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Being an IT worker (not really one title that would encompass everything I do) I deal with people's problems on a daily bases, I like to think I have a solid command of the english language. However, in the past week I have spent over 20 hours on the phone with a combination of Microsoft Tech Support and SonicWall tech support. Guess how many people spoke english as a first language......NONE! I have a splitting headache thanks to SonicWall's 1st, 2nd and 3rd level tech support. Luckily the 3rd level tech spoke relatively clear english. I remember the days when I called tech support and I spoke to someone who spoke perfect english. Is anyone else getting sick of this tech support outsourcing crap? Don't get me wrong, I really think that these techs know what they are doing, but it is so difficult to understand them that they could be reading me fairy tales and I wouldn't know. UUUUUGH, I am so close to living in a shotgun shack in the West Virginian Blue Mountains.

YES!!!(one word answer) It is annoying as all to have someone who is supposed to be helping you with a complex problem who either doesn't understand what you're trying to say or who can not properly convey the solution you are requiring! The other thing that frustrates me is the incompetent tech support. Half of the time it takes hours to get to someone who is actually on the same level of expertise as you and another 15 minutes to move up to somone who actually has you try things you've not thought of trying yourself!I've become increasingly reliant on my fellow IT workers through web forums, email and phone contact and only contact the manufacturer for RMA service and warranty work.

On this note, check these outPart 1- http://www.illwillpress.com/tech.htmlPart 2- http://www.illwillpress.com/tech2.htmlEnjoy and laugh your (removed) off. Might want to keep the volume low or head phones if you're at work.Inder

Quote, originally posted by millster »YES!!!YES!!!YES!!!I've just finished properly identifying that Sage's software (Crystal Reports/Platinum Accounting) will not properly print on HP 1020 in effect performing binary test cases to prove that its the software not the printer.I spent an hour on a phone trying to prove this then finally someone who had a grasp of the obvious figured it was their problem and escallated the ticket.The bigger the company, the worse the support. Sony really sucks. What I do now is become an expert myself and find forums or peers to bounce ideas off of.I've done IT for years and I would always ask nice questions like where are you located and we'd chat about things. I still do for Xerox and Novell but most other companies just use knowledge-based-crap resonses and have no expertise.Andrew

Quote, originally posted by vibe-04 »The bigger the company, the worse the support. Sony really sucks. What I do now is become an expert myself and find forums or peers to bounce ideas off of.I've done IT for years and I would always ask nice questions like where are you located and we'd chat about things. I still do for Xerox and Novell but most other companies just use knowledge-based-crap resonses and have no expertise.Yep, that's my point. Sometimes it's best to just become your own knowledgebase and/or use your peers. I've just found that my peers in general have the best answers or can at least work to find them. The only company I've had much luck in dealing with has been Apple. They tend to be quite helpful. Well, there's the vendor for our student data package too, but they're a small company so you kind of expect them to be good.

The problems I have been dealing with in the past week have been of the emergency variety. Normally I look towards web forums. Our email server took a gigantic dump last week which led to 13 hours (yes 13) on the phone with Microsoft. Finally, the problem was solved around 3 in the morning. I was thrilled. Talk about getting your $255 dollars worth for the call to Microsoft Tech Support.

Quote, originally posted by desert_dweller »I feel your pain man.I will right out ask for another technican that speaks better english. I am way to busy to try to translate my problem into another language for some Level I tech suppport guy in India or Pakastan.I tried that, it never works for me.

Yeah, well in the case of horiffic email server crashes I can understand wanting to get immediate help. Out of curiosity, what ended up happening?

Quote, originally posted by millster »Out of curiosity, what ended up happening? Well, a data file in the messaging system corrupted, so that had to be replaced, then we had to figure out why that happened. We had a huge problem with the priv1.edb file expanding at a rate of 1-2 gig per hour and exchange was creating 5 MB log files at the rate of 5-10 per minute. Well, on a 32 GB drive, this was killing our space FAST, luckily we could delete most of the log files as they were created. By the time we got everything settled, we were down to less than a gig left on the drive. As it turnedout, we had a spam email that came in and our system freaked out when it came in (we still don't know why it freaked out, it should have just blocked it and kept on truckin') but the email kept getting bounced around and without a home, it kept passing through the messaging gateway and creating logs (the 5 MB logs) and since the email kept going through the priv1.edb (private mailbox database) the size kept expanding. It was a total $hitstorm, excuse my language but that's about the only way to describe it.

Quote, originally posted by TRD4reel »On this note, check these outPart 1- http://www.illwillpress.com/tech.htmlPart 2- http://www.illwillpress.com/tech2.htmlEnjoy and laugh your (removed) off. Might want to keep the volume low or head phones if you're at work.InderThose are hillarious! I WANT A SHOCKY MONKEY! (and some paper towel to clean up my coffee!)

