Some Real Life Stuff

[ColdDog]

Folks, I know I debates can become tiresome... here are some examples of hope for the human race.

https://techcrunch.com/2019/04/11/trifecta-spacex-launches-first-mission-on-falcon-heavy-and-lands-all-three-boosters/

https://techcrunch.com/video-article/iam-robotics-puts-a-unique-spin-on-warehouse-automation/

https://techcrunch.com/2019/04/13/unicorns-undercorns-and-horses-a-guide-to-the-nonsense/

The End Of Empathy

It's hard to be civil without being empathetic. But researchers say our natural instinct for empathy may be going out of style.

www.npr.org

CD

 

[Vavrik]

I love this kind of story by the way. Two of those stories, the first and second, actually knock on the door of what I am doing for my living. There are others in TEST too, whether they know it or not.

The third is an obstacle to be aware of if you are working in Tech - not just computer tech either. Unless you look like a unicorn, you are nothing to anyone that counts. But that's not necessarily a bad thing - because a corporation that is a unicorn can be your angel.
Just keep in mind, real innovation comes from someone's brain, not from a corporate boardroom.

 

[ColdDog]

Here is another cool article -

What a Year in Space Did to Scott Kelly

An unprecedented and illuminating study monitored identical twins, one in space and one on Earth.

www.theatlantic.com

 

[ColdDog]

Their feeling was: Why should they put themselves in the shoes of someone who was not them, much less someone they thought was harmful? In fact, cutting someone off from empathy was the positive value, a way to make a stand.

The End Of Empathy

It's hard to be civil without being empathetic. But researchers say our natural instinct for empathy may be going out of style.

www.npr.org

 

[Vavrik]

Their feeling was: Why should they put themselves in the shoes of someone who was not them, much less someone they thought was harmful? In fact, cutting someone off from empathy was the positive value, a way to make a stand.

That is a wide topic.

You can still use that as the way to make a stand, but back when, I mean when we were kids, you knew how to turn it off, and turn it back on again. I think it's a complex issue, but for me there was a turning point in 2001. My oldest was in high school, he was 15 during 911. He heard misguided kids cheer when the towers came down. Remember that for the first days we didn't really know what happened. Man but he had a lot of questions after that. He avoided becoming bitter, even though it was hard. We then were propelled into a war that hasn't really ended, a lifetime ago for a huge segment of the population. We're still dealing with that.

At the same time, the news became polarized, 24 X 7 if you wanted. Then we started giving kids cell phones earlier and earlier, and computers. That's how they play, communicate, and even do homework nowadays. My youngest kid (step son actually) is a senior in high school now. He has never seen a textbook or had to bring homework home. It's all done in class, using an electronic device. So exactly how is he supposed to become an adult next year? Cuz I give him chores to do? But isn't part of what we learned about responsibility, doing things for people other than your family?

Ima shut up now. I could write a book on this topic.

 

[Printimus]

Neat!

 

[NaffNaffBobFace]

Their feeling was: Why should they put themselves in the shoes of someone who was not them, much less someone they thought was harmful? In fact, cutting someone off from empathy was the positive value, a way to make a stand.

The End Of Empathy

It's hard to be civil without being empathetic. But researchers say our natural instinct for empathy may be going out of style.

www.npr.org

I propose a different type of National Service, where people are sent to work in the Complaints Department of a call center for a month.

If that doesn't force people to see things from anothers point of view and value Empathy nothing will. Repeat after me: "I know it's not your fault, but you are the representative of the company so I am expressing my views to you to pass on. I am not angry with you specifically, but I am angry."

 

[Vavrik]

I propose a different type of National Service, where people are sent to work in the Complaints Department of a call center for a month.

If that doesn't force people to see things from anothers point of view and value Empathy nothing will. Repeat after me: "I know it's not your fault, but you are the representative of the company so I am expressing my views to you to pass on. I am not angry with you specifically, but I am angry."

I'm not sure a month would be long enough. Not even a year. But I also think that customers with an issue are not really at fault. It's really the fault of the way that companies have approached the call center. When someone calls with a complaint, it's always the last option in a long list of menus.

