Insecure Technicians

I now remember why I moved away from tech support. The egos that support techs have are just too much.

Dell spends two hours today with my wife, because her work computer keeps rebooting. They say reinstall Windows. She got a stop 0x7f, referring to ntoskrnl.exe

I was like...what? Let ME look at it.

Threw the memory dump into WinDbg, loaded Windows 7 symbols.

Yep, stop 0x7f. Yep ntoskrnl.exe yep....ahhhh, there is the kernel mode driver that caused the kernel to crash:

tmevtmgr.sys. Part of Trend Micro.

It took me 10 minutes to find the cause. 9.5 of those were downloading symbols and the Windows SDK. 15s was devoted to setting up the symbol path, because I forgot what it was.


Dell tech calls back later and my wife tells him what I found.

He came off with attitude and asked if I had Googled the information.

Then the company tech says he has never heard of an antivirus causing a blue screen and dismissed what I said. I don't have enough fingers and toes for the numbers of times I've seen them.

I just walked away. I only did it as a favor for my wife, and it isn't my job, nor do I get paid for it. It just amazes me how techs put up a brick wall with their ego and do not open their stupid ears and learn something.

I even printed a debug report for them and they swept it under the carpet, basically.

rolleyes

 

Like you, I'm amazed at the number of idiots who end up getting so-called tech support jobs.

Reminds me of the 20-something guy who came to my shop with his parents' notebook PC a few weeks ago. I ran some diagnostics that indicated the hard drive was failing and needed to be replaced. He said he'd "think about it" and came in for advice at least four more times before he paid me to replace the drive and solve the problem.

Oh, and did I mention this guy works as the in-store service manager for a nearby national chain office supply/computer "Depot"? :-D

 

Part of my work,is that I get contracted out to some of the State Universities, because they seem to think that they have to pay some guy, ("expert") from over east, or even overseas, to do comparatively simple tasks of maintenance and repair and malware removal.
Man!, these guys, (and women) aren't idiots most have PhD's and Degrees, etc., but are really retarded when it comes to I.T Tech. It's like a Truck Driver hooning around with no Driver's Incense, W.T.F.!:confused
They can't seem to handle it when the I.T. guy, (me) can fix the problem in 15 mins. and is also a Chemist. Seems their egos get dented and like ya said, would rather send me away with the problem unsolved. Of course, they always ring back a few days later, desperate, LoL! That's when I don't mind telling them I'm busy for the next month, so you'd better get that "expert"from America or Germany, (at untold thousands of $$$) rolleyes.
The Dean's finally told the know-alls that know nothing to leave me alone and basically S.T.F.U. Heck, he even gave me a bottle of Cognac for Christmas for putting up with the B.S., (and I guess, fixing his laptop, which took all of five minutes). roflmao
Now, I remember why I knock back anything that isn't extremely well paid - not worth the frustration for this old Geek, I guess.<*shakes head*>.

 

I am nothing remotely resembling an IT person, or a tech person, or anything else. I build my own desktops, but I would put myself at entry-level college as far as actual knowledge.

I cannot tell you how many times I know more than the "tech support" buffoon on the phone, regardless of company. They always start at rebooting, as if I didn't think of that already. And then have me clear the cache and run a virus scan, even though I have already told them I do that on a regular basis (cache is cleared daily, virus scan every third day). If those things fixed the problem, I would not now be on the phone with tech support.

I do get lucky in that there's a local independent shop where they know me, so if I have something I can't fix at my house that's hardware-related, they'll let me set up on their test bench and offer suggestions as they think of something as long as I spring for pizza for whoever's working. Sometimes if they're bored, they'll jump in hands-on, but that's no charge. The cost of using their bench is typically a large pizza with the works.

 

When I lived in Las Vegas, I had a friends son still in HS who landed a tech support job.

Yep, Jeremy- he "supported Dell" for $8 an hour. rolleyes

When I had the misfortune of enduring SuddenlyUnLinked for net access, I would do half the tech jobs before calling support. after 4 calls I had the script memorized and followed the steps to see if anything changed.

