The 'Web Ex': Cheap AND Annoying

I'm writing my blog today WHILE doing a mandatory web ex training. Yes really!

I like my company, my bosses and particularly my local office. Great place, great people. But what is with not allowing us to have a real live person come out and train us on the program we use EVERYDAY of our work lives. To manage millions of dollars. I don't get that?

So today we log in and call into this web ex training. (Did I mention this is day two of four days of scheduled training). They put us on the same web ex as our sister company (and competitor) which makes it awkward for asking any questions. A.) because I don't know the two Linda's in Denver and Debbie in Portland B.) because no one wants to admit out loud that they may not know how to do something in front of their competitor. But that's not even the point of my rant.

While the trainer I'm sure is a very lovely woman, why does every web oriented training begin with the trainer fumbling with their computer and their system and having to move to a different desk top for the first 15 minutes of the meeting. In the case this morning, she moved to some workstation that is apparently below a loud AC vent. So I swear to god, she is yelling. In a thick Long Island accent. Classic.

The training begins and it's very clear that she has not been given any indication as to our current experience level with the program. We begin with the very basics. Dear god, someone just shoot me now. This is how I"m going to spend my morning? Two and a half hours of training that I do not need. If I do math on an 'hourly rate' for each of our department members this just cannot make sense. We're going to bill our collective time against 'training' instead of doing work for our clients. There is NO way that the hours we are wasting on this web ex are going to be less than flying Ms. Long Island out here on a cheap airline with 2 lay overs, putting her up at the Homewood Suites down the street and sending her to Taco Del Mar for lunch after a few hours of RELEVANT training. Really.

The best part is that after her rambling on about things that I did the 2nd day on the job six years ago, she'll yell out. "Is everyone okay?". NO ONE answers. Crickets. I'll say it again, awkward.... Alright then, moving on.


The Web Ex. What a joke. For me it was just the chance to do some online shopping (don't read that part Jeff) under the guise of working. Are belted sweaters still in??