A weak spring bloom

[bill_schubert]

Not to disparage the flowers who are providing color this year but the numbers are down as they were last.  Two years ago we had a spring bloom of wild flowers that seemed to last for months.  I picked flowers every day and brought them home.  Last year and now this year the flowers are so few that I don't want to reduce their numbers by bringing them in.  Not sure why.  I'm guessing the drought we're having is the bottom line.  We've not had a real gully washer in two years.

The numbers aren't great but it is still nice to see some spring flowers

Work has an AI that parses all phone calls and creates stats.  I was stupid enough to look at them and, as usual, they kind of suck any joy I get out of helping people in the work.  Big Brother software is sitting on my shoulder.  

Ah, well, short term First World problem.   Moving on.

Comments

[stainsteelrat.livejournal.com]

The flowers look fab.

What was so bad about the stats, grumpy customers?

[bill-schubert.livejournal.com]

Not too many of them. I actually seldom have any issues with the customers and I would say 90% think I've done an amazing job helping them. But the AI looks for did I say this word or that word. Did I use the company name twice in the exchange. Did I offer the remote connection service. That kind of thing. It is stats that they can control and prove to the contracting company that they are improving. It is a game. While I understand it the fit is just not good. I've known this and experience it before and this is about as long as I last in this kind of environment. And they way they grade customer surveys is not helpful. On a scale of 0-10 only 8, 9, and 10 are considered to be good marks.

Same as always. "Are you happy with the amount of bling you are wearing?"

[stainsteelrat.livejournal.com]

Wow, that really is big brother!

[bill-schubert.livejournal.com]

The world of customer service (and nearly everything else) now days. Analyzed with AI software. Stats are everything.

[susandennis]

count the sleeps, you whittler, you...

[msconduct.livejournal.com]

I suppose I shouldn't be complaining that robots would be better suited for what the company is looking for, because if robots were doing it you wouldn't be, but jeez, parsing every word you say is so dehumanising. I know that having worked from home for myself for the last twenty years I'm the Rip Van Winkel of the modern work environment, but everything I learn about what it's like is more and more depressing.

[bill-schubert.livejournal.com]

There are a few women in the company who are thriving, who are really good at the whole thing. They try everything they can to make the atmosphere positive and, for the most part, succeed. What the AI does not ever record as a positive is what makes it nice for me. When I can really help someone, especially a kid who is doing their first tax return or screw up their first one and really needs help. I'm good at that and offer a lot more than the x's and o's of how to fill out the forms. It is pretty easy to throw in some life advise too and I've really connected with some people that way. The AI does not get that.