Meeting software - how do you handle it?
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@scottalanmiller said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
@coliver said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
@Dashrender said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
We aren't the ones hosting..
But you are choosing to do business with a vendor that doesn't know how to actually have a meeting. Seems like this is a bit of a joke.
Yup, it's someone above you making these decisions. It's not something you can fix.
You both of course have valid points - non the less - when your boss can't get shit done, and she doesn't understand the points you are making - or just as likely - doesn't want to understand them... then I'm still the one getting tasked to 'solve' it.
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@DustinB3403 said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
@Dashrender said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
@scottalanmiller said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
@Dashrender said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
We aren't the ones hosting..
Then bottom line... it's not your job to fix it.
yeah - You tell her that ... I mean sure, now that I've been reminded of the web portal for Skype, I'll show that to her - and it would have been grand if the host would have said - hey you can log into Skype's webpage and go from there - but then the boss would have had to create an account, etc, etc, etc... shit she doesn't have to do on Webex...
Wrong > https://support.skype.com/en/faq/fa34665/try-skype-without-a-skype-account
Interesting - anyone have a skype account so I can see it in action (after I uninstall Skype from my computer)
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@Dashrender said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
You both of course have valid points - non the less - when your boss can't get shit done,
When she chooses to not get shit done. Not "can't", she certainly can push back on the vendors to stop wasting her time and take her seriously as a customer. That's her prerogative. We don't push back on our customers, because they pay by the hour for our wasted time.
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@scottalanmiller said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
@Dashrender said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
You both of course have valid points - non the less - when your boss can't get shit done,
When she chooses to not get shit done. Not "can't", she certainly can push back on the vendors to stop wasting her time and take her seriously as a customer. That's her prerogative. We don't push back on our customers, because they pay by the hour for our wasted time.
Interesting - I guess she just likes to take the blame for shit not working. Though - this thread has clearly shown that the vendor COULD have provided instructions to get around any issues my boss was having - i.e. use the web portal, logon as guest...
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@Dashrender said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
@scottalanmiller said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
@Dashrender said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
You both of course have valid points - non the less - when your boss can't get shit done,
When she chooses to not get shit done. Not "can't", she certainly can push back on the vendors to stop wasting her time and take her seriously as a customer. That's her prerogative. We don't push back on our customers, because they pay by the hour for our wasted time.
Interesting - I guess she just likes to take the blame for shit not working. Though - this thread has clearly shown that the vendor COULD have provided instructions to get around any issues my boss was having - i.e. use the web portal, logon as guest...
Right, they had options to explain how to use a platform that they chose. Pretty bad for them to throw an app at someone and just assume that the customer will "figure it out".
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@Dashrender said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
and she doesn't understand the points you are making - or just as likely - doesn't want to understand them... then I'm still the one getting tasked to 'solve' it.
At some point, making up false problems just to throw them at you requires push back. It just is what it is.
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@scottalanmiller said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
@Dashrender said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
and she doesn't understand the points you are making - or just as likely - doesn't want to understand them... then I'm still the one getting tasked to 'solve' it.
At some point, making up false problems just to throw them at you requires push back. It just is what it is.
I've been told it's my job to 'figure it out' no matter how fraking stupid it might be - just do it. i.e. pushing back is not an option.
I can of course push back on my own meetings with vendors, but when it comes to helping others around the off - the rule of the land is - just make it work, make it work now.
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@Dashrender said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
@scottalanmiller said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
@Dashrender said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
and she doesn't understand the points you are making - or just as likely - doesn't want to understand them... then I'm still the one getting tasked to 'solve' it.
At some point, making up false problems just to throw them at you requires push back. It just is what it is.
I've been told it's my job to 'figure it out' no matter how fraking stupid it might be - just do it. i.e. pushing back is not an option.
I can of course push back on my own meetings with vendors, but when it comes to helping others around the off - the rule of the land is - just make it work, make it work now.
Um... yeah. But the issue isn't really stupidity, it's wanting something that they can't have. Imagine if you dealt with someone that worked in medicine and they had to just "fix it" and it didn't matter if you would die or not because "possible" wasn't a factor.
Saying that it is your job to do the impossible simply means that they are not giving you a job description. No one's job is to actually do the impossible.
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@Dashrender try adding ?sl=1 to the end of the URL that should force the web client and not the intrinsic Skype client
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@scottalanmiller said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
We don't push back on our customers, because they pay by the hour for our wasted time.
People tell me all the time, at the end of a support call, that I am the most patient techie they have ever dealt with....... this is why
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@scottalanmiller said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
Saying that it is your job to do the impossible simply means that they are not giving you a job description. No one's job is to actually do the impossible.
Rarely is it impossible; this whole topic is an example of how it is possible.
It's important to remember that "bosses" don't usually ask you to do the impossible, in fact they may not realize it when they say "fix it", that they are really saying "Do something, so I can do this thing, and get on with my day".
I'm sure Dashrender's boss was thinking "This is supposed to work, and I can't get it to work. I'll re-schedule this meeting and have Dashrender get me hooked up."
There was likely no thought about whether it was broke, or the vendor's fault, or Dash's fault, etc. She just wanted it working and she knew Dash would be able to do something to get her into that meeting.
And lookie here..... With this new info in his toolbox, Dash will show 5 minutes before the rescheduled meeting and get her online. Viola!
If there is one thing I have learned over the years, it's that you really need to decipher the true meaning behind a persons words when they ask for IT help. It's pretty rare that we get someone asking us to fix problem 'XYZ" when the problem actually is "XYZ". We usually have to ask several questions to find out what there real issue is.
