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Chewed out for doing my job. (long)
Hello all. Long time lurker, first time poster.
Guess I'll start with a bit of background. I work in IT, and wear so many hats my neck is starting to cry foul. Jobs include, but not limited to: PC repair, application development, network administration, server maintenance and administration, and DBA. In other words, I have a rope on every extremity and they get pulled every which way constantly.
I used to work for a manufacturing company, then they outsourced us. I do the same job, work in the same office, but now I'm a contractor and my paycheck comes from another company. Some might say that things wouldn't be different. Oh, how much I wish that was the case. (I figured this forum would be the best place for it, since they are now technically customers.)
Now, if someone wants me to fix something, they have to call a help desk and have a trouble ticket opened. If they want me to do work that doesn't involve fixing something, they have to submit a work order. Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? (Before, people just called or stopped by my office to make requests, keep this in mind as it's quite relevant to the story.)
On to the story: I work on site at one of the company's manufacturing plants. I'm coming up now on three years as a contractor. We've had the above system in place now for two years. So, the other day the site manager puts in a trouble ticket. Seems he's having trouble installing a patch for Acrobat. (This being the full version.) I go down, it's asking for the disk. No sweat, I bring it down and install the patch. While I'm doing this he asks for an upgrade. Ok, it's not broke now (and wasn't before, really), so now it requires a work order. The following conversation begins:
IT: That will require submitting a work order. You have two options. Since this is the full version, you'll have to purchase the upgrade. The alternative is for me to remove the full version and replace it with the latest reader, which will have the same effect if all you intend to do is read PDFs.
SM: Allright, go ahead and swap them out.
IT: Ok, but I will need a work order.
SM: What do you mean? Go ahead and switch them.
IT: I can not do that under a trouble ticket, as it's not broken. If you want me to change the software out, that is a work order.
By this time, I have been quite polite and professional. I maintained this attitude throughout the conversation. On the other hand, all hope of logic, reason, and professionalism on his part goes right out the window at this point.
SM: Do it under the f-ing trouble ticket! Why do I have to submit a work order!?!?
IT: Because it's not broken now. You are asking for an upgrade, that requires a work order. I can not do it without one.
SM: Am I turning red? <dramatic pause> DO IT UNDER THE F-ING TROUBLE TICKET!!!!!
IT: I can not do that, I must have a work order. I did not make these rules, I am however required to follow them.<Note: The trouble ticket/work order system was mandated by the client, not us. How's that for irony?>
SM: You know, I used to be able to work so well with you, now after this outsourcing I can't!! Just do it under the f-ing trouble ticket!
IT: I can not do that, because it is not broken. You must submit a work order. <In the past, I've offered to do it now and have him put one in later, but this time, he was arguing the need for one at all. If I do it without it, I get a major smackdown from my management.>
SM: Yes it is! You can do it under the trouble ticket, just put down that replacing it with the Reader was the solution!!! <In a publicly accessible trouble ticket that will reveal to the world that I didn't follow policy? What are you smoking?>
IT: I can not do that, that work requires a work order.
SM: What, are you afraid of getting fired!?
IT:
Quite frankly, yes.
SM: Just do it under the f-ing trouble ticket!!!
In the end, I got the document he was trying to read open, and gracefully exited stage right. This was not the first time he'd come down on me for this, I will note. On the way back to my office, I was dialing my cell phone to my boss. My hand was shaking so bad, I could barely dial it. I couldn't reach him, but once I got to my office, all semblance of emotional control was lost. I broke down completely. Thank God that my office is on the top floor in the server room, away from everyone. It was during this breakdown that I managed to get a hold of my boss and relate the story to him.
From what he told me, he and his boss went to the client's corporate office. They backed me up completely, that what I told him was 100 percent correct, and even if I was so wrong that I was saying right was left, that behavior was unacceptable. I've been told to watch for an upcoming apology. Dunno if I'll get one or not... time will tell.
At any rate, nearly all of the client's personnel have taken to using us as impromptu whipping posts for the smallest things, so I have no doubt I'll have more gems to share.
