Why does customer service for business suck so damn hard?

[Dinner]

Yeah this is exactly what is happening. The infuriating part is that it means it takes me a lot of effort to estimate costs and shop around.

That's what it is designed to do. The suckers who pay list because they don't know how the game works gets skinned while the cheap bastards who do beat down the price are even less likely to jump some where else because it would take a lot of effort.

[Dinner]

Hey remember when the government blamed it on that poorly made anti islamic video? and they got the producer arrested? and it all got swept under the rug later?

It turned out it was the video which inspired the attack after all.

[Sava]

No, it's a mocking attempt.

I just thought I'd ask.

The irony of me also having rich parents is part of the bit. Just so you know.

[regexcellent]

Reg, you're doing (what should be) someone else's job. Doesn't your employer have a purchasing dept? If they have a dozen locations for you to network this summer, they should damn well have someone on staff whose job it is to deal with buying stuff in a reliably cost-effective manner.

It is a good skill to develop, true. But they are taking advantage of you a bit.

We have some administrative staff who do purchasing. I don't trust them to get a good price on this stuff. The IT department here is literally 2 people, including me, and I am an intern. And we have over 100 employees. I agree we need more staff. But that's for another time.

[Al B. Sure!]

I have never been paid minimum wage in my life. My first job when I was 15 paid considerably more than it.

Are you bragging?

[-Jrabbit]

We have some administrative staff who do purchasing. I don't trust them to get a good price on this stuff. The IT department here is literally 2 people, including me, and I am an intern. And we have over 100 employees. I agree we need more staff. But that's for another time.

One of the things I learned in my corporate career is this:

While you want to be a responsible guardian of the corporate purse, it's important to realize that it's not your money. And saving bottom-line dollars only pays off if it's in your job description.

Quick story: One of the most irresponsible, profligate spenders in my division was promoted over me, despite the fact that (a) I met all my key deliverables while staying within my budget while (b) she wasted a half-million on bad research (had to be done twice) and an ill-considered branding initiative during the 2002 economic crash. I was told that she was selected for the global group for her "aggressive approach" (when in fact it was really because she had a Kellogg MBA and I didn't). The wasteful spending - which scandalized many within the firm - was trumped by other factors, much to my dismay (and others).

Our mutual boss, a VP, had P+L responsibility and was gone within 3 months.

I realize you're at the intern stage right now, but the bottom line moving forward is: if it's not in your job description, you shouldn't be doing it. You're just making someone else look good. Come evaluation time, you'll be judged on the stated goals and objectives for your gig. Focus on those.

[Hauldren Collider]

That's an incredibly wrongheaded attitude, JRabbit. Reg's working directly under the CEO right now. He's gonna do a lot better not passing the buck. There are no "evaluation times". There's just "did the big boss man like you or not".

[regexcellent]

No, I'm not working directly under the CEO.

[Hauldren Collider]

Pretty close to, in that case

[regexcellent]

Inasmuch as it is possible to be "distant" from the CEO in an organization with 110 employees.

[Al B. Sure!]

That's an incredibly wrongheaded attitude, JRabbit. Reg's working directly under the CEO right now. He's gonna do a lot better not passing the buck. There are no "evaluation times". There's just "did the big boss man like you or not".

You really should have some humility and awareness of your inexperience. He is middle aged and has been working before you were even born. He just might have learned a thing or two in that time. Maybe he is wrong but incredibly wrongheaded attitude is not something you, in your infinite indxperience, should use to describe his suggestion. Maybe he knows stuff you dont and as someone much younger you should give him at least the benefit of the doubt.

I broadly agree with jrabbit but still think it is important to seek other responsibilities as long as they are tactfully broadcasted. You want your boss to know you are taking on roles outside your job description.

Honestly though more important than your eagerness for more responsibility or your work performance is your personal relationship with your boss. It is critical to establish rapport with him or her and find commonalities. If you find out he is really interested in a certain subject, sport, or television show, research it so you can discuss it with him. Ideally, when he walks by you, he will immediately stop to have a conversation and his office door will be open to you to just shoot the **** when appropriate. If you are your boss' friend, success will come

[Hauldren Collider]

You couldn't be more ****ing wrong. Jesus christ. And as to the notion of either of us taking advice from poly...or particularly you, alby...

Just FYI, I know plenty of "middle aged people working since before I was born" from places NOT the internet already, and have much better reasons to trust their unanimously contrary opinions.

[Hauldren Collider]

Also, Alby's being ridiculously patronizing for someone who posted this a while back:

$15/hr for a kid out of high school? That's twice minimum wage. I never made that much and I have a degree.

[Sava]

He's got a crush on reg.

[Al B. Sure!]

Whatever. I personally think it is critical to be friends with your boss. If you are his friend, he will take ownership of your issues, concerns, and ideas and look out for your interests, just as any other friend would. If you are a nameless automaton to him, albeit a productive one, you mean nothing to him. If you are his friend and running buddy who he stops by your desk on Mondays to talk about fantasy football, you are a person to him and a person he will support.