Working in tech support?

[JimmiG]

The good news is I got a job. The bad news is that it's in tech support. I've read quite a few horror stories about working in tech support. How bad is it, really?
It's a fairly large organization (about 3000 users). The computers are pretty much locked down and controlled with GPO's and SMS. I guess that minimizes the damage users can do at least. It's sort of a combined first-line/level 2 support job, so you're supposed to do most of the troubleshooting yourself rather than just escalate the support tickets. That makes it somewhat more satisfying.

I've actually studied to become a system or network administrator, but I guess you have to start somewhere and that this experience will count when applying for different job later. I just hope I don't forget everything I've learned while I rack up some work experience doing support.

 

[SandEagle]

how much are they paying you? need this info before making official statement

 

[SpunkyJones]

Good luck and congrats on the new job. You'll probably wind up going mad, but you should learn a lot in the mean time.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

It's not tech support that's bad, it's the call center atmosphere that pervades the industry that's bad.

 

[Wyndru]

It's easy work, but it can be mundane if your organization doesn't change much.

The worst part of the job is dealing with the jackasses that think they know a lot about computers and screw shit up on a regular basis.

 

[Exterous]

It's easy work, but it can be mundane if your organization doesn't change much.

The worst part of the job is dealing with the jackasses that think they know a lot about computers and screw shit up on a regular basis.

:thumbsup: It also depends on the tools they give you. For example if they have a good remote log in tool that will make your life a lot easier.

Try and make sure you don't get unmotivated if the work is repetative and boring. Make an effort to learn new things and move up in the industry. Work experience is a big factor in getting an administration job if thats what you want

 

[Fritzo]

It's a job that will suck the soul right out of you.

You'll realize that the people calling you are the same ones that have difficulty opening a door knob. Then it sets in that you can't help most of the people that call you simply due to the fact the issue is not a setting -- it's not something that can be fixed over the phone, or the person simply can not follow the simplest direction.

Hopefully you get promoted within 6 months.

 

[Texashiker]

Phone support is like a job from hell, but someone has to do it. People will say stuff to you over the phone they would never say in public, or to your face.

Whatever you hear on that phone, keep your cool, never spout off,,,, just bite your tongue, deal with it, and remind yourself its "just" a job.

I used to work for a cable modem provider in north houston as a field tech, we had anywhere from 8,000 - 12,000 customers. When the service calls got slow I would help in the call center. I would much rather have been in my van driving out to the customers house, then to be talking to some of those idiots on the phone.

When I worked the phones at the help desk, it was not long before I got a call that the customer needed us to run a truck on, and I was out the door. The other phone support techs did could not leave like what I could. And I felt sorry for them.

There was one tech support lady that would mute her mic, release a barrage of curse words towards the customer, then un-mute her mic. She seemed to have anger issues from the first week. One day she cursed another employee pretty good and got herself fired. The other employee was an older lady, who was maybe in her 60s, and had been with the company for something like 15+ years.

Help desk can bring out the worst in people, just go with the flow, and have lots of patience.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Don't let the whiners drag you down.

You will learn about PEBKAC quickly.

 

[Jeff7]

I've also found that people suck at describing what's wrong.
Either they're vague, or else what they're describing is not at all close to what's really going on.

Continue keeping an eye out for alternate employment while your sanity remains.

 

[FearoftheNight]

i work in tech support...we do support for other companies...so it's not that bad. i deal with the same 15 people usually admin/payroll managers from other companies and mostly via email. we're not a call center so its not too bad....even tho sometimes my customers are so...

 

[spherrod]

I'd say it depends on the organisation and as others have said, it depends on the tools they give you to do the job and whether there is a call center approach or something more flexible.

With the right organisation, I've always thoroughly enjoyed it - worked my up from tech support to network admin and then IT Manager - can be immensely rewarding!

 

[Exterous]

I've also found that people suck at describing what's wrong.
Either they're vague, or else what they're describing is not at all close to what's really going on.

Haha - this is very true. 'The network is down' can mean anything - even Excel not opening

I have found that replying to a vague email statement with a long paragraph of follow up questions (always maintaining politeness) gets the point across and - depending on the size of your company - will slowly help them understand what information you need to do your job faster.

I have been fortunate to not work in a call center atmosphere and I have no doubt that it would be a much worse experience if I had. Heck - at my new job I think I have gotten 4 calls over the last 3 weeks!

 

[HN]

The computers are pretty much locked down and controlled with GPO's and SMS. I guess that minimizes the damage users can do at least.

Never, ever, ever, ever underestimate the ability of users to fck. sht. up.

Once you're in that mindset and you roll with the fact that it's your job to help them, then it's rather satisfying.

 

[brad310]

I just noticed the OP is from Uppsala. Say hello to ghost rider if he passes you

Anyway, you just have to understand your place in the organization. Techs get unhappy very fast because they feel underappreciated and underpaid. You always want to move up. It is the nature of things. If ur doing end user support, then you are at the bottom...but be patient...and never stop learning. When you think you know everything you need, you are going to get passed right up.

