I used to work in telephone customer service. There is a certain amount of frustration that comes with the job.
I'm also, if I can toot my own horn for a bit, really freaking good at it. My secret is that I don't answer phone calls. A puppet answers phone calls. I just manipulate the puppet such that the customer and company come out to a mutually beneficial resolution. If you need to vent a bit at the puppet, that is no problem -- the puppet does not mind. Can't decide between two equivalent black pens? The puppet does not mind. The puppet seeks only your happiness.
At the end of my shift I put the puppet away and go home.
My puppet also works well for technical support of non-technical customers these days. Can't download your website to the monitor? The puppet sympathizes and is happy to walk you through every step.
[Edited to add:
Credit where credit is due: The puppet phrasing is borrowed from a old Joel post. I had my puppet prior to that but lacked the good English metaphor.
I'm also, if I can toot my own horn for a bit, really freaking good at it. My secret is that I don't answer phone calls. A puppet answers phone calls. I just manipulate the puppet such that the customer and company come out to a mutually beneficial resolution. If you need to vent a bit at the puppet, that is no problem -- the puppet does not mind. Can't decide between two equivalent black pens? The puppet does not mind. The puppet seeks only your happiness.
At the end of my shift I put the puppet away and go home.
My puppet also works well for technical support of non-technical customers these days. Can't download your website to the monitor? The puppet sympathizes and is happy to walk you through every step.
[Edited to add:
Credit where credit is due: The puppet phrasing is borrowed from a old Joel post. I had my puppet prior to that but lacked the good English metaphor.
http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/customerservice.html
]