Good Admins Behaving Badly - Guest Post by Chad Jones

It's been several years since this happened, but I remember it like yesterday: our Helpdesk staff was going to be in all day training, and a coworker and I were voluntold to man the call center.

Now, I was no stranger to the call center--having run (a one man) one in a previous position.

"Help desk, can I help it? Er, how can I help you? Your Microsoft Word won't do what? Let me dispatch a tech."

I have to say: that part--the dispatching--was fun. Instead of being dispatched, I was the dispatcher, and I dispatched with abandon!

"Your printer is jammed? [I could tell you how to clear it--nah!] Let me send a tech."

"Ok, I'll unlock your account. I'm not supposed to. You're welcome."

Now, as fun as making working for other people was, that was nowhere near the highlight of my day. That came when I went on break.

What you need to understand is that it was around the holidays, and consequently a number of staff were on vacation. And with work still needing to be done, a number of temps were brought in to do that work.

Including in the director's office.

Which is where I pretended to be calling from when I called the helpdesk. (Please imagine me with an Indian accent).

"Hehlo? Is is dis de halpdask? I am temporary wuhrker in director office. De cards woan deal."

"Excuse me? What? Yes, this is the helpdesk. What did you say your problem was?"

"De cards--dey woan deal. Dey tell me to practice duh drag an drohp."

"What cards, sir? Can you tell me which application you're having a problem with?"

"Soll-ee-tahre--de cards woan deal."

"You're playing Solitaire? What's your name?"

"Vijay Singh. I am temporahry wurhker in director office."

"Hold on, please." She puts me on hold (all the while not knowing it's me, and obviously, I found this all out later).

"Hey, Susan (the supervisor), this guy says he's playing Solitaire. I thought we didn't allow games on office PCs?"

"Where's he at?"

"Says the director's office."

"What's his name?"

"Vijay Singh."

At this point Susan, who was a golfer, burst out laughing.

"You've been had, girl! Vijay Singh is a famous golfer! A-ha-ha!"

My coworker went to get back on the line with me, but I'd hung up.

A few minutes later, I returned to the office resume answering calls.

She said to me, "You won't believe what just happened..."

"Let me guess -  'De cards woan deal...'"

"A**hole."
And so it goes when good admins do bad.


Thank-you very much! I'll be here all week.

What pranks have you pulled at work?

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Chad lives in Arizona with his wife, Lisa, and two children. He's network admin, and all-around go-to tech guy for a company he declines to name (on account of he wants to keep working there). This time of year, he dreams of Alaska. Also, he's lived in Arizona for nearly 37 years, and had never heard of a haboob prior to this year.

He blogs at RandomlyChad, and either lives up, or down, to that moniker (depending on your point of view). You can also follow him on Twitter.
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