Colleges are bad places to work but local government is whole new level.
I worked for some 10 years in local government this did include working with the schools team which had some interesting calls but none were ever quite as special as the calls I have received Here is one of my personal. favourites.
I am all for power to the people and feel our union reps are an important symbol of local government. But occasionally they just haven't a clue. One day I was happy working on the next PC image for the current continual roll out, when this call came in now I must stress I was second third level support and I had one of the help desk come direct to my desk this is unusual in the least as most of the help desk were scared of my sarcasm but still he sheepishly came over.
Help desk: Scott you were involved on the latest PC roll out I have the head of unison on the phone she is very upset with her new pc could you please talk to her I have no idea what she's going on about and she has threatened to go to the CEO and head of IT.
Me: Ok this better be good put her through.
Unison: Who is this?
Me: My name is Scott I have been asked to speak to you as I was in charge of the PC roll out what seems to b e the problem?
Unison: I would like to complain about my new workstation you have installed.
Me: Oh what seems to be problem?
Unison: My old workstation had a coffee cup holder yet this new one does not seem to have one installed I would like it back. If I do not get one installed I am going to speak to the head of IT and raise it in the next it business meeting with the executive board.
At this point my evil side did come out but how this made it's way past the help desk I had to say I was a little disappointed..
Me: Excuse me can I just inform you I am going to use this call for training purposes and put this on speaker phone can you hold please whilst I get the help desk member of staff to overhear this so that we can improve on the service you receive.
Me: Sorry to keep you waiting could you please repeat what you just said.
Unison: My old workstation had a coffee cup holder and yet this new one does not and I would like one installed.
Me: Ah did you used to press a button on the front of your workstation and out popped a tray for your coffee cup?
Unison: Yes that's it just like in my Car.
Me: Right I know just what you mean. Can I ask you do you know what a CD is?
Unison: Of course I do what does this haver to do with my problem?
Me: Glad you asked, because The tray that you used to stand your heavy cup of coffee on was in fact a CD tray for putting CD's in. Now I am looking at the requisition form for your new computer and it does not have the CD Rom box ticked so it has been ascertained that you did not need a CD Rom installed on this computer. Now you can take this to the executive board meeting but I do feel that they may not sanction the purchase of a CD Rom in this instance. Have you ever needed to use the CD Rom in the past?
Giggling in the background from techies.
Unison: Er no Um oh thank you.
And said person hung up.
Needless to say this person never bought up the missing CD Rom at the said meetings and hopefully they will never use A CD Rom tray for putting there coffee mug on ever again, I did speak to the help desk manager and explain that maybe this member of staff needed to go on the A+ course to learn about all the wonderful components and explained that they might get a complaint come in which never materialised for some unknown reason.