So my point is, when she asked Dash fix it, she wasn't telling him it was broke, she was asking him to resolve her current dilemma.
If I told every person who expected us to "fix" it, that it's someone else's problem (when it really is; like in this topic) to deal with, and to call them, I would have lost my business decades ago.
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@JasGot said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
@scottalanmiller said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
Saying that it is your job to do the impossible simply means that they are not giving you a job description. No one's job is to actually do the impossible.
Rarely is it impossible; this whole topic is an example of how it is possible.
It's important to remember that "bosses" don't usually ask you to do the impossible, in fact they may not realize it when they say "fix it", that they are really saying "Do something, so I can do this thing, and get on with my day".
I'm sure Dashrender's boss was thinking "This is supposed to work, and I can't get it to work. I'll re-schedule this meeting and have Dashrender get me hooked up."
There was likely no thought about whether it was broke, or the vendor's fault, or Dash's fault, etc. She just wanted it working and she knew Dash would be able to do something to get her into that meeting.
And lookie here..... With this new info in his toolbox, Dash will show 5 minutes before the rescheduled meeting and get her online. Viola!
If there is one thing I have learned over the years, it's that you really need to decipher the true meaning behind a persons words when they ask for IT help. It's pretty rare that we get someone asking us to fix problem 'XYZ" when the problem actually is "XYZ". We usually have to ask several questions to find out what there real issue is.
So my point is, when she asked Dash fix it, she wasn't telling him it was broke, she was asking him to resolve her current dilemma.
If I told every person who expected us to "fix" it, that it's someone else's problem (when it really is; like in this topic) to deal with, and to call them, I would have lost my business decades ago.
Pretty much exactly!.
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@JasGot said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
So my point is, when she asked Dash fix it, she wasn't telling him it was broke, she was asking him to resolve her current dilemma.
Her dilemma is she is *&(!^%#0 inept at how computers work. How should Dash fix that?
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@JasGot said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
So my point is, when she asked Dash fix it, she wasn't telling him it was broke, she was asking him to resolve her current dilemma.
There is a difference between the request of an end user looking for help, and an insane job requirement stated by a boss. It's our job to interpret the former, it is the job of the latter to be accurate.
If you need to interpret your boss because they can't do their job and you have to trick them, that's their issue.
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@DustinB3403 said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
Her dilemma is she is *&(!^%#0 inept at how computers work. How should Dash fix that?
And she is the head of IT. If we describe IT as needing to interpret, why does that apply to the underlying but not the IT decision maker? The logic doesn't hold up.
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@scottalanmiller said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
@DustinB3403 said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
Her dilemma is she is *&(!^%#0 inept at how computers work. How should Dash fix that?
And she is the head of IT. If we describe IT as needing to interpret, why does that apply to the underlying but not the IT decision maker? The logic doesn't hold up.
Exactly!
Just because Dash is in a position of break/fix/jump when she says jump doesn't mean that he can't tell his boss that she's a flipping loony-toon who needs to re-evaluate the issue.
Fix it in this context is "make it so I never have to think about joining any web conferencing system ever again". Which can be resolved by him showing up 5 minutes ahead of every meeting and joining it for her. But is that really a fix?
No! Teach the dumbass how to fish, rather than giving her a fish.
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@DustinB3403 said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
@JasGot said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
So my point is, when she asked Dash fix it, she wasn't telling him it was broke, she was asking him to resolve her current dilemma.
Her dilemma is she is *&(!^%#0 inept at how computers work. How should Dash fix that?
That's totally not relevant. It's not her job to ept at computers, at least not at installing software. As mentioned earlier - since she didn't have the software installed - the vendor did have a total fail for not having an alternative way to get her going (i.e. your previously mentioned guest based web access). That said, since the vendor failed her failure might be more considered - why is she sticking with a vendor who clearly can't make something like this web demo work? That I will grant you.
But, as I've mentioned before, we constantly find ourselves forced into vendors because of prior relationships made above her head, so perhaps in this case she can't dump that vendor. Working from that POV, she moved onto the next solution she though of - have her IT person solve this web meeting issue at another time when it was more convenient for her.
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@Dashrender said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
That's totally not relevant. It's not her job to ept at computers, at least not at installing software.
Is she in charge of the IT department? If so, she needs to know how to use a computer system and simple things like how to join a web conference. If she doesn't know how to do that, how could she possibly expect you to know how to do this?
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@DustinB3403 said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
@scottalanmiller said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
@DustinB3403 said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
Her dilemma is she is *&(!^%#0 inept at how computers work. How should Dash fix that?
And she is the head of IT. If we describe IT as needing to interpret, why does that apply to the underlying but not the IT decision maker? The logic doesn't hold up.
Exactly!
Just because Dash is in a position of break/fix/jump when she says jump doesn't mean that he can't tell his boss that she's a flipping loony-toon who needs to re-evaluate the issue.
Fix it in this context is "make it so I never have to think about joining any web conferencing system ever again". Which can be resolved by him showing up 5 minutes ahead of every meeting and joining it for her. But is that really a fix?
No! Teach the dumbass how to fish, rather than giving her a fish.
As much as @scottalanmiller will call her the head of IT, which I don't disagree with, those people simply never do see themselves that way, and my only choice in this situation is to leave or just deal with it.
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@Dashrender said in Meeting software - how do you handle it?:
situation is to leave or just deal with it.
Those aren't the only choices, you can say hey boss, this isn't magic, smoke and mirrors. Click the link that says "Join with your browser".
If she is incapable of reading the content directly in her face, she has much bigger issues to worry about. Like which foot operates the break pedal. . .
