Lazy Co-workers, is there any justice?

[prntrfxr]

Re: Lazy Co-workers, is there any justice?

I've worked several "repairman" jobs since I left college some 12 years ago, there's several things that are almost universal constants in the world of repair:-

1/You are always going to be seen as a liability to the accountants in charge as everything you do carries an easily measurable cost (the parts you fit and the cost of paying your wages). The actual money you save or earn for the company (which if you are any good will far eclipse the measurable costs) is much harder to calculate (not impossible as data can be gathered via customer surveys etc, but requires much more than simple bean counting)

2/Due to the above, management are always going to want things done faster and cheaper and have a tendency to incentivise techs to "produce the numbers".

3/Due to being incentivised to "produce" as many calls per day as possible, at the lowest possible parts cost. In comes the "hit and run" technician, as far as management see it, the sun literally shines out of his arse, he can close 7-8 calls per day, hardly fits any parts whatsoever and always hits all his additional targets (like sales targets etc).

The upshot from this is you end up having a two-tier system, the customers see straight through this and they do not like it. Years ago I used to complain to management, found out very quickly that as managers' bonuses are based on the metrics, they basically don't give much of a crap until the customer is actually on the phone kicking off. Worse still they come back with "Terry Fukwit can close 7-8 calls a day, why can't you?" which then inevitably ends up with your employment status looking precarious simply because you are doing your job properly and looking after the customers.

Companies who take this to it's logical conclusion end up with all their decent staff gone, either the staff themselves looking for greener pastures or simply using the metrics as a blunt instrument and firing anyone who doesn't make the numbers. These companies thoroughly deserve the decline that follows.

There seems to be a growing acceptance of mediocrity especially since the recession, personally I think it's the wrong way to go. With so much competition companies need to stand out, customers really appreciate good service and the piece of mind that the problem can be conclusively resolved usually with one phone call to get a tech out. Also poor servicing makes equipment that would otherwise be relatively reliable appear poor quality to the customer thus affecting their decision making when the contract is up for renewal.

But what the hell would I know? I'm just a toner monkey.

For this very reason, I keep the following sayings on my monitor (my boss doesn't like them, but I'm not taking them down):

-Technology is dominated by those who manage what they don't understand.
-The lower "faster" and "cheaper" are the more "better" you get.
-Tell me again how lucky I am to work here. I keep forgetting.
-For every person with a spark of genius, there are a hundred with ignition trouble.
-Speak less of your plans-You will get more of them done.
-Be mischievous, it feels good.
-Always remember you're unique...Just like everyone else.

(The last three were from fortune cookie notes.)

I always teach people I'm training that if they learn nothing else in my classes, they need to remember to say this whenever the boss asks them anything:

"I know nothing, I'm just the technician." Keeps you out of most trouble. Trying to tell them about "faster" and "cheaper's" relation to "better"gets you in trouble. I found that out the hard way.

[TonerMunkeh]

Re: Lazy Co-workers, is there any justice?

I'm dragging up this thread again because there is no justice.

On our team of 16 engineers we have 6 who are, on record, the laziest, most useless asshats I have ever had the misfortune to work for the same company as.

One such asshat has recently shafted me on two RTF's I have had to create. First one - MP2510. The hot roller lugs had broken, taking out the hot rollerand it's bearings, front lamp, pressure roller and it's bearings and bending the metal frame the pressure roller bearings sit in so badly the entire fuser was just trash. He'd been there 4 days earlier for SC543 and "just changed the thermistors". Twat.

Second one: MPC3500. The same asshat had visited this machine 3 days earlier for yellow lines on copies. It repeated on him for the same. He says he changed the yellow PCU and developer. The charge roller was manky, the dev counter (if he even replaced it) hadn't been reset and the customer in their infinite wisdom had switched the machine off at the plug while it was up to things, blowing the main power supply. I wander in and see said asshat's name in the log book, swear under my breath and begin compiling the long list of parts I have to order from HIS smc data he had printed.

Power supply
Paper transfer roller
ITB cleaning unit
All 3 colour drums
Side door pressure arms
Fuser rebuild kit

That's not all of them, but that's all I can recall from memory.

Sufficed to say this guy should have a salt-covered cactus inserted in various bodily cavities while simultaneously having his eyeballs scooped out with a melon baller.

And yes, asshat is my word of the week.

[Dark Helmet]

Re: Lazy Co-workers, is there any justice?

Sufficed to say this guy should have a salt-covered cactus inserted in various bodily cavities while simultaneously having his eyeballs scooped out with a melon baller.