Guess I'll start with a bit of background. I work in IT, and wear so many hats my neck is starting to cry foul. Jobs include, but not limited to: PC repair, application development, network administration, server maintenance and administration, and DBA. In other words, I have a rope on every extremity and they get pulled every which way constantly.
I used to work for a manufacturing company, then they outsourced us. I do the same job, work in the same office, but now I'm a contractor and my paycheck comes from another company. Some might say that things wouldn't be different. Oh, how much I wish that was the case. (I figured this forum would be the best place for it, since they are now technically customers.)
Now, if someone wants me to fix something, they have to call a help desk and have a trouble ticket opened. If they want me to do work that doesn't involve fixing something, they have to submit a work order. Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? (Before, people just called or stopped by my office to make requests, keep this in mind as it's quite relevant to the story.)
On to the story: I work on site at one of the company's manufacturing plants. I'm coming up now on three years as a contractor. We've had the above system in place now for two years. So, the other day the site manager puts in a trouble ticket. Seems he's having trouble installing a patch for Acrobat. (This being the full version.) I go down, it's asking for the disk. No sweat, I bring it down and install the patch. While I'm doing this he asks for an upgrade. Ok, it's not broke now (and wasn't before, really), so now it requires a work order. The following conversation begins:
IT: That will require submitting a work order. You have two options. Since this is the full version, you'll have to purchase the upgrade. The alternative is for me to remove the full version and replace it with the latest reader, which will have the same effect if all you intend to do is read PDFs.
SM: Allright, go ahead and swap them out.
IT: Ok, but I will need a work order.
SM: What do you mean? Go ahead and switch them.
IT: I can not do that under a trouble ticket, as it's not broken. If you want me to change the software out, that is a work order.
By this time, I have been quite polite and professional. I maintained this attitude throughout the conversation. On the other hand, all hope of logic, reason, and professionalism on his part goes right out the window at this point.
SM: Do it under the f-ing trouble ticket! Why do I have to submit a work order!?!?
IT: Because it's not broken now. You are asking for an upgrade, that requires a work order. I can not do it without one.
SM: Am I turning red? <dramatic pause> DO IT UNDER THE F-ING TROUBLE TICKET!!!!!
IT: I can not do that, I must have a work order. I did not make these rules, I am however required to follow them.<Note: The trouble ticket/work order system was mandated by the client, not us. How's that for irony?>
SM: You know, I used to be able to work so well with you, now after this outsourcing I can't!! Just do it under the f-ing trouble ticket!
IT: I can not do that, because it is not broken. You must submit a work order. <In the past, I've offered to do it now and have him put one in later, but this time, he was arguing the need for one at all. If I do it without it, I get a major smackdown from my management.>
SM: Yes it is! You can do it under the trouble ticket, just put down that replacing it with the Reader was the solution!!! <In a publicly accessible trouble ticket that will reveal to the world that I didn't follow policy? What are you smoking?>
IT: I can not do that, that work requires a work order.
SM: What, are you afraid of getting fired!?
IT:
Quite frankly, yes. SM: Just do it under the f-ing trouble ticket!!!
In the end, I got the document he was trying to read open, and gracefully exited stage right. This was not the first time he'd come down on me for this, I will note. On the way back to my office, I was dialing my cell phone to my boss. My hand was shaking so bad, I could barely dial it. I couldn't reach him, but once I got to my office, all semblance of emotional control was lost. I broke down completely. Thank God that my office is on the top floor in the server room, away from everyone. It was during this breakdown that I managed to get a hold of my boss and relate the story to him.
From what he told me, he and his boss went to the client's corporate office. They backed me up completely, that what I told him was 100 percent correct, and even if I was so wrong that I was saying right was left, that behavior was unacceptable. I've been told to watch for an upcoming apology. Dunno if I'll get one or not... time will tell.
At any rate, nearly all of the client's personnel have taken to using us as impromptu whipping posts for the smallest things, so I have no doubt I'll have more gems to share.
I AM the evil bastard!
That's priceless! Not to mention an inspiration... 
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