This is actually quite an important topic, especially when one is more junior. Indeed, the business often relies a lot on Murex and it is a major source of revenue for the bank.

So when something goes wrong and given the high stress levels it gets sometimes quite violent. The first times, it’s a bit surprising but then you get used to and start to learn how to deal with it.  If you’re in a rush, you can simply read the last paragraph 🙂

In this line of work, you will one day or another be exposed to this sort of behaviour and you can choose how to react to it. As I can’t speak for you (well I can, but that would be a wild guess), I’ll share as to how I see things.

My state of mind starts as: we’re in all of this together. There is a problem, the enduser is frustrated: what can we do to solve the issue. I’m setting my mind into assistance/problem solving. At first, there is no point being in taking any side, you need fact, you want to solve issue. If one is angry, frustrated, etc… I don’t mind so long it does not impede solving the issue. I had a colleague once standing a full hour of complaint about Murex from one person, I think the only positive outcome from this was that the trader could vent all his frustration (in this case he was actually quite right to be). But that did not help a bit into improving the situation.

As we covered in an earlier post, you need to work out your problem solving skills and depending on the criticality, raise the issue higher.

When people are so angry, they stop making sense, I calmly explain that I just want to solve their issues and I need their help. It works 99% of the time. Once, I had a guy that told me there was no point, all was bad, etc… I asked what help I could provide. He replied none. I then left. Talked with other people and they actually brought him back to reason. We could then work it out.
Most of the time, you need information to do problem solving. Without it, you cannot do anything so make it work your way.

They usually just want a solution that works. Myself, if I know some solutions which are quick to test with limited impacts on other parts of the system. I suggest we try them first. If the solutions are more complicated or harder to find, I then ask for some time. Some people prefer to work it out and fully test it out before giving an answer, I’m not the patient type and explain that we’ll try some solutions. If they prefer I can do it offline and come back with the results. People in this line of work tend to be quite smart and quick thinkers, so leave them the choice (you work on their PC or on your own), they’ll appreciate being involved.

In short, be constructive and keep your eyes on the prize (the solution).  You’re bound to face one day someone with whom it won’t work. Forget the constructive part with him, work with someone else. As we say in french: “Le con ne perd jamais son temps, il perd celui des autres.”