As the network administrator in title and resident jack-of-all-trades in practice of a small IT department, I see lots of small, odd, non-related IT tasks and queries sent my way.
Recently, in the midst of a phone system implementation, I was asked to provide dual monitors for all the call center agents. “Easy enough,” I replied. Knowing that the cubicles were small and desk space was limited, I suggested a walk-through to determine the best size and placement of the second monitor. By the end of the walk-through I was charged with the task of hanging the monitors from the cloth covered modular cubicle panels.
The project entailed sourcing tack clips that would work with our old cubicle panels, cutting plywood for backing boards to attach to the clips, attaching 22″ widescreen monitors to mounts and then to the backboards and finally hanging the whole contraption on the cubicle panels. After a comedy of errors, I found myself on the day before the go-live surrounded by sawdust, screws and various monitor and bracket parts getting everything together.
It did work, and so far all the monitors are still hanging. After laughing about the absurdity of the whole idea around the water cooler, I wondered who else in IT has been through these oddball requests. I’m certain I can’t be the only one.
And when the call center manager calls me, I make sure to answer “Cabinet Shop!”
