I can read too, can I have a job with SBC Tech support?!

Published on October 10, 2005 By dharmagrl In Internet

The following is an excerpt from a conversation I had with SBC tech support earlier this evening:

Me: I'm having a problem connecting to the internet and i wanted to see if you had had any reports of issues in my area.

SBC: yes sir, let me check that for you.

Me: It's ma'am.

SBC: Alright sir, I'm sorry about that.

Me: it's ma'm.

SBC: yes, yes, I meant ma'am. Well, I'm not seeing any problems as reported in your area, can you tell me what your modem looks like? Are all the lights on?

Me: No, the 'internet' light isn't on. It hasn't been on for the past half an hour, that's why I'm calling you.

SBC: Ah, the internet light isn't on. Well, that means that you're not getting any internet. When the internet light is off, you won't get internet.

Me: *temporarily silenced by the stupidity of the tech support chick* Umm......

SBC: In order for the internet to get to your computer, the internet light on your modem must be on.

Me: Hello? Is this tech support? I think I might have been diverted to the wrong department.

SBC: Yes, this is tech support.

Me: No offense, but I called you, you tech support people, because I had tried everything I knew to do at home to fix this problem. I called you because you're supposed to be more knowledgeable than I. So far, you're not telling me anything I didn't already know. In fact, I'd have got more help from my child. Are you reading from the manual?

SBC: No, I'm not reading from the manual.

Me: You're reading from something. A cheat sheet, a list, something. You're not giving me any technical support, that's for sure. Are you guys hiring? Can I get a job there? Because I, apparently, know more about this than you.

SBC: We're getting to the issue, the issue is that your internet light isn't on, therefore you will not get nternet to your computer.

Me: *temporarily stunned, again* Ahh.....yes, I know that. I told YOU that. I'm aware of WHAT the problem is, but what I don't know is how to fix it. That's why I called you. You are supposed to know how to help me fix this problem.

SBC: Well, the problem is the internet light on...

Me: *interrupting her* You know what, I'm just going to fix this myself. You've been no help at all. You have yourself a wonderful eveing....or day, or whatever time it is in India.

SBC: Well, I can help you sort out your problem if we can just get that internet light back on on your modem.....

Me: Good bye! *and I hang up*.

I think that if my life ever comes apart at the seams, if I ever find myself in dire need of a job.....that I will either give myself a stage name of Busty Rhymes and go make money taking my clothes off for strangers, or I will move to India and get a job with SBC technical support. I'm qualified to do either...I've got a set of DD's and I know what each of the little lights on the front of my DSL modem means.

'Technical Support' used to mean something. Apparently one needs neither technical knowledge OR customer support skills to work for SBC.

Comments (Page 4)

starkers

on Oct 24, 2005

That is, unless you have already been waiting for TWENTY F**KING MINUTES! Do you think I want to hear that insipid hold music again?

YES! Arrggggggggg!

Me thinks there should be a rock, blues, classical, etc option, where you key in your choice on the keypad. Well why not if they're going to keep you waiting?

Dan Kaschel

on Oct 24, 2005

I put them on speaker phone and rea while I'm waiting. It's really quite relaxing.

Dan

Dan Kaschel

on Oct 24, 2005

I put them on speaker phone and read while I'm waiting. It's really quite relaxing.

Dan

Dan Kaschel

on Oct 24, 2005

Umm... sry about that. Can you delete this comment and the first one, Dharma? Spelling error, doncha know...

Dan

GreatSilverWyrm

on Oct 26, 2005

Sucks that so many tech supports are idiots..

Personally though, I've only ever had good luck with them.

When I got my new computer, I didn't know it, but my HDD was corrupting a system file every time I rebooted - I ended up having to rebuild windows about 6 times in 2 weeks. The activation thing has some sort of guard to not allow you to activate if you've installed it a lot or something..

Anyway, I had to call to get it activated by phone. Got one of the Indian places, guy asked me a couple questions, I gave him a number, he gave me the activation key. Took 10 minutes.

WOM

on Oct 27, 2005

Hehe, this is funny and sad at the same time. I also have SBC and had to call India. There little box they send you has the connections to hook up 2 computers but the damn thing wouldn't work. So I called them and by the time I was finished, it still wouldn't work. Ended up getting a friend to get the thing running with a different modem. Its so frustrating that I don't call tech support much anymore. I will say this, Samsung's tech support is in the US, Ney Jersey.

