November 2017 Final1

Upmc Helpdesk Newsletter Providing ‘World Class’ Service One Interaction At A Time November 2017 Edition 1

UPMC Help Desk NewsletterThis newsletter is about you, me, and all of us. It’s about the work we do everyday, the people we work with and the things that matter to us. It provides a forumfor highlighting our achievements and milestones as we continue to provide worldclass service ‘one interaction at a time.’Table of ContentsHelp desk agent spotlight Bryan Laughner Page 3 Page 3Help Desk Tech Jokes Page 4 Page 5Light Up Night . Page 6 Page 7Let’s Celebrate with Laura Shea and Lane! . Page 8 Page 8Primanti Brothers Legend Page 9 Page 9Black Friday DealsShane Bell Ace Award WinnerMoment to Moment by Kyle LewisBest Qualities for Help Desk AgentHappy Birthday to you! 2

The Spotlight for this month is on Bryan Laughner . So Bryanwhat can you tell us about yourself? I am Byran Laughner, a well-rounded person who tries to find joy in all things. I enjoy gaming, all types of music especially hip hop and r&b, ani- mals, hanging with friends and family, and shooting. I have a pit/lab mix named Bettis that is about 6 years old. Bettis is the biggest baby in the world. I currently live in Penn Hills , but I am from Saxonburg, PA. I did four years in the United States Marine Corps as a combat engineer. I have my bachelors in Electronics engineering from ECPI College of Technology. I am a beast at resetting passwords now :) 3

Comcast Light Up NightNovember 17, 2017The 56th Annual Comcast Light Up Night Celebration celebration takes place on Friday, November 17 throughout Down-town. This free event features music by national and local artists across several stages and genres, as well as the start ofPittsburgh's favorite holiday attractions, an unveiling of the city's holiday decorations, family-friendly activities, all cappedoff by an awesome fireworks display.Peoples Gas Holiday MarketNovember 17 - December 23, 2017Light Up Night marks the annual opening of the Peoples Gas Holiday Market. Inspired by the original German Christkindlmarket, the Holiday Market creates a picturesque shopping village in Market Square - located in the heart of downtownPittsburgh. Peruse local and national vendors housed in vintage, wooden chalets selling one-of-a-kind holiday gifts. Plus,receive a complimentary photo with Santa if you make a donation to the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank, and enjoy festiveentertainment by Pittsburgh arts organizations on the Market Square stage.Throughout The SeasonRe-opening during Pittsburgh's Light Up Night and remaining open for the season, you'll find several cherished winterattractions. Skate at the MassMutual Ice Rink before heading inside the PPG Wintergarden for the Spirits of Giving FromAround the World exhibition - a display of life-sized Santa's depicting holiday traditions from across the globe. Also in theWintergarden, check out the Gingerbread House and Train exhibition. Venture from Market Square across town to the U.S.Steel Tower and visit Pittsburgh's Crèche, the world's only approved replica of the Vatican's Nativity Scene.Holiday PerformancesEnjoy holiday magic on stage in Pittsburgh's Cultural District. From annual favorites like the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's pro-duction of The Nutcracker, Pittsburgh CLO's Musical Christmas Carol and a new take on a holiday classic, PNC Broadway inPittsburgh's Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical. (To access hyperlinks above hold the ctrl button down and click) 4

Laura and her son Lane celebrated his 18th birthday by skydiving! Truly Awesome!!The Skydive PA drop zone is located at the Grove City airport in Mercer, PA just north of Pittsburgh. Established in 1993,Skydive PA has been helping people in Western Pennsylvania experience the thrill of skydiving for more than 20 years.Skydive PA is a full-service dropzone catering to both first-time skydivers and experienced skydivers. We also offer sky-dive training course for those wishing to become licensed skydivers.Our dropzone is located just off of I-79 and is an easy drive from Pittsburgh, Erie, and Youngstown, Ohio. Click here fordetailed driving directions.Skydive PA is open Wednesday through Monday from 8am to sunset. Should you have any questions or need assistance,please contact us or give us a call at 1-800-909-5867. 5

Legends of Pittsburgh Primanti BrothersIf texting while drive is dangerous, what about eating hot pastrami and an order of potatoes whiledriving a big box delivery truck? Well they say necessity is the mother of invention, in other words,creative thinking is needed to overcome a particular problem. The problem is with limited time. Howdo I get and eat my lunch while keeping a strict delivery schedule? Hence the dilemma, stuffing myface without causing an accident while reaching for my food. The answer, steal a page from the Earlof Sandwich’s Playbook. First, place a delicious piece of meat on a fresh piece of bread, don’t forgetyour salad in the form of a handful of coleslaw (you gotta eat your veggies), next add the potatoesyou ordered. Finally, top it off with another slice of bread. And there you have it, a full course meal,that can fit in the palm of your hand. Problem Solved! The simplicity of this culinary innovation hasnow become synonymous with The Steel City of Pittsburgh. Since 1933 Primanti Bothers has beenpumping out thousands of these delicious Pittsburgh classics a year. In 2007 at the James BeardFoundation Awards, Primanti’s was named as one of \"America's Classic\" restaurants. So, here’slooking at you Pittsburgh. So, raise the Lombardi Trophy, raise Lord Stanley’s Cup, yes raise yourPrimanti’s sandwich while sipping on a cool Iron. It has often been imitated but never duplicated. 6

