Technical Blog of an Amish Network Administrator

The “need it right away” is probably one of the more frustrating users you’ll find.  This is normally a person of actual minor importance in the organization, but they view themselves as being the most important of all.  Everything that they need done needs to be completed 5 seconds before they asked for it.  If it is not completed in their view of how long it should take, they’ll be the first ones at the door of your manager complaining that you aren’t responding to their needs.

Dealing with this person can be very difficult.  Most of the time they have no patience and will stand over your shoulder while you work, huffing and sighing.  You do not want to feed this person’s feeling of self importance.  If you have more pressing matters, take care of them first.  Even if you don’t have more pressing matters, make them wait for a few minutes.  Never, ever jump right up to fix their problem.  Doing so will only lead to more hassles later.

You are going to have run-ins with the person and chances are you’re going to have to sit down with your manager about them.  Make it very clear to your manager that this person continually feels that they are more important than anything else going on, and that they are wrong.  After all, the person not being able to print coupons to the local pizza place isn’t nearly as important as the mail server being on fire.

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