Categories: uncategorized
Date: 14 March 2006 12:53:46
Today is turning into a nightmare. Waking up at 05:00 this morning was bad enough. However on arriving at work I found that I can't connect to the company's e-mail or remote user systems.
Being a "remote" worker means that I rely on the web far more than most other people. When things like this happen my productivity takes a nosedive. That leads to work backing up and people sending e-mails asking why something hasn't been replied to. However I can't read these until the system is restored.
What makes matters worse is that our IT support is now run by a team of about 20 people in the US. Of course they mainly work to US time and forget that, as our company spans the entire globe, most employees are working when the US sleeps.
This shows how fragile international trade can be. Without the system we can't raise the necessary paperwork or make submissions to customs. Of course, we're told not to tell our customers any of this; after all they may take their business elsewhere and we'd lose our jobs.
Personally, I prefer to be honest with my customer. If only from the point of view that we can make alternate plans. I always have options to move things outside our company but that could also cost me my job.
Sometimes life ain't all fun.
On the upside....
I can still access everything else on the net, such as my log and the BBC.