In which I am no use

[Victoria J]

For the first time in a long time I was doing telephone advice today. (Which is lovely as it means I get lots of catch up time tomorrow as telephone advice generates less paperwork).

Background : I give advice on benefits, debts, housing, employment, basic legal advice etc. We are not an ask anything kind of service. We also specifically are not allowed to recommend any organisation that will make money from the customer, so no suggesting shops or workmen or not legal-help solicitors, etc. We advise indivuals not companies or managers of businesses.

No Use

OL - Old lady

*Phone rings*
Me : Good afternoon [my organisation]
OL : I wish to know where I can obtain a time-clock
Me : (which translates as an inarticulate blurgh noise), a ???
OL : A time-clock
Me : I'm sorry, I don't understand the question.
OL : Goodbye. You're no use are you ? GOODBYE.
*OL slams phone down*

Either she wanted a clock, in which case they can be obtained pretty much anywhere, or she wanted something specific designated as a time-clock. My next question would have been whether she did mean an employee time clock (though I don't think so, she sounded ancient and didn't identify herself as being an employer), or she just thought that a clock that had time as it's function was different to a clock that did something else.

*shrug* If you can't be bothered to explain at all I won't help, and I'll never even get to explain exactly why what you are asking is not something I am actually supposed to help with. I'm allowed to be no use when it comes to questions like this.

But if you lower your standards enough

Someone else (who I couldn't help, but pointed towards another organisation) said to me "You are more organised than I expected".

He said it was a compliment* but I am not at all convinced.

*Yup, I asked. I said I wasn't sure if it was a compliment or an insult but I'd take it as a compliment.

Victoria J

[chainedbarista]

sounds like a double edged compliment to me; is advising on types of timepieces part of your job as well?

[seigus]

I'm guessing she wanted a clock that did time stamps, for employees to clock in. I'm guessing.

[Victoria J]

The only sensible thing "time clock" means to me is those employee punch in clocks.

But the woman sounded like she was about 100 years old. I can't think why she would want one.

Plus I can't think why anyone would approach us for that. We do not advise employers at all. And while many people do not understand what we do that's the one every does get.

We do not recommend clock shops.

Still baffled.

Victoria.

[RestaurantDude]

Does anyone even still use that sort of system anymore? I have never seen an old style punch in clock, with paper time cards.


Where i work, it's all computerized. We've got a keypad in the staff area, and to clock in or out you just enter your employe # and press ENTER.

[Darkforge]

we've got a box that you swipe your employee card, but its still a time clock

[Broomjockey]

Does anyone even still use that sort of system anymore? I have never seen an old style punch in clock, with paper time cards.

Well, the caller WAS rather aged. That could be why they're calling around looking for one. They want what they know, but can't find it. Still bizarre for calling V.

[Andara Bledin]

Does anyone even still use that sort of system anymore? I have never seen an old style punch in clock, with paper time cards.

When I first started at this company, we had paper time cards with a system that would do time stamp punches. It ran fast, picking up about 5 minutes per month.

we've got a box that you swipe your employee card, but its still a time clock

Now we're on a system with magstrip cards that you swipe, and it puts the times directly into the payroll system. Much faster and less prone to error.

^-.-^

[BlaqueKatt]

Does anyone even still use that sort of system anymore? I have never seen an old style punch in clock, with paper time cards.

yup the lab I work in has paper time cards and a clock we stamp them in.....

[Victoria J]

Only a pretty large business would use a time clock system like that though - small businesses just have people sign in or have a manager watch out for people. It just isn't worth buying a system like that for a handful of employees.

And large businesses would be buying from specialist companies...

It just isn't the sort of thing anyone would ask us. We sometimes get mistaken for a consumer organisation, or part of the local council - but not a business to business kind of thing.

Plus she really did sound like the only people shhe was likely to be keeping track of was grand children. I don't want to be really ageist - but the liklihood of a company needing a time clock system not having retirement ages etc. seems unlikely.

Victoria J

[Andara Bledin]

Only a pretty large business would use a time clock system like that though - small businesses just have people sign in or have a manager watch out for people. It just isn't worth buying a system like that for a handful of employees.

We only have 30 people. The physical system wasn't actually that expensive; buying a replacement for the old-school stamp system cost about the same due to the lack of demand these days and the maintenance was much higher.

And the time saved from not having to enter every single punch by hand every week more than pays for the software package.

^-.-^