A quick update
I graduated last Thursday.
On Saturday was my first official workday, and it seemed for some reason easier to be on my own than have help everywhere I look. Now I have to rely on myself and the computer. Yes there are still people around who could help, but we should only ask for help if everything else fails.
I think I do pretty good, I had my first upset customers, and handled it well.
I praise God for every call that has a good outcome, for every customer that is friendly and for every answer I find along the way. Everyday when I take the first few calls I am still very nervous, but it is getting better.
And again I say……..
I praise God, because if it wasnt for Him I wouldnt be where I am right now! He is with me at all times.
We have an awesome God, a faithful God, and I am so thankful for it.
Love
Andrea
The Finals
Some wanted to wait till tomorrow and most wanted to get it over with. So at 10:15pm we took the finals.
Praise the Lord, I gave him an ear full this passed day’s and especially today. Right before the test I prayed once more.
I know that only with God I passed this last step of this training. And it was very difficult for me. I spoke to a few instructors yesterday and they assured me that even after I graduate it will still take me a good two months to grasp the whole thing.
They said it is a total information overload what we get fed in the training. And lots of it doesn’t really apply when you get to the floor.
So I asked if I could sit by myself. My Instructor thought that was very courageous for me to do, but agreed. She said “If you think you can handle it, go for it!”
And I did. I did actually really well with the customers.
The next day however another guy who was paired with someone, came to me and asked if he could sit with me, because the other guy wont let him do one call without interfering. So I agreed and we sit together since than.
I had all good calls except one. A customer who didn’t want to listen to me of what I had to ask him to do to help him, alloversudden said ” I want a english speaking person!” Well than, I put him to my co-pilot who told him the same thing I did. I think my co-pilot was more embarrassed than the customer who asked for someone else. I told him don’t worry, there are always knuckleheads!
So this ordeal is behind us with the mouse.
Will write more on the weekend!!!
God’s Blessings to all
Love Andrea
My nerves getting the best of me
I think my nerves are shut at this time, and I don’t know how to get them under control.
I know it is just a job and if I can’t do it, so be it. But I really want this job. In a way I think too, that I can do it, and that it is just nerves right now.I been praying and praying that the Lord gives me peace and calms me the way only He can do. I am still waiting for this prayer to be answered.
Thinking as soon as I get through the door I will lay down. Well that didn’t work out like that, because the neighbor’s kids were here and they were running in and out, as well as all the other kids they play with.
After an hour of fighting to go to sleep and getting more and more annoyed, I got up.
We really can’t continue to live here much longer. With me working late late hours and my husband working nights, we need to get some serious sleep too!
I don’t even bother to go over and say something cause it doesn’t do no good anyways.
Well I wrote about it and that I also stereotyped her, and that that was totally wrong.
On Tuesday I think it was, I had an oppertunity and I sat with her, and I told her about how I felt when I met her the very first time. And I told her that I am really sorry that I felt that way and that I hope she accepts my apology and forgives me for it.
And she said “Of course, Andrea!”
She said that that happens a lot that people feel that way until they really meet her. And that people like her get a bad rap because of those knuckleheads who really are mean spirited.
She truly understood and accepted my apology and we get along VERY well. She is super. I asked her if she belived in God. Expecting to hear a NO. But she said she did, and that she didn’t go to Church because she wasn’t brought up that way. Both her parents are not Christians. I left it at that for now. I will digg into it perhaps at a later time.
But she is just such a sweet and kind girl.
Well another thing, my cat caught three mice in this house over a few weeks. And we thought thats it, since the temps are going up, we thought this is all gone. We were wrong.
Somehow a mouse nested herself between my downstairs bathroom and the heater room. I didn’t know about it, until this weekend when my husband told me that he is at war.
I said “At War? With who?”
He told me it is 3:0 for the mouse. So he explained the ordeal to me. And he said he is baiting for three days now a trap with peanut butter. But everytime he goes to check, the peanut butter is gone and the trap never snapped. So we went out last night and bought the traps that let the mouse go in, but not out. And you have to release the mouse.
Well for whatever reason, the mouse went in stole the peanut butter, and left the trap unharmed.
I said to my hubby, don’t you think it is time we should get some decon? Nope he said that is getting personal now between him and that mouse.
Well we still got the mouse and he still trying to eliminate her!
The story will continue!
Andrea
If I stay in this job than it is only by…..
God’s grace.
I struggle so much it is unbelievable!
The first week was good, and the second week was alright too, but the third week turned into a disaster for me. Even all the prayers I prayed made me barely pass my test. The end of the second week for whatever reason I got test fear. Every question seemed to me like I never heard of anything like that.
I failed the test. We have to have a 75% to pass, I wrote a 72%.
I had a talk with the instructor, and she couldn’t understand why I failed it. I still don’t know.
I have to say this company pay’s really good, but you do have to know your stuff, you know?
We wrote another test this passed Thursday and I passed it with 76%. Like I said I passed just by a hair.
What’s wrong with me???
Everyone I talk to here, my cousin, my church family for some reason they think I am so smart, when I am actually not. One night this week I spoke to my hubby on the phone and told him.
“You better show no disappointment when they let me go. I am just not as smart as you all think!” He was nice though he said “Its alright, you tried, and give your best. And if it doesn’t work out, than it wasn’t meant to be!”
Than on Friday we had our last Mentor meeting when we talk with actual customers on the phone. The Mentor just sits beside and helps us. Well when I came to this Mentor she wanted right away to help me navigate the Tech pages. And I turned towards her and said ” Please let me do it all alone, and if I need your help I will ask you!!!”