And yes, asshat is my word of the week.

Goood gooood. Let the hate flow through you.

[Shadow1]

Re: Lazy Co-workers, is there any justice?

Sufficed to say this guy should have a salt-covered cactus inserted in various bodily cavities while simultaneously having his eyeballs scooped out with a melon baller.

I'm going to put that in the suggestion box for some of our upper management. Can I quote you?

[Gamut]

Re: Lazy Co-workers, is there any justice?

"One such asshat has recently shafted me on two RTF's I have had to create. First one - MP2510. The hot roller lugs had broken, taking out the hot rollerand it's bearings, front lamp, pressure roller and it's bearings and bending the metal frame the pressure roller bearings sit in so badly the entire fuser was just trash. He'd been there 4 days earlier for SC543 and "just changed the thermistors". Twat."

So that's who's house this is....

[TonerMunkeh]

Re: Lazy Co-workers, is there any justice?

I'm going to put that in the suggestion box for some of our upper management. Can I quote you?

As long as you record the results and upload them to Youtube titled "Asshats get their come-uppance", no problem. I would like to see that bastard burned at the stake though.

"One such asshat has recently shafted me on two RTF's I have had to create. First one - MP2510. The hot roller lugs had broken, taking out the hot rollerand it's bearings, front lamp, pressure roller and it's bearings and bending the metal frame the pressure roller bearings sit in so badly the entire fuser was just trash. He'd been there 4 days earlier for SC543 and "just changed the thermistors". Twat."

So that's who's house this is....

I live on the Wirral and there's a particularly chavvy street where houses compete with each other on shockingly bad Christmas lights. I'll take some night pictures next time I'm passing and upload them, they're a riot.

[Shadow1]

Re: Lazy Co-workers, is there any justice?

I live on the Wirral and there's a particularly chavvy street where houses compete with each other on shockingly bad Christmas lights. I'll take some night pictures next time I'm passing and upload them, they're a riot.

Back when I was a kid there were a few entire neighborhoods that went all competing to create the ultimate Christmas light show (this was before the computerized and animated stuff was available) One of my favorite scenes was where Santa and his Reindeer crash landed into the house - this guy took the normally festive light show and turned it into a disaster area complete with broken toys exploded all over his yard, a charred and smoking sleigh, injured reindeer laying everywhere, and the fat man himself hanging upside down tangled in the Christmas lights. Most people thought it was hilarious, but a few complained it would upset their kids, so next year he added a cast of "Elf Medics" tending the injured deer and setting up a ladder to get Santa down. The neighbor a few doors down the street set up "The North Pole Hospital" and it started growing... It was a big enough hit the police had to direct traffic the first few nights after he lit it up, and they would have signs directing people from the highway after that. A neighbor 2 or 3 houses down from where traffic would have to turn on their street got together with the cops directing traffic. It became a "Don't Drink and Drive" theme and they set up a not quite "G" rated party, supposedly at the north pole before Santa left on his yearly rounds - There were no deer humping or anything like that, just lots of scantily dressed elves (and Mrs. Clause) and lots of beer botles, etc. Wish I had pictures, but that was at least 20 years ago - I've moved, so not sure they still do it.

[monstott2010]

Re: Lazy Co-workers, is there any justice?

Reading these posts makes me really glad I am working for a smaller indy dealer.... being from both sides (tech and manager) I know the pains that can be associated with both jobs... however, we have no metrics to meet, no quotas, no parts tracking..... we simply take care of the customers. If the machine needs a part, we order it.... sure, we try not to waste money on machines that are not worth fixing, but at the same time, we order what is needed and are not judged as technicians for needing to replace parts... as long as we are doing our job and fixing the machine, meeting the customers needs, we are fine. One thing that helps was the owner of the dealership ran a print shop prior to selling any copiers... all the crappy service he got from the other companies helped shape ours to be better... we are staffed so that we can have a quick response time for the customers, we fix the machines instead of making excuses... yeah, we have the occasional bad tech, they are everywhere, but fortunately they don't stick around long...

[skynetto]

Re: Lazy Co-workers, is there any justice?

