order for the system to be able to send her emails, etc.
Remaining patient, I pulled up the page in question (which, on my computer, reflected my own information) and carefully walked her through everything.
J2K: "Okay, that first pull-down item? I need you to select your [identifying information item 1]. Then click [the button next to it]."
Her: (reading a different button) "Clear?"
J2K: "No, not Clear. Click [the button]."
Her: "Oh, okay."
J2K: "Now, I need you to select your [identifying information item 2] from the next drop-down menu, and click [the button next to it]."
Her: "What's my [identifying information item 2]?"
J2K: "I don't know that, ma'am. It's--"
Her: "Oh, wait, I know what you mean. Okay. So, then I click [the button]?"
J2K: "Yes. Now, click 'Save' and tell me, up at the top of the screen, is there any lettering in red?"
Her: "There's an asterisk and 'Indicates required field.'"
J2K: "No, that's always going to be there. Is there anything above that?"
Her: "Yes, there's [reads off red-lettered text]."
J2K: "Okay, then you need to select your [identifying information item 3] and click [the button next to it.]"
And so on, walking her through every step and having her click 'Save' in between steps to see if the form is requiring any other fields to be filled in. Until finally:
J2K: "All right, is there any red text at the top of the screen?"
Her: "No, it says [green-lettered text]."
J2K: "Okay, then. Now you can click 'Save and Exit.'"
Her: "That's it?"
J2K: "Yes, now you've updated your [identifying information] on the site."
Her: "Thank you SOOO much!"
J2K: "No problem, ma'am. Glad to help. You have a nice day."
She hangs up, and I sit back and look over to see my manager watching. He's grinning a bit.
Mgr: "Helpless, was she?"
J2K: "It was like dealing with my mother."
Mgr:
Since I've just started and all of my accesses are not yet turned on (due to some hiccup in the system that they're working on untangling), there's a limit to what I can help people with, but fortunately, some of my new coworkers have told me "Just send those tickets to us, we'll take care of them." So, yay!
One of the calls I could actually help with was from a helplessly non-tech-savvy woman who was having problems with a web page. Sanitizing identifying info as much as possible, the page is one she -- and she alone -- has the ability to edit, and has important information she must enter about where she works, in order for the system to be able to send her emails, etc.
Remaining patient, I pulled up the page in question (which, on my computer, reflected my own information) and carefully walked her through everything.
J2K: "Okay, that first pull-down item? I need you to select your [identifying information item 1]. Then click [the button next to it]."
Her: (reading a different button) "Clear?"
J2K: "No, not Clear. Click [the button]."
Her: "Oh, okay."
J2K: "Now, I need you to select your [identifying information item 2] from the next drop-down menu, and click [the button next to it]."
Her: "What's my [identifying information item 2]?"
J2K: "I don't know that, ma'am. It's--"
Her: "Oh, wait, I know what you mean. Okay. So, then I click [the button]?"
J2K: "Yes. Now, click 'Save' and tell me, up at the top of the screen, is there any lettering in red?"
Her: "There's an asterisk and 'Indicates required field.'"
J2K: "No, that's always going to be there. Is there anything above that?"
Her: "Yes, there's [reads off red-lettered text]."
J2K: "Okay, then you need to select your [identifying information item 3] and click [the button next to it.]"
And so on, walking her through every step and having her click 'Save' in between steps to see if the form is requiring any other fields to be filled in. Until finally:
J2K: "All right, is there any red text at the top of the screen?"
Her: "No, it says [green-lettered text]."
J2K: "Okay, then. Now you can click 'Save and Exit.'"
Her: "That's it?"
J2K: "Yes, now you've updated your [identifying information] on the site."
Her: "Thank you SOOO much!"
J2K: "No problem, ma'am. Glad to help. You have a nice day."
She hangs up, and I sit back and look over to see my manager watching. He's grinning a bit.
Mgr: "Helpless, was she?"
J2K: "It was like dealing with my mother."
Mgr:
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