For the record

[andygates]

I really hate working with IT support people who hate users.  There's little positive in being stuck in a room with people who are constantly insulting, mocking and belittling the people we're supposed to help.  Le sigh.

Comments

[arabis.livejournal.com]

That's one of the things I like about working where I do, there's never really been a 'them and us' attitude. Though I reserve the right to laugh a bit when people do something really daft*

Good luck with instilling a customer services attitude in your team!

Me: is the USB cable plugged into the back of the PC?
Anonymous user: yes
Things don't work as expected. I check the back of the PC. The USB connector is balanced over two pins of the serial port where it is obviously never, ever going to fit...

[andygates.livejournal.com]

I hate that tribal them-and-us thing. Sure we laugh at the dumbness, and I'm sure the brain surgeons would be yukking away with,

"And then he tried to use a #206 speculum to hold back the dura mater."
"Dude. No way."
"Way."
"Man, that is so lame! It's not like it's difficult to remember - #206 is for the ladies. #184's for intracranial exploration. Makes you wonder why they bother..."

Thing is, you can joke about it and mean well, or you can joke about it and be mean. And these guys feel - if such a word isn't too gross a neologism - userist. It's mean-spirited and started from the premise, "Whatever your question: No. Now change my mind" - very different from the ILRT's "pamper your geeks" attitude!