She understood and let me handle it, of course I couldn’t get through the entire call without her help, but for the most part I did it myself. And afterwards she left me a beautiful comment on my feedback page in the classroom.
She told me that I am so polite and friendly with the customers, and that I can relate so well to them, that she wants me to pass this test even if it is only a 75%.
Anyone with some help perhaps???
Second week over, one week to go!
This passed two weeks we learned lots and lots of things about the orbit, satellites, TV’s, VCR’s, Receivers, coax cables, RCA cables, fiberoptik cables, all kinds of HDTV cables etc.. Lots of different scenarios of trouble shooting. Phone etiquette and call flow. To much to name here.
We were on the floor a few times for a couple of hours each time. But really it wasn’t enough to send us out there on our own just yet.
On Monday we will write our last test on trouble shooting. Than we will move on to Billing, scheduling techs to go out to customers, etc..
Well she is pierced on her nose, her lip, her ears, everywhere visible. She has tatoos. She has a band around her neck like a dog collar. And the first time I was introduced to her, I was thinking……….”OH my Lord why her?”
After my first Mentor session with her, she really pumped me up about myself. Later on she was the one who had to do the 7 mock calls with me. I was so relieved when I heard her voice on my phone. She even said right in the beginning “You know this is Amy?” I said with relief in my voice “YES!”
After we went through all those scenarios, she came into the room and gave me a sticker and it said on there ” I know you can do it!”
On Friday yesterday, I had her again as my Mentor on the floor, and afterwards she gave me another sticker, and it said on it “Hang in there!”
I told her “What’s with you, you used to work in a kindergarten?” She laughed so hard about it!
She said “Andrea, you are so friendly and polite on the phone, and all this trouble shooting stuff, I will teach you. I will make you my star agent in here!”
When I was in her cubicle, I saw all the awards that she has for friendliness, customer calling in and complimenting her and other awards she has.
I am sure she will greatly improve my trouble shooting skills, as well as letting me have my confidence back. For some reason I lost confidence in myself and don;t know why.
Well, I know this is the Lord’s doing. I wouldn’t be surprised if she tell’s me in the next day’s that she is a Christian, because that is just how our Lord works!
Next week I will ask her how she feel’s about God and if she is a Christian. Perhaps she is not and God put me there to talk to her about Him.
Lord I promise I will do my best to bring you Glory and Honor!
If she isn’t a Christian, it would surprise me, but I would also know that this is a sign from the Father to evangelize her.
I tell her “Hey, you teach me about trouble shooting, and I want to teach you about our Lord!”
Sound’s good?
Isn’t our Lord fantastic? He knows and see’s our needs and he truly meets them!
I met so many nice people at this place, but she is standing out, at first by her outer appearance (and that could scare you off a bit), but than the beauty she has inside is so remarkable, incredible, and totally unexpected!!!
But it also says, that all can come to Him, and whoever believes in Him shall have everlasting life. And we shall not judge anyone, because we will be judged the same way as we judge others!
To all a blessed weekend 
Andrea
Surrender it all!
Well my friends, I am at the end of my first two weeks of employment.
I went through tests and telephone calls. I took one (1) actual call which was really easy.
I had three written tests, the grades were 100%, 87%, and 84%. I wasn’t to excited about the 84% but what can I do? I did my best!
It isn’t as easy as it looks I can tell you that for certain. There is a lot to learn and it is a information overload in the first two weeks.
For me, I never even hooked up a satellite receiver and now I can actually hook up a receiver, a VCR, and a TV, this is an accomplishment! And they really have audio and video when I am done with it!!!
We also did two set’s of Mock calls. Where the mentors call into our classroom and in the first set we had three (3) calls, three (3) scenarios. I received an A+.
Yesterday we had our second and last set of seven (7) calls and seven (7) scenarios. I received an A. These last calls were very complex troubleshooting calls, that we can expect on a regular basis.
After the first half of our training classes yesterday we had a “Ra-Ra” this was my second time to go to one in my Life, and it is like a pep rally or whatever you call that.
To my TOTAL surprise I received an award.
I received the “Team Leader” award for outstanding accomplishments and contributions.
I thought that was really cool!!!!
However, after you receive the award you have to run around the room and “High-Five” everyone. Now that was embarrassing to me!
So all in all I had a good week, and all the Glory and Honor goes to my Savior, my Lord Jesus Christ.
Without Him I wouldn’t be where I am at and I wouldn’t accomplish NOTHING!
So I praise His Holy Name!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am in constant prayer with him and before every call.
I also met a Lady this week at work and came to find out she feels the same way as I do. She prays all the time too, and she acknowledged that she also wouldn’t be able to do what we are doing in class and on the floor.
Honestly it is a very intense, and stressful time. My head is constantly stuffed with …Receivers, Tv’s, Vcr’s, connections, HDTV’s, and so on.
Everything I have or I should say HAD no clue about before. But very slowly it all makes a bit more sense.
In the first week I was going to quit three (3) times. But now since I surrendered everything to the Lord, I will not quit.
I let God work through me, and trust Him. I still am afraid at times, but I step out in Faith and know He will guide and lead me.
It is a total exciting time in my Life right now. This is a true adventure for me, and I soak it all in.
I am soaring with the eagles, and it is good!
Praise the Lord from whom all Blessings flow, praise His Holy Name!!!
You all have a blessed Friday.
Love
Andrea