-Can you reboot, while I wait.
--sure, hang on (doing nothing as I already rebooted)
-Now, can you... (reading script)
--sure, hang on .....

It turned out to be the 10 meter cable on the outside of my building. When replaced, I never had any more hiccups.

 

To be fair, when I needed to call Dell while still under warranty in 2003/2004 one could speak with a tech and get things done. Soon after that I suppose that customer calls were outsourced and from then on it went downward pretty badly. Had to hang up because my call for support got nowhere. Telephone lines were horrible.

Abt a year ago I selected PRO Support (business) for my new Dell Vostro and their support for the few times I had to call was outstanding and no accent ... well if a Texan drawl would not qualify eh? North American IT Techs are included with the business PRO support. Well worth the cost to me IMO because they knew exactly what to do.

 

This indeed as their "pro" support.
I don't care about accents or locations.

The sign of a truly capable tech is one that opens his ears, and closes his fool mouth.

 

I don't care either about accents or locations as I myself have an accent, but if the accent is so bad that one cannot understand what the tech is saying in addition to bad telephone connections = not good.

When I called in error Dell regular support the phone lines were awful and their support was awful. After I explained I need the PRO support I was transferred, the line was clear and spoke with a competent tech.

Definitely a vast difference between basic support and PRO support.

 

You speak with a Dutch accent that is very easy on the ear,I speak Dutch with an English accent and am very often mistaken for German.

I do not have to call for support very often but when i do it is usually to my ISP for a problem with internet/TV/telephone or mobile phone service and my ISP is situated in Antwerp where even a true Belgian has trouble with the accent and they also speak at 100mph just to add to my difficulties,so as you will understand i try not to call unless i am desperate.

As was said earlier i think they have a script and are not able to deviate from it,whether that is an instruction from the company or they just can not work without it but it is frustrating having to go through the thing you have already done.

 

If they're anything like Australian Telstra, they do indeed work from a script and yes, it is mandatory and monitored, (listened to and recorded) by the section Supervisor. They will be canned if they digress from the script too often. Someone's idea of Quality Control. rolleyes

 

You guys are moving away from my point, LOL.

Do you think its in their script to be elitist dbags by asking if somebody used google to arrive at their conclusion? I doubt it.

You can be a decent tech and use scripts. Follow the scripted tech support per your job requirements, and when that fails, move on to more advanced procedures. Or better yet, open your ears and close your fool mouth when someone offers a potential solution (or in this case, it was for certain solution).

Especially with "pro" support. These guys are supposed to be better than the initial front line that a customer hits when calling. Not arrogant idiots that waste time.

 

I am not sure it is straying from your point Jeremy,just adding another dimension to the post.

It can be equally frustrating when you are not able to fully understand the tech.

I am not sure about the US but in the UK if you dial tech support you are just as likely to get an operator that is in India, couple that with arrogance and you have an unbearable situation.

 

I'm just going to say that I take great pride in knowing that every single one of "my" techs is the exact opposite of what you are complaining about here.

 

Um, are you sure the guy wasn't debating on the price aspect? Cause we had this all the time when i worked at a repair store and it wasnt the diagnostic that was doubted, just the fact do i want to buy a new hard drive and labor, or just replace the laptop with a new one.

 

In my new to me job, I'm entry level:-o, I had a call that made no sense so I kicked it up a level. The "senior" tech treated me like an idiot on the transfer and refused to take the call.:boxing I found out soon after that the alleged "senior" tech was lying out his a$$ just to avoid the call. THere's those who take their job seriously and those that don't.

 

Speaking of idiots...how come you don't answer your PMs or SMS?

 

This is kinda like taking your desktop to like Geek Squad they suck sorry to say.They over charge for the same shit you can do your self.And Dell OMG don't get me started they have the worst customer service.One time i was on the phone with them they kept transferring me to different people i got so tired of the BS i hung up on the one tech person.


