Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Spammer until proven innocent

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  • merc,

    It is time...The Nerds Handbook,
    http://www.randsinrepose.com/

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • andrew llewellyn,

    Thanks for Count 2 - as someone here advised me, just saying "Fuck, fuck, fuck" gets you a person real quick.

    But count 1 - maybe it's the way I speak, but I have managed to get no help whatsoever through the voice recognition - closes was:

    "Welcome to Telecom. Now, to help me direct you to the right place, tell me what you're calling about."

    "Broadband"

    "You want to talk to someone about internet broadband?"

    "Yes"

    "I'm sorry I didn't get that"

    "Yes"

    "I'm sorry I didn't get that"

    "YES!"

    "Let me get this clear, you're wanting to talk to someone about internet broadband?"

    "Yes"

    "I'm sorry I didn't get that"


    Quite literally, that is the closest I have come in half a dozen calls - don't even get me onto what happens when I want an extension altered on our IP Voice Emerge system - although that's the 126 option.

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report

  • Deborah,

    I got some Xtra help with moving. The whole story is here, but here's my suggestion for what we should do about the helpless desk.

    I have had enough of helpless Xtra call centre operatives. Xtra is reducing its costs, by pushing the costs to its customers, in terms of time and emotional energy spent trying to deal with their systems and not-very-helpful call centre staff.

    I know it’s not fair to yell at call centre staff - they are just doing their job. But I think that Xtra is relying on that nicety just a little too much. It’s impossible to find anyone to make a complaint to, and impossible to get good service. So I think the time has come to stop being polite, and to get Xtra staff, and Telecom staff, to start wearing some of the cost too.

    I am not advocating that you harass hapless Filipinos (is that where the Xtra call centre is?) willy-nilly. But if ever I meet someone who works for Telecom or Xtra, in person, I’m going to talk to them about the problems with their service. If they tell me that it’s not their job, I will smile sweetly, and say that given that this is my only opportunity to talk to a real live person, I’m going to take it, use up their time just as Xtra and Telecom so happily use up my time, and suggest that if they don’t like it, well, they should complain.

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report

  • andrew llewellyn,

    Most entertaining call center call I've made is to a person who had lost their voice...

    honestly, is there a better reason for taking a day off if you're a call centre operator?

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report

  • hamishm,

    I got the pleasure of a digipoll survey on my attitudes to xtra recently. Very therapeutic but I did feel a bit sorry for the caller. Having to tick "Strongly Disagree" all of the time must be boring.

    Since Nov 2006 • 357 posts Report

  • Jimmy Hayes,

    Heh heh. For some perverse reason, I love terrible automated voice programs.

    Had a bizarre experience last year when I encountered the public transport autovoice in Vancouver. It really did get quite shitty at me.

    "Hello, and welcome to the Greater Vancouver Regional District public transport helpline. Are you wanting to find the most convenient transport option fiven your current situation?"

    "Yes."

    "Please state your current location."

    "Broadway."

    "Please state your desired destination."

    "Um, Broadway."

    "I'm sorry, your current location and destination appear to match. Would you like to revise your travel plan?"

    "Well, actually, I'm going from 3756 Broadway to 6736 Broadway. It makes sense - can I just talk to a human?

    "I'm sorry, I cannot understand you. Would you like to revise your travel plan?"

    "Operator. Please."

    'This is a YES. OR. NO. question. WOULD YOU LIKE TO REVISE YOUR TRAVEL PLAN!"

    (idea)

    "Fuck fuck fuck fuck..."


    Then the voice hung up on me. I wonder occasionally whether it was a real person jerking me around.

    Since Apr 2007 • 35 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Geek couple commitment?

    No truly geek couple would use XP, especially without a domain controller (the icons, user switch and other cutie stuff only appear in that case).

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Heather Gaye,

    No truly geek couple would use XP, especially without a domain controller (the icons, user switch and other cutie stuff only appear in that case).

    *coff* OSX has cutie login icons. N00b.

