The Helpless Desk

Admin Gal prides herself on having above average technical skills.  Contacting the 'Help Desk' is the last thing she wants to do when faced with computer problems that will affect her productivity.

When faced with the phone tree of the 'Help Desk', Admin Gal does her best to be as precise as possible as to the problem and what has been down to resolve the issue. Receiving an automated list of questions that ask exactly the questions she's already answered does little to buoy her confidence in their ability.

In fact, that kind of response will illicit a response rather like a stick being poked into a wasps nest - repeatedly.

Did Admin Gal forget to mention her boss is technically their boss?  And her boss doesn't like it when they waste time.

404 Not Found

Really? While Admin Gal may have mad skill on the computer, she has to wonder if she were to run a diagnostic on certain peoples brains what would happen.

Perhaps the error - 404 Not Found?

Let me break it down.

1. The browser is the portal by which you view the internet, or access your email.  
2. Selecting 'Yes' will delete the directory with all your documents in it.  If that is not what you meant to do, don't do it!
3. Spilling any liquid on your laptop is not a good idea.  No amount of paper towels will save the day.
4. No, I will not expense shots during a business lunch.
5. Screaming 'COME BACK' at your monitor will never bring back a document, spreadsheet or any other lost file after a fatal error.
6. The blue screen of doom is never good. Only asking nicely will get you the number to the help desk.

If you can remember these basic items, I will refrain from packing up your office and sending it to Malaysia.  

Helping the Helpless

Sometimes the helpless can not be helped. Being asked to call the help desk for an issue that requires permissions that I, as an admin have not been granted, is a colossal waste of time. You see, the help desk is bound by certain protocols that even the most resourceful admins have a hard time breaking through.

But I digress.

Oftentimes we, the admin, are asked to find forgotten passwords, give permissions to systems that we have no rights to, OR pose as the manager or executive in question to figure out a problem that they have described as "the computer is doing that thing that sounds like {insert an unpleasant body sound}."

Seriously?

I know we have super powers and if you were to put the admins in the governing bodies of the world, we'd have the majority of the problems fixed before lunch. But I don't know how to describe a problem to the help desk that sounds like a fart.

There are times when the management needs to suck it up and help themselves.