Second, with that many users, you probably have several locations...and a helluva lot of switches and routers. Learn cisco. I wish i had started that track years ago.

 

[JimmiG]

how much are they paying you? need this info before making official statement

It's kind of hard to compare salaries between different countries, with the different living expenses and such. But I will get around the equivalent of $3100 a month. I was hoping for at least $3400 but I'm going to work my @ss off these first six months to get a raise in spring... Since I'm fresh out of school I can kind of understand why they don't want to pay me that much until I've proven myself. It could have been worse - some similar jobs only pay $2600/mo here.

:thumbsup: It also depends on the tools they give you. For example if they have a good remote log in tool that will make your life a lot easier.

Try and make sure you don't get unmotivated if the work is repetative and boring. Make an effort to learn new things and move up in the industry. Work experience is a big factor in getting an administration job if thats what you want

Since it's in-house support, we have the ability to log via Remote Desktop. It sounds like that will be a huge help. Instead of trying to explain to people how to find the Control Panel, you can just log in and change the setting for them in 10 seconds...

I've also found that people suck at describing what's wrong.
Either they're vague, or else what they're describing is not at all close to what's really going on.

Continue keeping an eye out for alternate employment while your sanity remains.

I sure will. I did apply for several other jobs, but my lack of work experience caused them to choose other candidates. I figure with 6-12 months of experience doing support, it will be easier.

I just noticed the OP is from Uppsala. Say hello to ghost rider if he passes you

Anyway, you just have to understand your place in the organization. Techs get unhappy very fast because they feel underappreciated and underpaid. You always want to move up. It is the nature of things. If ur doing end user support, then you are at the bottom...but be patient...and never stop learning. When you think you know everything you need, you are going to get passed right up.

Second, with that many users, you probably have several locations...and a helluva lot of switches and routers. Learn cisco. I wish i had started that track years ago.

LOL, I'll try to do that. That guy did my commute in 15 minutes (it normally takes almost an hour). If I feel like I'm going insane I guess I can buy a motorcycle and try the same thing That should relieve some tension...

We did study Cisco. I'm definitely going to do the CCNA exam and then maybe one or two MCTS exams. I should be able to do that while working, if I study on weekends and evenings.

 

[RearAdmiral]

3100 net or gross?

 

[Scarpozzi]

It's not tech support that's bad, it's the call center atmosphere that pervades the industry that's bad.

This.

Of course the users you support mean everything. If everyone in the company is bitter or stupid....or both, you're going to have your hands full. If you work in an industry where people are somewhat intelligent and tech oriented, they can make your job a lot easier...

 

[piasabird]

My son works in help desk support and sometimes he tells me some stories. He works for some place over near Provo Utah. I think the company is something like verio Software or something like that. It is owned by a japanese company NTT which is one of the larges eastern technology and networking companies. So the other day someone from India was calling the USA for technical support. Kind of Ironic.

Mainly they do support for servers and server farms. Their biggest problems involve customers that violate their contracts by overtaxing servers, and their use policies to the point that other customers have too much trafic on their servers. Most of the rest is email servers being broke into or such things. One day they kicked some customer off the server for violations. Then some corporate guy says to put him back on and it melted down the server and got all their other customers mad.

 

[JimmiG]

3100 net or gross?

Gross, so a sizable chunk goes to taxes (and free health-care!!1one ).

 

[ViviTheMage]

I'd take it, if it was in Sweden

 

[rasczak]

1D10T - remember this well while you are typing out your call tickets.

Seriously though, it's a good start. You'll eventually move up, just don't let the call center determine what path you want to take. Continue to work on your skill sets, learn new skills sets, and move on when the opportunity arises. It took me about 8 years to get where I am now, but I have a good job, I love what I do and I'm learning a lot.

 

[Scarpozzi]

My son works in help desk support and sometimes he tells me some stories. He works for some place over near Provo Utah. I think the company is something like verio Software or something like that. It is owned by a japanese company NTT which is one of the larges eastern technology and networking companies. So the other day someone from India was calling the USA for technical support. Kind of Ironic.

Mainly they do support for servers and server farms. Their biggest problems involve customers that violate their contracts by overtaxing servers, and their use policies to the point that other customers have too much trafic on their servers. Most of the rest is email servers being broke into or such things. One day they kicked some customer off the server for violations. Then some corporate guy says to put him back on and it melted down the server and got all their other customers mad.

That sounds about normal for the non-techy corporate guys...

I've been out to the Novell campus quite a few times over the years in Provo. I'm sure there are plenty of other companies springing up there as Novell is shipping jobs overseas and losing marketshare.

 

[ViviTheMage]

That is because Novell can die.

 

[Wyndru]

We are finally dumping Novell next year after 15 years. I can't wait.