Dilemna log and flog or easy and fix?

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Hello all, not been on in a while, since before xmas i think

so hope you all had a nice xmas

Anyway, ok u'm seeking some advice (i think ) on this in regards to work

At the moment i work within a company who deal with providing IT support for the nhs.

Recently higher manangement have decide things need changing at work, to benefit both our users and ourselves.

We are going from dealing with a variety of calls, to "specialised teams", which deal with certain calls and within dealing with those certain calls, we gain more experience and knowledge in one area.

Now this is fine by me, it makes sense

The team i have been placed in deals with higher technical calls, which is great, having been here less than 5 months, i feel proud of that.....


The problem is, these calls involve less problem fixing and more log it and flog it

Im not sure if thats good for me long term............will this affect my chances in other jobs, if i take the log and flog it route???

 

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From a long-term career point of view, whether management's decision is good for you or not depends on whether you want to generalize or specialize. Me, I prefer to generalize because I enjoy doing a variety of tasks. That way, I learn more, and I become a more well-rounded tech. Doing the same thing day after day would bore me to tears. Sure, I might learn a lot about Exchange, for example... but that'd be my life... and to be honest, that would limit my career opportunities to just Exchange administrator jobs.

I'm not sure if your situation would be good or bad... I'm not sure what "flogging it" entails. If you're not fixing problems, what are you doing?

 

I have to go along with Michael in not understanding the "flog it" reference. After you "log" the complaint, then what?

 

I'm assuming it means to log it then pass the buck, either to a different team, or to vendor provided support

 

Then how is that considered "handling higher technical calls" if you're not handling them any more than passing them up the support chain?

If that's all you're being asked to do, Colloghi, then you certainly aren't getting much experience doing that! Even doing troubleshooting from a script would be preferable to that, would it not?

 

I took 'log it and flog it' to mean. Log a problem, then sell them new gear as a fix.

Perhaps if it's not right for you, you could ask for a transfer to a different team. Almost sounds like 1 tier support is what you are doing now.

 

I Probably need to elaborate on this, forgive me i was on my dinner break at the time i started this and was running short on time

Ok the company i work for, deal with the nhs.

At the moment although there are many calls ill squash the calls itno three categories (seeing as thats how basically the way its going anyway)


call type A: - providing 1st line support/resolutions to nhs staff with common problems, -i.e. my printer has died, pc died, need email resetting etc - pass to local it team, if 1st resolution dosnt work

call type b: pacs/ris systems (type pacs in google - you will get the picture) log and pass to third party, no option really

call type c: Issues with the nhs package cerner milleninum, oracle, unix,citrix, automated system alerts - log, if password reset on certain remote desktops, we can do that otherwise log and pass onto the relevant team


at the moment we actually deal with all calls, which at first and even now can be daunting.

when we are split into teams, i will be with team C, which are seen as the harder of the three due to the sytems involved and the amount of time chasing an update,or a user, or a third party and then relaying information etc and the many mininum data sets to follow.(many a time have i had rejected issue as ive missed some seemingly minor detail i the minium data set)

I said im very keen on learning about things like oracle, unix etc, but for all the bits and bobs i will actually pick up in calls, it will mean very lttle as the call is simply "passed on"


I dont mind the extra hard work, but just wondering, if im just logging and passing the book, what actual use is that to me as a wannabbee technician............



Nxt interview, hi mr employer, you will be glad to know ive dealt with oracle, unix and citrix, however when i say dealt.....


think i need a talk with my supervisor

 

If that's the case, then I'm not really sure of the point of groups B and C, if all you're doing is logging a call and passing it upward if it's not a password change. "Thank you for calling... what is your problem? Please hold while I transfer you." Why even get someone technical to do those jobs? But perhaps that's the point... they could put any doofus who can answer the phone in those seats.

To be honest, if I were you, and I could choose, I'd prefer to be in group A... or better yet, out of that company where I could be exposed to all manner of calls again.

 

Bah, the misbegotten place where I work has about six options when you call the helpdesk, and it's all B and C stuff.

Is there any scope for you being able to try and fix stuff over the phone instead of passing it on? Or any chance that you can be transferred to the team who deals with that stuff?

If not, then you're probably best out of there - sounds like the only skills you'd be getting would be telephone skills.

 

It sounds like a call centre job to me.

Our Help desk boys resolve 98% of all faults that come through, only 2% are passed on to us.

You might want to look elsewhere, as what you have mentioned thus far, will not give you much experience beyond customer care.

My 2 cents worth!

 

Well give an update on this, it seems as this process is defintley going ahead, but not immediatley, meaning i will have 6 months under my belt as 1st line support. In regards to moving into team c, ill apparently get some intensive training in cerner milleninum, oracle etc and we will be able to resolve some calls, but not as much as probably the calls we take now.

Funnily enough, perhaps fate?

but a job popped up with is much closer to where i live than this job and its seems great, systems support officer, theres certainly a lot more "hands on" experience involved

Looking around at some of my workmates, some of which know their stuff, and i can see they have fell into the, "i hate this job, but i cant be bothered to move on" mode. Now considering i originally took this job with the intention to be here for 6 months, then move on, perhaps this change has given me the push to keep me out of that position.


Btw ive applied for the system support job, they have confirmed that they have received my application, so crossed fingers for me

cheers all for the advice, its amazing how this can clear your mind

 

I hope you get it, man! Keep us posted!

 

I really need to update my topics more often

Anyhow, in regards to this, i havnt heard back from the job, so i assume, ive not got it.


Inr egards to my unhappiness with my new role

Well i had a chat with my supervisor, and it seems in the team i was allocated i will be doing some first time fixes involving remote shadowing, etc, but due to the nature of the contract, the implications of what could happen - patient data etc, means its likely not to be any time soon.

When i originally took this position i took with a view to leaving around april time and looking for something a lot better, i just wanted the experience of an IT role, ive got that 6 months now and with the lack of resolving calls comming to mind, ive drafted myself onto night works.

THis means im doing a lot less work, but it means i can get back into my studying as i have more time off, and not much happens at night here.


As odd as it is, even thought the calls are limited a night, (if i take 4, that means im busy), the calls are usually ones i can resolve, or are high sev, which i feel im helping if pass on quickly.

So for now, im content