Ziggystyles

on Oct 28, 2005

WOM...most likely...the tech support is a company that Samsung pays for tech support. The company i worked for was a national call center company. They had a big contract from SBC. They had many call centers devoted only to SBC. My center specialized in the PC and Smacintosh DSL internet connections. There was a center somewhere else in the midwest that was devoted to, i believe it was 56k and similar connections. Then if I had a issue that had to be sent out for repair..that would go somewhere else...etc. Our company spent lots of $$ to make the programs used to communicate and keep records and the like for SBC.

Sapiendk

on Oct 28, 2005

I guess I have to add that I have been lucky with SBC... Then again I have enough savvy to fix most of my own issues, and there is no way in he!! I deal with tier 1 support.

starkers

on Oct 29, 2005

and there is no way in he!! I deal with tier 1 support.

I think most would prefer not to....given the lack of it, but it's sure as hell annoying when you ask to speak with a higher level and you get: "I'm sorry sir, no-one else is available at this time, you could call back later." Mind you, even that took some deciphering before I cottoned on.....given the rather rich Indian accent on the other end. Some of the words sounded like they could have been English.....and I thought that I'd dialed Symantec support in the U.S.

Needless to say, I gave up flogging that dead horse.

Vailene

on Oct 29, 2005

The IT Field (Not all of it, but in General) has gone to crap.

. You're asking if you can read can you work for SBC Tech Support. Answer is, I doubt seriously that is a requirement. But, as long as you have "certificates" that state you are certified you can. Doesn't matter if you were a scubba diver and no computer experience AT ALL for the past 200 years of your un-natural life, failed high school, and have both your eyes missing due to the freakin "Sandman". As long as you have that certification. Or, your fluent in a second language. Spanish to use an example.. Then you could be on your way to being an IT Tech making $60k a year or so.

But, I wouldn't know anything about that. My 12 years experience with programming, hardware, software, graphic design and beta testing means "diddly poo". Not bad for a 24 year old though right?

I remember my first computer when I was 11 1/2.. Piece of !@#% 286 with Windows 3.1 and DOS 6.22.

Anyways, in short.. Don't trust at least 70% of IT staff you talk to. They are idiots and reading from a "tree" of problems conventiently made up by people that are considered idiots moreso than they are.

Can feel the love right?

Get that Certificate or learn Spanish (for an example) and you're on your way to $60k a year plus in IT.

starkers

on Oct 29, 2005

Get that Certificate or learn Spanish (for an example) and you're on your way to $60k a year plus in IT

Given my recent experiences, Hindu/Hindi would be the better second language to learn. Even my local ISP here in Aust has several Indian people answering phones.....as does the leading telephone company, Telstra.

If these companies must employ foreign labor, the least they could do is ensure those people have a decent command of the langauge....in this case, English. Many a time I have been left feeling rather bewildered, not only by the thick accent, but the ass about face phrasiology.

Vailene

on Nov 03, 2005

Given my recent experiences, Hindu/Hindi would be the better second language to learn. Even my local ISP here in Aust has several Indian people answering phones.....as does the leading telephone company, Telstra.

If these companies must employ foreign labor, the least they could do is ensure those people have a decent command of the langauge....in this case, English. Many a time I have been left feeling rather bewildered, not only by the thick accent, but the ass about face phrasiology.

Don't know if anyone else noticed.. But Symantec tech support is the worst for this example. I don't think I've ever spoke to anyone from their tech support that knew more than maybe 30% english if that. Oh well, United States is multi-culutral. But way I figure it is, you live here, you learn the english language. Should be a requirement for like green cards and such.. I find English much easier to learn than German. But English is my primary, and I grew up in the U.S.. So dunno.

H3NIO5

on Nov 03, 2005

Personally people like that offend me. I am a student at DeVry University, I currently hold my A+ certification, and I am only in my second term majoring in Network Systems Administration. I am also taking classes for my Cisco Networking Academy certification CCNA. I have had to deal with tech support people like that before, and I do not stay on the line for long, lol. I find a way to fix it myself.
Darth Videlous

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