A Former Workplace Recent Story

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This was fun...

Just a little tidbit from from my former workmate at the huge multi location college where I worked. A fair amount of my time was spent processing, printing and stuffing checks (by machine) as part of my job. Several hundred student payments twice a week and twice a year, a run of about 8000.

Recently, due to Covid hardship payments, my workmate had to do a run of 60,000 and other smaller runs of 11k are becoming ongoing, an unprecedented amount for us. Once you set up a payment run, you cannot start or line up another run, electronic or otherwise until they are printed.

Due to ridiculously quirky software we use, you cannot get it back to print at a later time. You need to have the same check number sequence on them as the file you send to the bank for funds allocation for each check number. Done before you print them.

So what happens when my workmate set it off, the laser printer breaks down completely. We had been using it for 12 years. Dead, it takes five days to get another one so no other check runs, electronic or otherwise could be done. Crazy.

So after 5 days, my ex workmate prints them all which takes about 3 days. My workmate gets an unprecedented thank you email from the powers that be.

The prospect of having to do another 60,000 then looms. So, 60,000 envelopes and check blanks are ordered. A huge amount compared with what we used to purchase at a time. So this would be our second big purchase of checks and envelopes in a short space of time.

Then, and only then, Our big name bank tell us that they could preform the printing, stuffing and stamping and distribution of any payment file (converted to checks) we send them for a really cheap price. How long they had been sitting on that one, who knows.

Anyway, that's what they are doing now. Apart from a few phone calls about our checks looking different from usual (The bank does there own format) all is doing well. Lol.

So we now have a brand new Laser printer, a leased stuffing machine and 60,000 blank checks and envelopes in a cupboard that we will hardly use, not to mention about 8 specialist toner units which contain a specific toner that prints to the checks and does not smear, about 250 or more dollars apiece What a waste. Lol.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dan Riffle
    Originally Posted by lanfear63 View Post

    So we now have a brand new Laser printer, a leased stuffing...
    What's this "we" stuff, pensioner?
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    • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
      Originally Posted by Dan Riffle View Post

      What's this "we" stuff, pensioner?
      I knew as soon as I published, someone would bring up the "We" statements, you did not disappoint.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    What a waste.

    I think they call that 'business as usual'. Amazing you could explain the process/job in a way that is understandable...but one thing comes to mind. If the bank can do the work for a low fee - does that allow the university to reduce worker hours?
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    • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
      Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

      I think they call that 'business as usual'. Amazing you could explain the process/job in a way that is understandable...but one thing comes to mind. If the bank can do the work for a low fee - does that allow the university to reduce worker hours?
      Good question. There was still more than enough to do. It was always a case of just keeping your head above water, just would have been a little easier. I forgot to mention, An electronic stamping machine was leased but operated by someone in another dept.
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  • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
    Originally Posted by lanfear63 View Post

    Then, and only then, Our big name bank tell us that they could preform the printing, stuffing and stamping and distribution of any payment file (converted to checks) we send them for a really cheap price. How long they had been sitting on that one, who knows.
    Says something about academia that nobody actually thought to ask the bank in the first place.

    "They should have told us"
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    • Profile picture of the author Dan Riffle
      Originally Posted by Frank Donovan View Post

      Says something about academia that nobody actually thought to ask the bank in the first place.

      "They should have told us"
      Yep, it's always the Bank's fault...

      I guaranty you the Bank has called on the University department head at least every three months to discuss possible services, but the head is always conveniently unavailable...
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      Raising a child is akin to knowing you're getting fired in 18 years and having to train your replacement without actively sabotaging them.

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      • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
        Originally Posted by Dan Riffle View Post

        Yep, it's always the Bank's fault...

        I guaranty you the Bank has called on the University department head at least every three months to discuss possible services, but the head is always conveniently unavailable...
        Yes, it may well have been the case. You have something in place that has worked for years, if it aint broke with a government institution, don't fix it was probably the attitude. However, when the output needed got to ridiculous levels compared with before, and most likely to be ongoing for quite a while. Our poor, overstretched dep't needed something like that to be implemented.
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      • Originally Posted by Dan Riffle View Post

        Yep, it's always the Bank's fault...

        I guaranty you the Bank has called on the University department head at least every three months to discuss possible services, but the head is always conveniently unavailable...

        Mebbe it is time to set up an informational webinar to benefit Academia Central.


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    • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
      Originally Posted by Frank Donovan View Post

      Says something about academia that nobody actually thought to ask the bank in the first place.

      "They should have told us"
      Of course, the bank should have known everything happening in the college, without anyone telling them.

      In fact, they should sue the bank for not finding this out earlier.

      I've gotten into fights with complete strangers, because they didn't remind me that it was my wife's birthday.
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      • Profile picture of the author Dan Riffle
        Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

        I've gotten into fights with complete strangers, because they didn't remind me that it was my wife's birthday.
        At your age, aren't even your closest family members complete strangers?
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        Raising a child is akin to knowing you're getting fired in 18 years and having to train your replacement without actively sabotaging them.

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        • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
          Originally Posted by Dan Riffle View Post

          At your age, aren't even your closest family members complete strangers?
          "At your age, aren't even your closet family members complete strangers?"

          Fixed
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        • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
          Originally Posted by Dan Riffle View Post

          At your age, aren't even your closest family members complete strangers?
          Dan Riffle is mean to old people.
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          One Call Closing book https://www.amazon.com/One-Call-Clos...=1527788418&sr

          What if they're not stars? What if they are holes poked in the top of a container so we can breath?
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      • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
        Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

        I've gotten into fights with complete strangers, because they didn't remind me that it was my wife's birthday.
        Maybe you shouldn't have gatecrashed the party.
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      • Profile picture of the author Odahh
        Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

        Of course, the bank should have known everything happening in the college, without anyone telling them.

        In fact, they should sue the bank for not finding this out earlier.

        I've gotten into fights with complete strangers, because they didn't remind me that it was my wife's birthday.
        There is the scary version of the great reset because the future is always bad.

        Then there is what is going on where an increasing number of cases you don't need to buy equipment and supplies and pay someone to operate and do certain work as it becomes a service offered by other businesses.

        Large businesses have been doing this for decades it now filters down so small businesses and individuals can do it
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