In our small company we are just in two and there's no time to be lazy. Time has proved that we can handle our 200 customers and also have time to relax. So we have no metrics to follow but each year we place ourselves a goal to reach and we do our best to reach it. If its not reached nobody gets fired. We order spare parts when we have to and don't when we judge that. We can respond two hours after we receive the call and make sure that the customer doesn't call us again for the same problem. So I think beeing in a small reality really can help calm your nervers and don't have to follow metrics. If the other guy is late I just pick up the phone and yell at him: hey move your ass, the same when I'm late. I really appreciate to do what I'm doing and can't handle with boss and his metrics. Be your own boss and follow your own metrics is the best as long as customers are happy.

[Llama God]

Re: Lazy Co-workers, is there any justice?

I'm dragging up this thread again because there is no justice.

On our team of 16 engineers we have 6 who are, on record, the laziest, most useless asshats I have ever had the misfortune to work for the same company as.

One such asshat has recently shafted me on two RTF's I have had to create. First one - MP2510. The hot roller lugs had broken, taking out the hot rollerand it's bearings, front lamp, pressure roller and it's bearings and bending the metal frame the pressure roller bearings sit in so badly the entire fuser was just trash. He'd been there 4 days earlier for SC543 and "just changed the thermistors". Twat.

Second one: MPC3500. The same asshat had visited this machine 3 days earlier for yellow lines on copies. It repeated on him for the same. He says he changed the yellow PCU and developer. The charge roller was manky, the dev counter (if he even replaced it) hadn't been reset and the customer in their infinite wisdom had switched the machine off at the plug while it was up to things, blowing the main power supply. I wander in and see said asshat's name in the log book, swear under my breath and begin compiling the long list of parts I have to order from HIS smc data he had printed.

Power supply
Paper transfer roller
ITB cleaning unit
All 3 colour drums
Side door pressure arms
Fuser rebuild kit

That's not all of them, but that's all I can recall from memory.

Sufficed to say this guy should have a salt-covered cactus inserted in various bodily cavities while simultaneously having his eyeballs scooped out with a melon baller.

And yes, asshat is my word of the week.

You really are an angry man these days, probably because you're old and southern. If I were you I'd get a good honest cocaine habit to help you through the day.

[seniortech]

Re: Lazy Co-workers, is there any justice?

I work with one or two really 'lazy' I can not be bothered workers. Recently I had several difficult, long and involved jobs to complete, so the office reordered a part for one of my calls for another engineer, a toner hopper assy on a IR-Adv 9000. He said he done the call and fitted the parts and the machine was all working, call came back in almost straight away, thinking that the hopper assy had been fitted I was now looking elsewhere for the fault.

Turned out the lazy **** had not even bothered fitting the part, he reset the error and just walked away, he even told me he fitted the part despite the new part being dumped in the skip outside and the customer telling me that he didn't even take the back off the machine, I despair sometimes I really do...

[FonePhix]

Re: Lazy Co-workers, is there any justice?

Goooood..... Goooood.... Let the hate flow through you.....

you just made my day thank you

[linuxgyro]

Re: Lazy Co-workers, is there any justice?

i dont have any trouble with other techs, my beef is with the dispatch. we get bitched at for calls piling up (we have around a 4 hour response time) and they keep sending us back and forth between towns. in a single day i could travel to the same town 4-5 times. then i get the calls for cleaning the slit galss that they should be weeding out. and they dont get all the information. heck just today i got a call but couldnt go to it because they didnt know what finisher they had. it may sound stupid, but the call is that the staples ran out on their finisher and they were dumb enough to try to use regular staples. and dispatch had no clue what finisher was on it (a df73 fd71 or df75 on a 3035). and the end of our fiscal year is november 30th so we do inventory in november. well instead of being intelligent, dispatch always decides the day the inventory is done. its always a friday.... so calls pile up while all us techs do inventory and the dispatch sits on their butts playing games. and now our waranty papers need to be filled out by me because they dont have "time" even though every time i go by their desks they are on facebook or playing a game. and then they dont respond when i beep them. they are just too busy busy busy.

[Itsthepaper]

Re: Lazy Co-workers, is there any justice?

I love working with nose picking lazy techs, becuase it made me shine like a bright star to my supervisors with very little effort. It's easy to be a good tech when you work with a bunch of lazy loosers.

- Think about that guys.

[JR2ALTA]

Re: Lazy Co-workers, is there any justice?

I love working with nose picking lazy techs, becuase it made me shine like a bright star to my supervisors with very little effort. It's easy to be a good tech when you work with a bunch of lazy loosers.

- Think about that guys.

Unfortunately the economy enables laziness.

I know two techs who hit the mythical 50k plateau and both were recently canned.

Its so sad and unAmerican that working hard and making big bucks forces you to look over your shoulder.