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July 31, 2008

that's not right

Ms. research-center Librarian center walked to my cube and handed me a message.
She was upset that she could not print out articles for me by using my medical-school account, which I had reluctantly given her.
After 10 minutes of yeah-I-got-your-point-please-go-away chatting with her, I went to the "remote access" library website of the medical school and found the exact message shown to me by Ms. Librarian. I called the medical school IT department.
"If you want to report a problem, please press 1." I did.
A woman picked up the phone with an unmistakable sound of yawning.
"Hi, I..."
"Hold on."
She was like: "I don't care what you ask me to do. Just wait."
After two jazz songs flowing from the phone receiver, I had the following conversation with an IT of the medical school. He is the most helpful IT I've ever encountered.

Pei: Hi, I don't have access to online libraries. I had it for a year, but now it just doesn't work.
IT: What message do you see?
Pei: Authentication concern.
IT: Concern?
Pei: Yes.
IT: What concern?
Pei: Authentication concern. It's the title of the message.
IT: Um... (he must've been saying "interesting") What else do you see?
Pei: The message says that because of the popularity of my last name, the system denies access to all users who have the same last name.
IT: That is not right!
Pei: I know.
IT: The costumer gets a message saying the system denies her access because of her last name. (he must've been typing down everything I'm saying to him while unconsciously reading out every word he typed) What else does it say?
Pei: It asks me to use a CORE account, which I have no idea what that is.
IT: What is your last name?
Pei: xxxx.
IT: First name?
Pei: xxxx
IT: First name again?
Pei: xxxx
IT: No... I don't find you.
Pei: Try xxx-x
IT: I don't see information about you in the system.
Pei: You want to try my A number ("A" number is like an ID number). It is xxxxxxxxx.
IT: Ok, I got you. You do have a CORE account.
Pei: I do?
IT: Let me give it to you.
(one minute later)
Pei: Thanks. It works now.
IT: Now I am going to set a profile for you. Which department do you work for? Which campus? Building? Alright, now, you have a profile in the system. You should've had one long time ago.
Pei: Really? Do you think I should set up an email account?
IT: That's a good idea. Let me transfer you to xxxx.

I loved it when he said "That is not right!"
A lot of things happening in the IT world is so wrong, and an IT rarely admits it. This guy is definitely one of the coolest ITs in the world, unlike Mr. M.

He really cared about me. I felt taken care of. All ITs in the world should take this I-take-care-of-people attitude as their responsibility and ultimate everyday goal.

As to my names, I don't know how to complain about them anymore. First and last. Whatever. It is not my fault that you can't pronounce them correctly. It is not my fault that you can't spell them correctly. It is definitely not my fault that they indeed are popular.
You fix your system. Don't ask me to change my names.


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Steve knows how to pronounce your name! ...or thinks he does...

Don't even get me started on IT. Pfs.