Today was not just a shitshow at work. It was a shitfest. The first two hours were so goddam miserable I considered just walking out of the office and never returning. A lot of it had to do with technical issues, and while I was balls deep in this fucking garbage I couldn't help but think, my job would be a lot more annoying without this tech.
How did people do my job back before the internet? I have a bit of an idea, since I was a parts driver for the City of Elmhurst during the infancy of the internet. When you went into a parts store back then they usually had one counter dedicated to the Big Book, which was really a series of books held together in one gigantic binder. They could find just about any part in there, but they had to go the long way. The only way. They had to flip through pages.
So I imagine it would have been somewhat like that. It would also have to be in person, not over the phone. While it's a little more awkward to tell a customer that the job they want is going to cost more than they expected in person, at least I wouldn't be taking customers back to back to back. There are very few states in the country we don't work in, so a majority of people I talk to aren't even from the Chicagoland area, but without the tech? They'd probably have to bring their car to a shop to get it looked at. There is no way I would be required to talk to 100 people a day in a situation like that. I envision a lot of sitting around and waiting.
But I'm sure there would also be calls. How could I know what our vendors have without the internet? Call around and see. That would be fucking annoying, but in the grand scheme of things? It's a trade-off I'd be OK with.
I'd probably have to dress up, or they'd put me in a uniform, but what the hell. It wouldn't be the first time someone made me do that to earn a living. I doubt I'd have a 200/month quota, either. I might talk to 200 people in a month in pre-internet days. So maybe I wouldn't have to work commission. There are positives and negatives to that, but again, I can live with it.
Yeah, I'm daydreaming about not having to work this sales job anymore. My opportunity to escape vanished, but I might have a new opportunity soon. On the plus side it's strictly customer service, which is a walk in the park for me. The pay would be more than the base I make now. Not much, but it would be worth it, I think. The only problem is, it's in Schaumburg. I've worked there before. For almost 10 years. I can make the drive, but it sucks donkeyballs. The one good thing about working in Elmhurst is that if I get sick it's a 15 minute drive home. Holding in puke for 45 minutes to an hour would not go well.
I need this. My life will be so much better if I get it. Wish me luck.
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