Are we just lazy? Why we don't fix your problems

Please stop calling me every 2 hours to ask if I've fixed your problem yet. I understand that you have a job to do and if something is preventing you from getting that job done, it really is a big deal. There is, however, something I need you to understand. I don't work solely for you; I work for the company that you work for.

You see, I have a lot to do every day, just as you do. Not only do I sift through log files to find out why a backup failed last night, setup new computers for new users, recondition computers that have seen better days, read up on the latest virus/malware that's threatening to take us back to the stone age, but I also have to be on call for the 135 other people that work for this company. I understand Outlook is running slow for you and I will get to it at some point. But I currently have a SQL server that is crashing and a network switch that is going down for no apparent reason.

When I receive an issue request I immediately have to prioritize it. I might already have quite a list and your request gets placed at the bottom of the queue. I might be working on your issue and something more important comes up. I might be walking out of the building on my way to lunch and ignore your email or phone call. Also, the requests don't end when I leave the building. Occasionally I will have to drive an hour back to work and stay until the problem is fixed (try being at work at 2AM when no one else is around; talk about quiet).

Sometimes I forget that you submitted a request via phone call or in person. In that case, please send me a reminder via email. Sometimes I sit on issues until I have a better understanding of the problem. Sometimes there is no fix to your issue and I send the request to smarter people than myself. Sometimes I'm told that it will cost too much money to fix your issue and you have to deal with it.

I must also admit that I am human. Sometimes I attach less of a priority to your issue because I don't fully understand it. Maybe you ask for so much help that I try to focus on another problem because you've already called me 3 times today. Maybe you were a jerk to me and I don't want to work on your issue now. I hate to admit it but we all struggle with that sometimes.

I see it as my job to keep my customers happy. It would not be conducive to that relationship for me to simply ignore an issue. As mentioned before, I do understand your job is important and I simply ask for the same understanding in return. Also, it never hurts to be nice to us :)