Just yesterday I had an experience with one, and I wasn't calling to make a complaint, I was calling to give kudos to someone who had done an exceptional job. By the time I found the right menu in the most dickweed call center options, 5 full minutes had passed, and I felt frustrated. Way to go. But I persisted. In the end, I made the comment about the fellow who helped me, because he deserved it. Then I filled out the survey they sent via email, I was not all that generous. About 15 minutes later, I got an automated email reply. "We're sorry about your experience, we're here to help. Please fill out this form...". Honestly what I read in that email quickly turned into "blah blah blah".

That is when I got angry.

Who did this? My own employer, that's who. I was calling to give kudos to an exceptional young man who had helped me deal with a disability accommodation request I had. The people who design these systems are probably well meaning, smart individuals. But they have no idea what it's like to deal with their system. And we use the same system for client facing call centers. Way to go.

My advice to anyone developing automated systems, or software, and this also includes CIG because they don't get it either. Make sure the HELP menu in your menu options is not buried. Make it an option at every level. In the help options, don't assume you know all the choices the client might have. This is easy to do. I can go on with a really long list, but that's not productive. Instead, I say something like this: "Just pretend the person selecting the help options is your grandmother or mother. Now, how would you approach it?"

 

[NaffNaffBobFace]

I'm not sure a month would be long enough. Not even a year. But I also think that customers with an issue are not really at fault. It's really the fault of the way that companies have approached the call center. When someone calls with a complaint, it's always the last option in a long list of menus.

Just yesterday I had an experience with one, and I wasn't calling to make a complaint, I was calling to give kudos to someone who had done an exceptional job. By the time I found the right menu in the most dickweed call center options, 5 full minutes had passed, and I felt frustrated. Way to go. But I persisted. In the end, I made the comment about the fellow who helped me, because he deserved it. Then I filled out the survey they sent via email, I was not all that generous. About 15 minutes later, I got an automated email reply. "We're sorry about your experience, we're here to help. Please fill out this form...". Honestly what I read in that email quickly turned into "blah blah blah".

That is when I got angry.

Who did this? My own employer, that's who. I was calling to give kudos to an exceptional young man who had helped me deal with a disability accommodation request I had. The people who design these systems are probably well meaning, smart individuals. But they have no idea what it's like to deal with their system. And we use the same system for client facing call centers. Way to go.

My advice to anyone developing automated systems, or software, and this also includes CIG because they don't get it either. Make sure the HELP menu in your menu options is not buried. Make it an option at every level. In the help options, don't assume you know all the choices the client might have. This is easy to do. I can go on with a really long list, but that's not productive. Instead, I say something like this: "Just pretend the person selecting the help options is your grandmother or mother. Now, how would you approach it?"

I agree entirely with you about the Grandmother observation, if automation is not created for the least able of the people who will be using it, it's designed to fail a portion of the people who will be using it.

I'm lucky at the contact center I work at, there are only 3 options in the tree which are Sales, Order Amendments/Queries and Complaints and you are through to a person - this keeps the frustration for customers to a minimum aside from the delays caused by putting 100% of callers to a person... and you'll still get a complaint coming through on the sales line. It's okay though, most of the tele staff are multi-skilled now, so the button to press is almost immaterial aside from the stats for the spreadsheets

 

[Bambooza]

I propose a different type of National Service, where people are sent to work in the Complaints Department of a call center for a month.

If that doesn't force people to see things from anothers point of view and value Empathy nothing will. Repeat after me: "I know it's not your fault, but you are the representative of the company so I am expressing my views to you to pass on. I am not angry with you specifically, but I am angry."

I was thinking this could be a more effective form of torture instead of things like the rack or water boarding. In fact it could be part of prison reform instead of sending people to the shoe. Better be good or you'll work the call center. I need your units information or will send you to the call center.

 

[NaffNaffBobFace]

I was thinking this could be a more effective form of torture instead of things like the rack or water boarding. In fact it could be part of prison reform instead of sending people to the shoe. Better be good or you'll work the call center. I need your units information or will send you to the call center.

It could be the call center that call center workers call.

Imagine it.

 

[Bambooza]

It could be the call center that call center workers call.

Imagine it.

Does your wickedness know no bounds?

 

[Vavrik]

Does your wickedness know no bounds?

He's British, so no it doesn't.
They just have a sip of their tea and smile, then tell you to go fly a kite, and have you wishing you were at Wallyworld to get the kite.