Black Friday Shopping GuideBlack Friday is approaching fast, and retailers are already unveiling their special deals and discounts for the annual shop-ping holiday.Thanksgiving takes place on Thursday, Nov. 23, which means Black Friday falls on Nov. 24. So far, Target, Toys R Us, Costco,Sears and JCPenney have released their Black Friday ads for shoppers to get a sneak peak at deals.AmazonPreview sales: Amazon (AMZN) has selected a few items to be featured in their “Countdown to Black Friday” deals week.Like Amazon’s existing “deals of the day,” these items will be available for 24 hours and updated daily. When: For Black Friday sales, Target (TGT) stores will be open from 6 p.m. to midnight on Thanksgiving. Stores will reopen at 6 a.m. on Nov. 24, with deals available until Saturday, Nov. 25. Preview deals: On Nov. 6, Target is running a preview sale to help customers get a jumpstart on their holiday shopping list. Deals include Beats Studio 2 wireless headphones for $159.99 (Reg. $379), Vetch Digital Video Baby Monitor for $89.99 (Reg. $179.99) and 40% off of multi-pack Star Wars and Marvel action figures. Preview deals are available until 11:59 p.m. PST on Nov. 6. Best Buy released its Black Friday sale circular early Wednesday morning. Nearly 1,000 Best Buy stores in 47 states will open at 5 p.m. Thanksgiving, the same time as last year, the company announced in a news release. Most stores will close at 1 a.m. and then reopen 8 a.m. Black Friday. Walmart will be open at 6PM on thanksgiving day, but you can shop all day online on Black Friday. The 50-page ad includes a 50-inch Sharp 4K television for $179.99, $320 off the regular price of 499.99. This Smart TV will only be available in-store. Walmart just announced its first round of Black Friday deals, with more offers to come as we get closer to Thanksgiving. The Google Home and Google Home Mini deals are particu-larly attractive because they trigger a coupon worth up to $25 off your next order after linking your Walmart account withGoogle Express. That could net you a $4 voice activated speaker from Google if you don’t mind the dubious math. All stores deals just click on the link—https://blackfriday.com/ 7

