NMCI still cracks me up
Let me preface this pre-blog bloglette by saying that the guys down at the NMCI help desk are generally friendly, profesional and usually helpful - a compliment I don't usually bestow on 95% of the various help desks I regularly do business with.
A speakerphone is an absolute necessity for braving the world of help desks. At least this help desk takes some of the sting out by providing a toll-free number. My workmate was calling to report that his Hoffman Box (that thingy that secures the fiber optic connections) had once again physically fallen off the wall. We started by dialing the help desk number and navigating through the monotonous computer-generated phone-button dichotomy that is the ubiquitous menu. The waiting began.
It constantly amazes me how people, when trying to produce an upbeat, professional and more importantly politically correct message usually end up producing the complete opposite. So it didn't surprise me much when, after a few minutes, a "buck-up-soldier-help-is-on-the-way" recorded voice cracks in and says, "Thank you for your continued patience....".
"What patience?" my friend booms. Yeah. Note to help desks: When a person finally resorts to a help desk, you can pretty much assume that his patience has all but already expired.
The voice continues with, "Please stay on the line so that one of our technicians can give your problem the attention that it deserves."
That one cracked us up each and every one of the ten or twelve times we heard it this morning.
Finally a human voice answered. A description of the problem was offered. Questions were asked. Then the guy inquired, "Can I put you on hold?"
My friend said, "Sure - only on one condition. That you play us some really cool music."
And that made the tech laugh. I had to hand it to this guy - one of many who are not surprisingly really overworked of late. I'm certain that I would be incapable of even a faint smile after three or four days in that tech's shoes.
Henceforth, if you call me and I'm not home, my answer machine will greet you with, "blah blah blah... Please leave your name and number and I'll treat your message with the attention I feel it deserves."
3:58:55 PM 
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