The Impossible Everyday Task
So, I go to my company's web-based email URL and put in my login id and password. The password doesn't work. If you don't change it every so often it expires and you're locked out. I get the message saying "please call Peopleline support to get your password reset." Okay, so I look around, find the number and I call Peopleline. I sit through their automated system that made no sense and offered no options for password reset. I am put on hold and finally, after quite a few minutes, someone picks up. I have to prove who I am so I answer a series of questions, one of which is "Patrick, can you verify your phone number for me?" I answered "Yes," and wait. She says again, "Patrick, can you verify your phone number for me?" I say, "Yes," again, and wait. She once more says, "Patrick, can you verify your phone number for me?" and I say, "Wait. What? I'm sorry. What are you asking?" And she responds, "Can you verify your phone number for me?" Okay - so I heard her correctly and she wants me to verify a phone number but she didn't say 'home' or 'office' or 'cell' or what. "Ok... What number do you want? The number I'm calling from? I don't understand." It turns out she just wanted a phone number. Any phone number. It didn't matter WHAT I gave her. So, after all this she says, "Okay Patrick, so you need your password reset?" I answer, "Yes." She says, "Well, I'm going to give you the number to call Technology Support. Only they can do password resets.
So I resist the temptation to yell aloud, I hang up the phone and call the number she gave me. I sat through THEIR automated message which says nothing of password resets either until I get 3-4 questions deep into it. Then it says, "Press 3 for Password Reset." I hit 3 and the voice gives a web address to go to and says, "You can now only reset your password online."
So I resist the temptation to yell aloud, I hang up the phone and I go to the website specified. I click the 'Reset Password' link. I put in my login id and click 'Next.' The next question is a choice. Do I want to A. Enter a number from my SecureID Token (which I was never at any point given), or B. Answer your Personal Verification questions. I go with B, as its my only logical option. I click 'Next.' The next screen says, "You have not set up your Personal Verification questions. Please call Peopleline for support."
Now this is what I call Efficiency.
So I resist the temptation to yell aloud, I hang up the phone and call the number she gave me. I sat through THEIR automated message which says nothing of password resets either until I get 3-4 questions deep into it. Then it says, "Press 3 for Password Reset." I hit 3 and the voice gives a web address to go to and says, "You can now only reset your password online."
So I resist the temptation to yell aloud, I hang up the phone and I go to the website specified. I click the 'Reset Password' link. I put in my login id and click 'Next.' The next question is a choice. Do I want to A. Enter a number from my SecureID Token (which I was never at any point given), or B. Answer your Personal Verification questions. I go with B, as its my only logical option. I click 'Next.' The next screen says, "You have not set up your Personal Verification questions. Please call Peopleline for support."
Now this is what I call Efficiency.