The Controller Should Be Monitored More Closely, Apparently
This is one of several stories from my first full-time job as the sole IT person in a small business. It was about 8:00 am, and I had only just gotten to my desk when my office phone started ringing.
Controller: “[My Name]! My computer is down, and I need to run payroll. Can you hurry?”
Me: “Okay, of course, I’ll be right there.”
I was terrified because IT was given a practically zero-dollar budget, resulting in us relying upon a free backup software that I’d put in place. The company owners were the type to “step over a dollar to pick up a dime” and thus simply didn’t care. (To their credit, they were quite profitable, although that only made it more frustrating having nothing to work with.) I feared this could result in a “resume-generating event” even if I didn’t do anything wrong.
However, I mustered up the courage and headed to her office to investigate because no one likes to be paid late, and it was my job to help. When I walked into accounting, [Controller] was alone and sitting at her desk full of nervous energy. She was a tough lady from New York with a colorful vocabulary and the kind of attitude you might expect, so needless to say, seeing her in this frantic state did not calm my nerves one bit.
Controller: “Oh, God, I just don’t know what’s wrong, [My Name]! It was working fine yesterday. Please tell me you can fix it.”
I glanced at the computer monitor — completely blank — and then back at [Controller].
Me: “Uh… [Controller]…”
Not knowing how to break the news, I just went for it. I reached forward and pressed the power button on the monitor. The screen sprang to life!
Me: *Deadpan* “It really helps to turn the monitor on, you know?”
We looked at each other; she had a shocked look on her face.
Controller: *Incredulously* “S***! That was it?” *Bursts out laughing* “Oh, my God. You’re a real wise-a**, [My Name]! Oh, s***. I about had a f****** heart attack there!”
I joined in laughing, assuring her that this sort of thing happens. We were both relieved that it was such an easy fix. And I learned that while building rapport and using humor to defuse tense situations like these has been essential to my “bedside manner”, sometimes I should be more careful because she absolutely could have beaten me up if she’d wanted to!
