Marking Variable Name Issues (Attempt #2)

[C-croft]

I work in IT support and have grown to detest being asked for obviously unnecessary information.

I find this statement somewhat ironic.

[Maelwys]

I work in IT support and have grown to detest being asked for obviously unnecessary information.

I find this statement somewhat ironic.

Only "Somewhat"??
(Have you tried turning it off and on again??)

It's true with any job though, whenever my friend who's a Nurse phones up A&E and reports an unconscious patient, the first thing they ask him tends to be if the patient can speak clearly or are awake and responsive. (and even worse... asking if the paralysed patient could "walk in a straight line"!)

Following a predefined script once all the necessary information has already been given just wastes everyone's time and makes the customer feel like they're being treated like an idiot. But telling a customer that they need to "go away and rejoin the back of the queue" in order to even answer the useless predefined script questions? That's a new low...

[KisaiTenshi]

Only "Somewhat"??
(Have you tried turning it off and on again??)

It's true with any job though, whenever my friend who's a Nurse phones up A&E and reports an unconscious patient, the first thing they ask him tends to be if the patient can speak clearly or are awake and responsive. (and even worse... asking if the paralysed patient could "walk in a straight line"!)

Following a predefined script once all the necessary information has already been given just wastes everyone's time and makes the customer feel like they're being treated like an idiot. But telling a customer that they need to "go away and rejoin the back of the queue" in order to even answer the useless predefined script questions? That's a new low...

Been there. Businesses define scripts for both Legal and Financial reasons. To business, Customer Support people are just human machines to be programmed without empathy or reason. "Just read the script"

Though contrary to popular belief, it's not so much a script as a flow chart, where the CSR isn't permitted to deviate from legally sanctioned vocabulary. Smart CSR's just know when to cut the cowpies questions, and will willingly take the Quality review wrist-slap for skipping it just to not make the customer angry.

There's also the flipside of it, when the customer is being belligerent and demanding unreasonable course of action ("I want to speak to your manager, CEO, office of the president, etc") that the CSR isn't permitted to do without 100% of the "script" being followed. So yeah if you're being treated like an idiot, it's because the agent on the other side of the phone isn't allowed to care.

[C-croft]

Been there. Businesses define scripts for both Legal and Financial reasons. To business, Customer Support people are just human machines to be programmed without empathy or reason. "Just read the script"

Though contrary to popular belief, it's not so much a script as a flow chart, where the CSR isn't permitted to deviate from legally sanctioned vocabulary. Smart CSR's just know when to cut the cowpies questions, and will willingly take the Quality review wrist-slap for skipping it just to not make the customer angry.

There's also the flipside of it, when the customer is being belligerent and demanding unreasonable course of action ("I want to speak to your manager, CEO, office of the president, etc") that the CSR isn't permitted to do without 100% of the "script" being followed. So yeah if you're being treated like an idiot, it's because the agent on the other side of the phone isn't allowed to care.

This. Because I totally understand what you are saying Maelwys, but I totally understand the reason for the template. And with you being in IT support like I am, neither of us should be surprised.

PS, for the record, I loved your response.