Monday, March 26, 2007

Laptop Update

So in SSDD, I declaimed at length upon the subject of inefficiencies surrounding the maintenance of my work issued laptop (a Thinkpad t-43):
"Monday was March 19th, 2007; and that's when the repair for the laptop screen was finally authorized, processed, and paid for.

I recieved the mailer on Tuesday, sent the machine out Wednesday, and it arrived at the repair depot at 5am this morning. There was no status reported on the repair as of 5pm today, so at the earliest I will receive the repaired laptop tomorrow; but it is more likely that I won't receive it 'til Monday the 26th, or Tuesday the 27th."


That was Thursday. On Friday, I called up IBM again, for an update on status, when I received some most unwelcome news. The reason there had been no status update, was because the system had been in billing hold since it was received on Wednesday morning.

Despite the fact I spent 4 hours (literally) on the phone with IBM, and their finance department specifically; and faxed the PO to the finance person, WHILE SHE WAS ON THE PHONE WITH ME, confirming it was received and all was well.

Somehow, some way, this PO was never filed with the finance department, and thus the ticket was never released for processing. I suspect this was because Tameeqa (yes, that was her name, I had to put it in the cover sheet) in Atlanta, was a smartassed pissy bitch, at the end of her shift, and she wanted to screw me over.

At any rate, I called early on Friday, and Sparkle (also in Atlanta) was unable to find the PO. Thankfully, I faxed it again, and I emailed it as well; and Sparkle was able to get the service call released.

She wasn't sure if they'd be able to get it done on Friday, but I called back at the end of the day, and they had a tracking number for me.

So, thanks to the fast work of IBM field service in Tennessee (actually a subcontractor), I have my laptop back one business day after they actually received it... it was just the petty idiocy of IBM financial services in Atlanta which caused service to recieve it three days late that prevented me from having it back on Wednesday or Thursday.

So, thank you IBM EZ-SERV, and Screw you IBM Financial Responsibility department (except for Sparkle).