We’ve all heard those words as we walk into the Helpdesk. Chances are we’ve uttered them on more than one occasion too.
Often, they are well founded. Sometimes they are just some flippancy to lighten the mood and ease the load.
Always though, they are divisive.
For an IT team to be engaged, we must understand that people call us because they need help. They have a problem. We are the people they believe can help us.
Next time you hear these words, or are tempted to speak or even think them yourself, take a step back. Use it as a springboard to better understand how that person came to do or say something that we consider daft. Take the time to understand the issue, and help deliver a long term solution. It may be explanation. It may be a configuration weakness allowing users to break things that should be unbreakable.
Use it to improve, and in doing so you will increase engagement with the people who consume your service. Being better engaged means they will ask more sensible questions, and you will deliver more sensible answers.
It’s a path to all round improvement and increased happiness.