Congratulations Shane Bell Help Desk Ace Award WinnerThe Award for Commitment and Excellence in Service (ACES) honors staff who exemplify UPMC’s five corevalues which are the foundation of all we do. Our Core Values are Quality & Safety – We create a safe envi-ronment where quality is our guiding principle. Dignity & Respect - We treat all individuals with dignity and re-spect. Caring & Listening - We listen to and care for our patients, our health plan members, our fellow em-ployees, our physicians, and our community. Responsibility & Integrity - We perform our work with the high-est levels of responsibility and integrity. Excellence & Innovation - We think creatively and build excellenceinto everything that we do. Moment to MomentThe idiom, “stop and smell the roseTsh,”e hidaisonme,v“esrtompeantdlsemssetlol tahegernoeserast,i”ohnaws hnoeviesrtomoecaonnt sleusmsetod abygethneerpaatisotnanwdhtoooisetnoaomcornesdumweitdh bthyethfuetupraesttorelish the present. We don't revel iannadrotomoaeonfamthoerceudrrweintht. thWeefudtounre't tsoavroelristhethtaesptereosfentot.daWy.eWdoend'torne'vteglaizneairnotmo athoefetyheescoufrrtehnet.heWreeanddonn'tow.We don’t enjoy the moment. savor the taste of today. We don't gaze into the eyes of the here and now. We don’t enjoy the moment.The moment is an existential placeTinhetimoemtheanttiissoabnserxvisetdenbtyiatlhpelbacoedyin, ltaimbeeletdhabtyisthoebsmeirnvded, abnydtohveebrloodoyk,eldabbeyletdhebysotuhle. mIninodu, ramndulotvitears-kinghaste, we’ve become perpetrators olfooloksetdtibmyethaendsomuils.seInd omuermmourliteista. sIkninagwhoasrltde,owf em’voevibnegcopmaretsp, eitrpisetrhaetoornslyofsltoatsitctcimonesatanndt mthiastsemdomvesmworhiielse.beingInstailwl. oMrldomofenmtsovairnegthpearctos,lliatgies othfeaolnifleytismtaeti.c constant that moves while being still. Moments are the collage of a lifetime.One Odanyeadtaaytaimt ae tiismtheeisscthheedsuchleedGuolde Ghaosdghivaesngiuvse.nOuns.ceOwnecetrwyetotrmy otovemfoavsteerfatshtaenr thhiasnphlains,pwlaena, rweedaersetindedstitnoefdaitlo. fHaiils. pHlains pislaonmisniopmotneinptoa-ndomnitpernetsaendt. oEmancihprdeasye,nwt.eEmauchstdgaayin, wkenomwulsetdgaeinfrokmnoowulredmgiestfarkoems,oaucrkmnoiwstalekdegse, aocukrnsouwccleedsgseso, uanr dsuacccceespsteso,uarntdruathccs.epTt hoousretrpuitlhlasr.s Tofholisfe willneverpiclhlaarnsgoef. liTfehewyilalrneeovuerrscphiarintugea.l aTnhdepyhayrseiooluorgsicpairlidtuaailyabnrdepadh.ysWiolhoegnicwael dfeaeildy ubpreoandt.heWmh,eonurwseofueleadnudpoounr tshpeimrit, aoruersstoreunl gatnhdenoeudr.spWiriththis naerwe lsytrefonugnthdesnteredn. gWthi,tohutrhimsenteawbolylisfmoucnadnsthrernivgetha,noducromnevtearbt othliesmfatctaenitnhgrisvueganrsdocfosntvresrts tahnedfadtitsetnreinssgisnutogahrospoef asntrdesfsaiatnhd. dOisutrreressneinwteod,revivheodp, eanadndrefeasitahb. liOshuerdrebneeinwgesda, rreeveinvleadrg, eadndwrietheisntatbhleisehyeedsboefinGgosda,rtehenrelaforgreedopweinthining tuhseteoyneeswo,ffGulofdil,litnhgerbelfeosrseinogpse.niNnognuesotof tnheiswc,afnulo-ccur ifwe dofinll’itnlgivbeleinsstihnegsm. oNmoennet.of this can occur if we don’t live in the moment.The eTvhoeluetvionluotifolnifoefislifnearisranteadrrabtyedthbeymthoemmenotms wenetsexwpeereixepnecrei.enAces.thAesctlhoeckcltoicckks,titchkes,mthoemmenotmpeansstepsa,sasense,wa nmeowmmenotmbengtinbse,gninews, nmeewmmoreiems-aremanioferisetesda,reanmdanneiwfesotpedp,oartnudninteiews aorpepboortrunn. itDieosna’rtembiosrsnt.heDtoenll’itnmg iosfsytohuerteolwlingstoofry.our own story.Live Liti…ve. it…. SubmSiuttbemd ibttyedKbyyleKLyelwe iLsewis 8

Best Qualities of a Help Desk Agent Patience Patience is one of the must have qualities of a help desk agent. Patience is not only important to the customers who. reach out help desk when they are confused and frustrated, but is also important to the company. Your help desk agents can provide greater service with patience, where the time spent with the customer is used to understand their problems in a better way. Help desk agents should stay patient, as they have to deal with customers on a daily ba- sis. Also, they should take time to figure out what they want, especially when the customer comes to them frustrated and stumped. Empathy One of the first and foremost steps when fielding a help desk support call is to stop for a second after hearing or reading the issue and put themselves in the shoes of the customer they are dealing with. The help desk agent should be able to think about what the customer is feeling and try to understand their problem. If the issue de- mands an apology, you should start with a sincere apology and let them know that you understood why they are upset and how can you help them. This will ease the worries of the customer allowing you to resolve the issue and keeping the customer happy. Active Listening Customers have their voice, and they want somebody to hear their voice. They need to explain you the whole picture and make you understand the problem. Sometimes, the customer may be confused by the terminology of help desk agent and may communicate things in a different way. It is important for help desk agents to listen to the customers intently; as if they miss a single thing then it might be difficult to identify the root cause of their problem. This will eventually affect the ability of help desk agents to help their customers. A keen ear is a must when it comes to under- stand problems and find solutions Good Interpersonal Skills To build a strong customer relationship, agents should go above and beyond being friendly. The agent must be able to convey complicated process in an easy manner to help customers understand it easily. Customers often get confused easily with the jargon of help desk industry. Agents should try their best not to use it, in- stead make the instructions as simple as possible for the customer to understand. Agents should go far be- yond the expectations of the customer to win their trust. Happy Birthday November Calling all Authors: Calvin F. 11/9 Elizabeth V. 11/16 Did you ever turn a negative experience into a positive Jameson F. 11/30 experience? How did you do it? What was your crazi- est call... Ever? What is your favorite recipe? Do you have a questions you would like to have answered or a Customer Service Tip? We would like to hear from you! You can send your submissions for the news- letter to: [email protected] or you can con- tribute anony- mously by drop- ping your ideas in the suggestion box located in the kitchen. 9

UPMC Help Desk NewsletterLead Publisher/Editor: Linda EchementAssistant Publisher/Editors: Sherry Stephan,Anthony WashingtonContributors for November 2017 Newsletter:Laura SheaShane BellKyle LewisContact Us at: [email protected] 10