Wow. Well, yes that would constitute a mess. The reason I asked is I've had issues with Exchange before too. Back in the days when it had a limit of 16GB on the main datastore. I had people who insisted on keeping 2GB worth of messages in their mailbox on the server and about 5 of them wanted to do that. Supporting the rest of the company of 40 people on the remaining 6GB was interesting to say the least. Of course once that 16GB filled up, look out! The service would shut down and there was no way to get it started without defragging the database. Of course that runs the risk of corrupting the data, losing messages, etc. It was great! Need I say that I no longer work for that company?

Depending on how things go, I won't be working for this company much longer, the whole thing could be run better by untrained monkeys.

Yes sir, I've been there. Thankfully the school district I work for now is well run and actually quite enjoyable to work for! I know, I never thought that was possible either.

Quote, originally posted by millster »The reason I asked is I've had issues with Exchange before too. We're on Novell Netmail and it is quite stable, although we had issues with spam filters as well. Quote, originally posted by millster » I had people who insisted on keeping 2GB worth of messages in their mailbox on the server and about 5 of them wanted to do that. Ditto problem here and just today one of them who is in Geneva Swizerland just had their Mozilla profile on their laptop self destruct and he wants help (ya, fly me over buddy I'll erase your emials from 5 years ago!) We're going to institute an IMAP cap soon and people are not going to be happy. I just wish users would understand that e-mail is a communications medium and not for storage fro crap you will never use. Ahhh, it keeps me employed Quote, originally posted by millster »Need I say that I no longer work for that company?Here ya loud and clear but remember that users are everywhere....

Quote, originally posted by gargoyle »I WANT A SHOCKY MONKEY! NO ME! I WANT A SHOCK MONKEY!!

We switched from Novell GroupWise to Exchange 2003 earlier this year. We never had mailbox quotas on the GroupWise end, but luckily management let us put quotas on all mailboxes in Exchange to thwart those 2+ GB user mailboxes that are out there!It's amazing what mail some people insist they need to keep, forever. LOLBack to the topic though, I do feel your pain on the 'hard to understand' support techs (can we even call them techs? ) -- I've had (and still have) my share of them, LOL.

Oddly enough, I just got off the phone with Microsoft, they were calling up to give me a survey on how my tech support call went, obviously I ripped into them for the low quality of their tech support.

uh tech support,I've been a pc tech for the last 7 years. Dell has to be one of the worst on the pc side, gateway used to outsource but people got pissed so they brought it back to the US, might be some southern accents though I also hate when i diagnose the problem and call the company to get it repaired or have a part sent out, they do not listen to what i have already done to diagnose! ive done all the work and testing just listen!!! uh, some places have a tech support line for techs. like my college has one for gateway, so they just ask whats up and then we get it figured out how it will get taken care of in less than 5 min, oh i love no hold times.

Yeah, I've been a PC tech for about the same amount of years and I haven't had a problem big enough for me to give up and call the company so. Hopefully I can keep it that way.

Quote, originally posted by desert_dweller »Desided you would rather go back working in the projects? Oh god no, I would never go back to that job.Quote, originally posted by desert_dweller » do you have a lead on a new job. I am looking myself. I am tring to get on with WebMD.I have a few leads, I want to go into more of an analyst (network or otherwise) position. There are a few leads but nothing solid yet. What would you do with WebMD?

Quote, originally posted by Mr. Poopypants »Oh god no, I would never go back to that job.I have a few leads, I want to go into more of an analyst (network or otherwise) position. There are a few leads but nothing solid yet. What would you do with WebMD?become a medial doctor for the internet..... HAHAHAH ok story time...sit around me people one time i called HP to get a lcd repaired (replaced) under warranty. so i call the tech support and its all voice commands, well they didnt have the lcd model / s/n in the voice commands so i finnaly get ahold of a person and they walk me through stuff as usual then they are about to start the work order for a replacement then go OH wait we have a lcd department, call them at this 1800 number...im like.. @#$@#$@#$ ok fine. i call the number its some pychic hot line... i was mad until i had the monitor replaced then laughed about it. thats still bad CR

I had a Sony laptop with a cracked screen cause when the "user" slammed the laptop lid (he tried to tell me, "I don't know what happened? [use comical voice]). I called and called and finally this week after 2 months it came back from repair. I unpacked and booted and all is fine -- $800 bill -- yikes! When I ship a laptop, I remove the battery and keep the power brick (supply) in case the repair center forgets to ship them back. Just in case, I put my hand in the box and yep, they sent ME a power brick by accidentThanks for the spare Sony p.s. We have users lose power bricks on a regular basis.