Hypothetical coworker questions and answers

[Phlegmak]

Let's say you are Person Z in this case:

Person A: Administrator of Zorb software. Zorb software is used by his coworkers.
Person Z: A user of Zorb.

Email 1: Person Z emails Person A: "Hey, Zorb isn't working. It's doing such-and-such. Can you tell me what's wrong with this?"
Person A responds: "Here is the tech support phone number for the company that makes Zorb."

Email 2: Person Z emails Person A: "Hey, how do I do this-or-that function in Zorb?"
Person A responds: "Dunno"


So, the emails above from Person A are exactly as they are (except for #1, which has an actual phone number.) So, let's pretend you are Person Z. How do you deal with these? Complain to your other coworkers? Complain to your boss? Tell amusing anecdotes on the internet for the rest of your life?

 

[Masquerouge]

Let's say you are Person Z in this case:

Person A: Administrator of Zorb software. Zorb software is used by his coworkers.
Person Z: A user of Zorb.

Email 1: Person Z emails Person A: "Hey, Zorb isn't working. It's doing such-and-such. Can you tell me what's wrong with this?"
Person A responds: "Here is the tech support phone number for the company that makes Zorb."

Email 2: Person Z emails Person A: "Hey, how do I do this-or-that function in Zorb?"
Person A responds: "Dunno"


So, the emails above from Person A are exactly as they are (except for #1, which has an actual phone number.) So, let's pretend you are Person Z. How do you deal with these? Complain to your other coworkers? Complain to your boss? Tell amusing anecdotes on the internet for the rest of your life?

I would probably first make sure that user assistance is indeed part of A's job. Maybe he was simply supposed to install the software and make sure it runs properly, not provide support as to how to use it.

This division of tasks is actually fairly common. The IT administrators at my company are not supposed to help me using Word or Windows, I have to call our internal support for that.


If it so happens that yes, A is supposed to provide help on how to use the software, then complain to his manager (in a non-whiny way, usually it gets better result, and if you're wrong you'll come out better)
If it so happens that A is just supposed to install the software and make sure it runs properly, then either there is someone else whose role is to help users, or if there is none you should raise that issue.

In short: I think you are wrongly assuming that administrators are also supposed to be doing customer support

 

[Phlegmak]

User assistance is indeed part of A's job.

 

[Labtec600]

Do I know this person?

Probably make a sarcastic e-mail back. Hey, thanks for the HELP! Could I bother you to maybe elaborate and tell me who would know?

I can get away with a lot as people just chalk it up to who I am...it really is great.

 

[Ecofarm]

Tech support guys are funny. Bribe them or forever be cast aside. They're like crooked cops. If there's two of em, you could even receive the good cop/bad cop routine, if you're not careful. Hell, sometimes one will give you the good cop/bad cop - by himself. Bribe handsomely.

 

[Masquerouge]

User assistance is indeed part of A's job.

Then I stand corrected

You should definitely raise the issue if it's detrimental to your job. First with the admin himself, then with his manager. The guy is clearly not doing his job.

 

[Phlegmak]

As some of you have guessed, At my old company, I was Person Z in my scenario. A completely worthless jackass was Person A.