    Morningside • Since Nov 2006 • 533 posts Report

  • Emma Hart,

    It is time...The Nerds Handbook,
    http://www.randsinrepose.com/</quote>

    Those lulls in the conversation over dinner? That’s the nerd working on his project in his head.

    I've learned to recognise the facial expression. Nonetheless, I'm forwarding the hell out of that link.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report

  • Deborah,

    It is time...The Nerds Handbook,
    [[http://www.randsinrepose.com/|www.randisrepose.com

    merc, that's wonderful. How long have you been saving it up for us?

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report

  • James Green,

    On gmail and attachments...

    I was already rather fond of gmail, and then we got hooked up to google via KAREN at work, and the download speed is a near religious experience.

    Limerick, Ireland • Since Nov 2006 • 703 posts Report

  • Dominic S,

    Does John's customer have DomainKeys installed/enabled on the mail server? Yahoo invented DK, and they rely on it extensively. In my experience, it's the number one reason why mail ends up in Yahoo's bulk mail folder. It's also a bit of a pain to set up, certainly more complicated than something like SPF (which you should also have), but also far more useful, from what I've seen anyway.

    The fact of the matter is, these days, you can't just set up your A and MX records, slap an MTA on your box and expect big mail providers to accept your mail; that's just a consequence of the fact that 80% of unfiltered mail received is spam. This isn't the 90s - running a mail server involves being on top of industry best practices, constantly monitoring for false spam database reports, installing the anti-spam flavour-of-the-month technology (DK, SPF, LMAP, SID, SSP, whatever), etc., etc.

    Auckland, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 9 posts Report

  • merc,

    Many long finger poised at ready beady eyes days...

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • merc,

    ...I have saved that link for you all.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • andrew llewellyn,

    ...I have saved that link for you all.

    saved it from what?

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report

  • merc,

    Tsk tsk you know I'm closely monitored for my drivel levels...

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz,

    *coff* OSX has cutie login icons. N00b.

    I stand admonished.

    I guess you can probably get them on Linux if you load the ThrustWombat 5.108 build, edit and recompile the kernel reversement module, install Nigel's Window Manager and repurpose the graphics into VRML.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Stephen Judd,

    What? No. Clearly it's a long time since you had your hands on a modern Linux distribution.

    On my bog-standard Ubuntu box login faces are set up by default. It's up to users to turn on an image. All you have to do as a user is click in the System Menu on "Preferences > About Me" and pick your login image. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report

  • Stephen Judd,

    (Although ThrustWombat is an excellent name which I would gladly use for my next project, if that's ok with you).

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report

  • Heather Gaye,

    Oh, really? Man, if I'd known that I wouldn't have bothered shelling out for the mac. Good to know, thanks. 8-)

    Morningside • Since Nov 2006 • 533 posts Report

  • Heather Gaye,

    crap, too slow by far. That was a response to Rich Observationz.

    Morningside • Since Nov 2006 • 533 posts Report

  • Heather Gaye,

    ...oh.. response was retrospectively to Stephen as well.

    Morningside • Since Nov 2006 • 533 posts Report

  • Heather Gaye,

    (sideways-head-bobbing)

    Morningside • Since Nov 2006 • 533 posts Report

  • Gervais Laird,

    When I was living in London in 2003 and shifting house so I rang Lloyds Bank to change my contents insurance address. I got put through to a charming Indian subcontinent call centre operator who when we got to my address details insisted on asking me what country London was in. I actually thought that was pretty funny - especially since my policy with Lloyds Bank's was in fact through Lloyds of London...

    Sydney • Since Jan 2007 • 14 posts Report

  • Joanna,

    When I was LAX and waiting for a connecting flight to JFK, I realised that I'd left my new mp3 player on the AIR NZ plane, and after the airline people at the counter couldn't help me, and I'd had to go through an operator to work out how to use the pay phones (they need area codes, but there are no area codes posted anywhere around), I finally got through to some airport automated system, that asked me for the name of my airline.

    Me: "Air New Zealand"
    Machine: "You have selected Qantas..."

    I think that's when I hung up the phone and thought about crying before realising that my plane was about to leave and had to sprint for it.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 746 posts Report

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