There are a few Tech support guys and girls that do have to much ego some are so bloated it makes me laugh :-D be cause i know more then them most of the time how often do i need help on these boards very little.I help the people i know to save them money in the long run.Most of these places over charge you like Best Buy i will never never buy any thing from them ever again.Staples is about the same way.

 

I try my best to avoid Tech Support. Unless it's a software specific error, or an internet issue, which is out of my control.

On the other hand, most of the Tech Supports I do talk to tend to be pretty nice, if not necessary knowledgable. However, I have run into a few who simply can't accept that any other answer is right. I find that hanging up on them is the easiest solution. Sometimes they'll call back but after the third or fourth hang up, they leave you alone.

 

Like I said before, this wasn't a thread about charging, or anything else. This was about egos. Good grief you guys. You couldn't stay on topic if your life depended on it

I get it, some think tech support sucks and knows nothing. Of course, this is is also an extension of the ego problems I was talking about.

If I worked for Geek Squad, you would still say the same thing, and be incorrect in your assumptions that they don't know anything.

I am a tech you don't see coming. People assume I don't know squat, and then I dazzle them with brilliance. All because I learned how to listen and learn, instead of close my mind to others. I wrote one of the first Windows crash dump debugging guides out there on the net (still hosted here). Most people don't know that about me though, because I rather learn more than think I know it all and close my ears.

 

I got turned down by Geek Squad....I was over qualified they told merolleyes

 

I intimidated them.


They too, wouldn't hire me.

 

Over a year ago, one PRO tech at Dell overwhelmed me with his *brilliance* when he told me to re-install Windows. I graciously thanked him and told him no.

The next PRO tech sorted it all out over remote without much fanfare. He installed a patch that I had already found by googling but wasn't sure of and afraid to install. (re: way too many errors in Event Viewer and me new to Win 7) He fixed them all.

 

Its those silent but efficient techs that are the good ones.

 

True that! Whenever I needed a tech I would get an email after about the problems solved and in his case I wrote a good report about him to his supervisor. So far I needed them about 3 times in all. In my experience PRO support in general is way better than the regular support as I have used both. I paid for the PRO, well worth it imho.

PS: I needed a new motherboard the 2nd day after I got my new PC. NBD a tech came over and installed it. That's PRO for you.

 

Like Adryn said, close your mouth not your mind. Open your eyes and not your mouth. And remember, their is no such thing as someone knowing everything about any aspect computes because, it is (a) to huge an area, and (b) in constant change.
I.T. personnel are like Dr's or Mechanics. Some are craptastic, most are average. some actually very good. Look for the Tech. that's not talking much., but just busy solving the problem(s). there is a lot of the "Legend in your own mind" types around. I do what I do because I enjoy doing most of it. I admit, I'm not so fond of the 'human factor' these days.
Too many people think because they can assemble a computer and get it working, that makes them an I.T. Tech./Expert, all that means is that you know how to use a screwdriver.rolleyes

 

The whole industry is in a very bad way anyway, at least over here in the UK. The universities don't provide the required skills, you need a degree to get a foot on the ladder, training is shot, there are basically no more tech support jobs as they have all been outsourced, and the ones that haven't been are staffed by people imported into the country through intra-company transfers (meaning they can be paid their overseas salary), pay is severely depressed with regards to inflation, senior managers are mostly incompetent, IT workers are treated like dirt, and all the respect is gone from the job. Add to that the fact that CFOs and CEOs all over the country are coming out with "ooo, look at the shiny cloud".

In short, techs being rubbish because they are paid the equivalent of £1.50 a day and are told to stay on script should be expected, and is only the thin end of the wedge.

 

I probably stepped into a good position when I started; all of my trainers were Microsoft certified. They focused on fixes, not call times or scripts. So I got to see a lot of good training.

Then a month after being hired and out of training, I was promoted, which led to even more advanced training, again by MS certified instructors.