I was never designed for this, I need a new operating perimeter...
I wonder about myself sometimes. Anyone who knows me in person knows that I operate at about 110% all the time, I'm always on the go, I'm always passionate about the things I do and I always give everything my best effort. Apparently this sort of attitude is unusual in the corporate world, in fact, it's hardly heard of, and it makes me wonder if there's something wrong with me. I mean, most of the people I work with are good people and enjoy their jobs, but they're not passionate about it, it's not something they're terribly devoted to one way or another. I sometimes wonder if that makes me odd.
Today I brought an issue to a supervisor - it's a relatively mild thing, really. One of our third party reps had taken an address that didn't pass our screening process and passed it by listing a different location for the customer's service address. Basically what this does, is it makes the account go through, even though the customer may not ever get good service where they're at. We see it a lot, it's an unfortunately common thing. However, it's *wrong*. It's promising something to someone and then making the company that they're selling for look bad. When I explained it to a few of my associates, they seemed unconcerned and it puzzled me as to why they would be unconcerned.
Somehow I feel a little out of place... Maybe it's because I'm fresh-out-of-the-box new to the company and to the call-center, but I believe that if we promise something to someone, that we should deliver and make good on it. Just saying. All along I've been told that *we* - our third party dealers, our sales, our account services, our tech support L1s, L2s, and VOIP REPS, that we all have to stand together as a unified front, and if we have people pulling nonsense like this, it makes the entire company look bad.
I'm never a fan of a large corporation making a buck at someone else's expense. Just saying. :| I reported the issue, but I think somehow that we're not going to have anything done about it, and that bothers me, too.
I'm not sure what to do about this.
On another related note. I figured out why I like working at Clearwire so much, and it's *not* because of the company. I understand that this job is a means to an end, that someday I will leave and go do other things. I don't expect to work as a L1 tech support rep for the next five years or even the next two. I understand though, finally, after some careful deliberation and some self-examination, what exactly I like about my job.
It's not the technology. Sure, 4G wireless technology is a neat thing. Sure, wireless modems are spiffy, yeah, all the new shiny gadgets are cool. It's not that. It's not 12 bucks an hour with full benefits and the whole nine yards of neatness that comes with that. We get taken pretty good care of, and I like that, but it's not what I like the most.
It's helping people. It's teaching people how all this stuff works. It's having someone get me on the phone, and I go from having them being frustrated because they can't get what they want, to getting them a resolution and making their day just a little better. It's being a human voice on the other end of the phone who cares and watching people flourish under a friendly, calm and cheerful presence on the other end of the line. I'm passionate about the people I help - I'm not passionate about selling things, or really even staying with the company forever, that's not what I'm into. I'm into setting things right for unhappy people. I like that. It's actually fulfilling and I enjoy the challenge of being brought a problem and being able to have the tools and the capabilities to solve it.
That said, guys, I don't value my job over the people I help and I certainly don't value my job over the people that I love and care about in my "real" life. Somehow, in my excitement over getting an occupation that doesn't drive me crazy, I think some people in my life have the mistaken assumption that I'd pass them up for my job and this company, and I just want to be really, really up front with this. I love my friends, I love the people I know more than random strangers on the phone, so if I'm willing to stay on the phone with a customer for two hours to get an email issue resolved, and I'm willing to extend patience and kindness to that random person, what does that say about what I'd do for someone that I care deeply about?
It says that I'd do anything for you guys, and you need to know that. More than anything, you need to know that. I know I'm busy. I know I'm all wrapped up in this new thing, and I promise once I get settled in good and proper I'll be a little more normal.
For the time being, please be patient with me. My life is undergoing a lot of changes - Clearwire just being one of them - and I'm dealing with things the way I best know how. If I mess up, let me know, but just be aware that I'm in transit...
Entry is public because this is a sort of PSA for everyone I know.
Today I brought an issue to a supervisor - it's a relatively mild thing, really. One of our third party reps had taken an address that didn't pass our screening process and passed it by listing a different location for the customer's service address. Basically what this does, is it makes the account go through, even though the customer may not ever get good service where they're at. We see it a lot, it's an unfortunately common thing. However, it's *wrong*. It's promising something to someone and then making the company that they're selling for look bad. When I explained it to a few of my associates, they seemed unconcerned and it puzzled me as to why they would be unconcerned.
Somehow I feel a little out of place... Maybe it's because I'm fresh-out-of-the-box new to the company and to the call-center, but I believe that if we promise something to someone, that we should deliver and make good on it. Just saying. All along I've been told that *we* - our third party dealers, our sales, our account services, our tech support L1s, L2s, and VOIP REPS, that we all have to stand together as a unified front, and if we have people pulling nonsense like this, it makes the entire company look bad.
I'm never a fan of a large corporation making a buck at someone else's expense. Just saying. :| I reported the issue, but I think somehow that we're not going to have anything done about it, and that bothers me, too.
I'm not sure what to do about this.
On another related note. I figured out why I like working at Clearwire so much, and it's *not* because of the company. I understand that this job is a means to an end, that someday I will leave and go do other things. I don't expect to work as a L1 tech support rep for the next five years or even the next two. I understand though, finally, after some careful deliberation and some self-examination, what exactly I like about my job.
It's not the technology. Sure, 4G wireless technology is a neat thing. Sure, wireless modems are spiffy, yeah, all the new shiny gadgets are cool. It's not that. It's not 12 bucks an hour with full benefits and the whole nine yards of neatness that comes with that. We get taken pretty good care of, and I like that, but it's not what I like the most.
It's helping people. It's teaching people how all this stuff works. It's having someone get me on the phone, and I go from having them being frustrated because they can't get what they want, to getting them a resolution and making their day just a little better. It's being a human voice on the other end of the phone who cares and watching people flourish under a friendly, calm and cheerful presence on the other end of the line. I'm passionate about the people I help - I'm not passionate about selling things, or really even staying with the company forever, that's not what I'm into. I'm into setting things right for unhappy people. I like that. It's actually fulfilling and I enjoy the challenge of being brought a problem and being able to have the tools and the capabilities to solve it.
That said, guys, I don't value my job over the people I help and I certainly don't value my job over the people that I love and care about in my "real" life. Somehow, in my excitement over getting an occupation that doesn't drive me crazy, I think some people in my life have the mistaken assumption that I'd pass them up for my job and this company, and I just want to be really, really up front with this. I love my friends, I love the people I know more than random strangers on the phone, so if I'm willing to stay on the phone with a customer for two hours to get an email issue resolved, and I'm willing to extend patience and kindness to that random person, what does that say about what I'd do for someone that I care deeply about?
It says that I'd do anything for you guys, and you need to know that. More than anything, you need to know that. I know I'm busy. I know I'm all wrapped up in this new thing, and I promise once I get settled in good and proper I'll be a little more normal.
For the time being, please be patient with me. My life is undergoing a lot of changes - Clearwire just being one of them - and I'm dealing with things the way I best know how. If I mess up, let me know, but just be aware that I'm in transit...
Entry is public because this is a sort of PSA for everyone I know.