I work with imbeciles!!!

[Kidaver]

Maybe he just has him a Debs crush and likes talking to you.

[ZOOTECH]

Maybe he just has him a Debs crush and likes talking to you.

That is just what I was thinking.

[johnyb]

Still beats working FOR imbeciles. At least you can ignore another "tech" (for lack of a better word), but it's much harder to ignore the people who sign your paycheck.

Work for them, with them and the customers are mostly imbeciles too!!!!
:-)
Fixing copiers is great!!!

[DAG COPIERS & COMPUTERS]

Don't get me wrong, I do like that people trust my knowledge enough to ask me, it's just when it's pretty basic things that it gets to me. The guy who asked how to print off a config sheet, EVERY time he is asking for help on the phone and I tell him to print off a config sheet so we can check IP, gateway, etc. he asks where to find it. He's the same guy that asked for me to show him how to upgrade firmware about 8 times, after a while you realise that you are being used to do the work for them. I will help anyone that wants to try to help themselves. I know I've missed some pretty easy faults before now, I am only human (although those that actually know me would debate that fact LOL), but I try to use all available documentation to try to resolve a problem before calling for assistance. And as for not disconnecting a HDD to see if the machine boots without it, I'm sure there are 6 years olds that could have told him to do that.

I didn't have the time to check in my dictionary for the true definition of the word 'Imbecile'. But reading from your posts, I can only say that this world is full of imbeciles, and they are not about to get 'finished' any time soon. The best thing then, is to learn how to 'live' with them. You must have noticed that even on this very website there many 'imbeciles' who keep on asking the 'same' or 'similarly' related questions repeatedly. They don't bother to read or search the forum archive to see if there's already a thread posted about the issue they are facing with their machine. Like you Debs, I also have an 'imbecile' here whom I can now say I am almost fed up with. The only good part of this 'imbecile' is that he gives me plenty of business! How? you may ask. Well, he is based in a far away upcountry town where he has a small copier workshop. I am his sole supplier of spare parts and other consumables; and when he fails to repair any machine, he directs that the machine be brought strictly to my workshop here in the city...I consequently take over the customer from him.
So you see, these 'imbeciles' can be good source of business. Learn how to handle them, change tactics in the way you deal with them. The next time he asks you how to print configuration page, tell him to take you to the machine and show him how to do it from there, in presence of the customer! The next time, customer will prefer to deal with you...the problem solver, directly other than him.

[b003ace]

Still beats working FOR imbeciles. At least you can ignore another "tech" (for lack of a better word), but it's much harder to ignore the people who sign your paycheck.

Just don't let the service manager find out you are Ignoring another tech's calls. After all, there is no I in TEAM. As a TEAM, you're supposed to support each other. Never mind that you've told someone umpteen thousand times how to get into service mode on a printer, or what the new part number is for the heat roll in a Lanier 5622 that isn't in the parts pdf, but should be on his inventory list.

Sadly, it is usually these marginal technicians who are best at being a TEAM player. They are the best at kissing customer a**. They are best at productivity, because they never waste time looking in a manual or their paperwork. They just use their speed dial. They let other techs do the real work, taking time away from other techs, whose productivity suffers for it.

And, management love them. They never require management intervention. They never require management support. They never need real training.

If you point out any of these issues, YOU'RE not the TEAM player. And if you haven't noticed yet, I am so OVER that word.

[b003ace]

Debs, I know the feeling!

The best way to deal with it is to give them the answer of what page in the manual the answer is on. Then when they say they don't have their laptop, or whatever device they use, handy you can just tell them they better get it fast...

Asking questions is one thing, and on some models doing basic things can be a little tricky (think printing an SMC on an old AF 270 for instance), or it may be a model you don't see very often. For those types of things I'll give someone an answer, but for the basics of the machine then I have to wonder what else you don't know how to do!!!

Oh please, an SMC on any Aficio is child's play. But, then again, we have an awful lot of children playing in this sandbox sometimes. And my example of a Lanier 5622 (Af1022) was due to the fact that I'm still running one as my own C/DS/F/P/S multifunction unit. I do wish it had color scanning occasionally, but it isn't worth the cost to upgrade when the machine still works perfectly. But I may have to give up my AP2610N soon. The drum cartridge is dying, horrible backgrounding.

[Debs1964]

Maybe he just has him a Debs crush and likes talking to you.

Please, NO, that doesn't even bear thinking about...YUK LOL

[Debs1964]

Just don't let the service manager find out you are Ignoring another tech's calls. After all, there is no I in TEAM. As a TEAM, you're supposed to support each other.

If you point out any of these issues, YOU'RE not the TEAM player. And if you haven't noticed yet, I am so OVER that word.

LOL, my manager has actually advised me to ignore them more often. I answer the calls JUST often enough to make it look like I don't ignore them. I will bend over backwards to help some people, but others should be made to try to find a solution before calling for help. One of them actually phoned me ON HIS WAY to a call, he said the paper tray wouldn't open and asked me what was causing it!!!
My manager knows that I'm a team player, I have no worries on that score. I'm the idiot that spends hours downloading the latest firmware, then passing it to anyone else who wants it at team meetings (not that half of them know what to do with it)

[fixthecopier]

On the subject of techs who cannot do for themselves, The last class I went to Atlanta to attend, I was dumbfounded to watch as the instructor had to take class time to show some of the class how to copy a file from a thumb drive. Let me repeat that, COPY AND PASTE. It took more than a little while for him to do that. Am I wrong in thinking that a copy repair person should have basic computer skills?? Maybe that is why senior tech field a lot of calls. The junior ones are computer illiterate and don't know how to look it up. I may not be the sharpest tack in the box, but I left that class feeling like a gennie. wait, I meant geanious. Hold on, geinouss, damn it, can someone tell me how to use spell check?

[Debs1964]

On the subject of techs who cannot do for themselves, The last class I went to Atlanta to attend, I was dumbfounded to watch as the instructor had to take class time to show some of the class how to copy a file from a thumb drive. Let me repeat that, COPY AND PASTE. It took more than a little while for him to do that. Am I wrong in thinking that a copy repair person should have basic computer skills?? Maybe that is why senior tech field a lot of calls. The junior ones are computer illiterate and don't know how to look it up. I may not be the sharpest tack in the box, but I left that class feeling like a gennie. wait, I meant geanious. Hold on, geinouss, damn it, can someone tell me how to use spell check?

I know several people who struggle with basic skills like that. I'm probably getting hard, but if they can't manage simple tasks like that, maybe it's time to rethink their career path. It doesn't take a geani jeni geeenieous clever person to work that out