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Shooting the messenger.

This happened yesterday and it’s a long train ride to work. Also on mobile.

I work on the customer support line for a software startup with 2 distinct departments, those being the basic consumer product and the more specialised education component.

I work with the consumer product. I have little exposure to the more complicated version. That being said I’m quite technical and knowledgable in IT related matters, but of course I’m still learning a couple of new things each week.

Oh, we also have separate support numbers for consumer VS EDU. Keep that in mind

It’s a quiet day, but this call comes in towards the end of my shift and it’s tagged as an EDU number. This is fine, we get overflow, its normal. Basic process is to get as much info as possible, then ticket it up if its minor, or get a hold of the senior support staff it it affects BAU.

I’m me/AV, customer is CX, the schools IT manager.

Me: Thank you for calling – startup -, AV speaking. CX: hi, how are you doing today?

This immediately makes it one of those calls.

Me: I’m not too bad, yourself?

CX: Bloody crap. I’ve got an unknown amount of affected students and devices don’t have an internet connection. The Principal told me to fix it and I need it fucking fixed

Me: eyes already beginning to gloss over as he is shouting already What are the symptoms? Are these devices isolated or is it systemic? What behaviours are they showing?

CX: Sigh Each device so far seems to be set to the internal DNS route (127.0.0.1 is the local device for those who don’t know) and this of course isn’t working on our network.

For context: This is how the consumer product works. The application has to route a certain way for it to function correctly.

Me: Yes the devices will be set to the 127 DNS while the mobile application is running, that’s just how it functions. That, however, should default to your schools network settings when the app detects the school network.

CX: Okay, sure. Doesn’t tell me how to get it fixed. Why isn’t it getting reset on a known network?

My eyes gloss over slightly more This is where my knowledge ends. I’m not an engineer or a webdev.

Me: I’m not 100% sure, let me –

CX: You’re not SURE? Listen mate this is your SHIT. I need this fucking fixed, NOW.

My eyes completely unfocus

Me, in that customer service drone: One moment I’ll get someone from the education department for you.

CX: Education? Isn’t that who I fucking –

I put him on hold mid sentence. Pinged the EDU team, took about five minutes for someone to become available. Advised them the customer is volatile, cold transferred.

I had 15 minutes left on my shift, and just sat there staring at the wall.

I’ve been in call centres for 5 years now, I’ve done my time and won’t put up with getting verbally abused over not knowing how to fix something that isn’t my job, responsibility and wasn’t trained to fix. If he hadn’t cut me off, I was about to transfer him to the right team.

TLDR; Customer shoots the messenger for being a messenger and not a network engineer because he called the wrong department.

submitted by /u/AvengedVengance
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