Archive for November, 2009
Nov
28
Anyway, we’ve been having problems with another Supervisor lately (Let’s call her Margret). She constantly avoids work says ‘on an escalation’ or ‘going on lunch’ or ‘only 20 minutes left of my shift’. Most other sups will be on 2 escalations, filing a troubleticket and answering questions at the same time. So this is really frustrating for her to say that when she’s the only sup on the floor, and only doing one escalation.
This morning I needed her to do something for a customer (really easy two second task) so I can make a change on the account. I Gave her the number, she did something or other on her computer then said it was done. I went back over to my computer: She wasn’t even in the account. I finished with my second customer then checked back on the first account 30 minutes later: still nothing. Had to get another sup to do it.
After this issue, and three of my fellow reps getting the same treatment today alone, I went for a talk with our operations manager (her boss). I expressed my feelings that this isn’t how a supervisor should be acting towards her reps, and that she is the only means of support we have dealing with our customers. As we are supposed to be responding to our customer’s every 2 minutes, it makes it difficult if we have to walk around the floor for 10 minutes or wait until a supervisor willing to work comes in.
The operations manager thanked me for being the first to actually say something to her in a professional and organized manner, instead of just whining, complaining or throwing a fit on the production floor. She advised me this will be the primary topic of interest in the Sup’s next coaching session.
Less than 2 hours later, I had another issue that I needed a supervisor’s assistance for. Sure enough, Mary is again the only one on the floor. I reluctantly went over to her desk and asked for her assistance; she said she was on an escalation. I pointed out that she was the only one on the floor, she has to do it, and I need it done now so I don’t fail to get back to my customer in a timely manner. She told me that was too bad.
My reply was “Too bad? No, it’s YOUR job as a supervisor to make sure we do OUR job, and that means that you need to get off your ass and start doing YOUR job. If every other supervisor can do it, there is no valid reason you can’t”
At this point, I could see in her face she was getting pretty upset. She started a sentance about how she works harder and began spurting non-sense. While she did that, I pretended to look over an imaginary paper I was holding in my hand; then interrupted her and said “I’m going to have to stop you there, I just looked on my to do list and I don’t see ‘Listen to excuses’ on there. I’m on a pretty tight schedule, I can’t start adding stuff into it until I get other things done. Maybe another rep can help you with that. In the mean time, you need to fix my issue”
Her eyes, and I swear everybody else’s eyes around me, buldged out. After a second she said “OK, what was the number?”
Nov
28
Pirate Radio was a good movie. Had Roy and jen from the IT crowd in it, and Slartibartfast to boot.
I favorited a YouTube video — Mr. Deity and the Woman http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8Xox174PXA&feature=autoshare_twitter
Nov
16
Nov
15