Tech Support Gets a Reprieve While Users Take a Hit - New York Times

Tech Support Gets a Reprieve While Users Take a Hit - New York Times: "Several years ago, I had the chance to visit a tech-support call center for one of the big computer companies. The technician gave me a second pair of headphones so I could listen in on his conversations with the hapless users.

I learned so much that day. I learned that all computer companies outsource tech support to dedicated call-center companies. I learned that the Users can be outrageously rude to these hapless tech-support reps, taking out their built-up frustration on somebody who had nothing to do with causing the problem.

And I learned that when they say, 'Your call may be recorded for quality assurance purposes,' that's only partly true. They also record your calls so they can pass around recordings of the funniest ones.

They actually gave me one of those 'Best Of' disks at the end of my day in the call center. Herewith: a few actual calls from that disk or that I heard about from the agents themselves."