Samsung - Revision history

Ha1vorsen at 15:30, 20 September 2024

2024-09-20T15:30:34Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:30, 20 September 2024
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	== 2023 MX Repair Competition ==		== 2023 MX Repair Competition ==
	[[File:Chrome EdHWhtb5zJ.png\|thumb\|In this image, [[User:Ha1vorsen\|North]] is depicted with a gray blazer.]]		[[File:Chrome EdHWhtb5zJ.png\|thumb\|In this image, [[User:Ha1vorsen\|North]] is depicted with a gray blazer.]]
	Every year, Samsung Electronics America (SEA) hosts a competition which pits fifteen of the nation's highest graded technicians against each other in a competition within SEA's headquarters. This can be for various departments, such as the Home Appliance division, to their Mobile Experience division, covering devices like smartphones and watches. In 2023, ~~I was lucky enough to be among the~~ fifteen finalists Samsung ~~has chosen for this year~~'s ~~event~~. After ~~the travel~~ to Samsung's ~~Legacy~~ headquarters in Plano, Texas, I ~~had only~~ a ~~night's rest before the competition started, with no clue on what~~ to ~~expect on the following day~~. ~~When that day came,~~ I met the other finalists who flew in from all over the country; some within Samsung's own repair facilities, and some with business partners via uBreakiFix. While most of us were first-time contestants, there were a number of returning finalists from years past who were already sharing new repair experiences, how the industry has shifted, and new challenges ~~the sector faces~~. Meeting with people who ~~also~~ possess the technical knowledge and passion in your daily work environment is already an important experience, but it doesn't compare to entering the building of the company behind it all, where it seems like its own society of enthusiasts for technology and preservation alike, seeing people from all walks of the world collaborate for a common purpose which benefits users around the globe.		[https://news.samsung.com/us/tag/samsung-skills-competition/ Every year], Samsung Electronics America (SEA) hosts a competition which pits fifteen of the nation's highest graded technicians against each other in a competition within SEA's headquarters for a head-to-head determination of skill. This can be for various departments, such as the Home Appliance division, to their Mobile Experience division, covering devices like smartphones and watches. In 2023, fifteen finalists, including those from Samsung’s repair facilities and partners like uBreakiFix, qualified to compete at Samsung's Legacy HQ in Plano, Texas.

			After travelling to Samsung's legacy headquarters in Plano, Texas, I was bewildered to discover just how refreshing of an environment such a workplace turned out to be. I met the other finalists who flew in from all over the country; some within Samsung's own repair facilities, and some with business partners via uBreakiFix. While most of us were first-time contestants, there were a number of returning finalists from years past who were already sharing new repair experiences, how the industry has shifted, and new challenges our sectors face. Meeting with people who possess the same technical knowledge and passion of your daily work environment is already an important experience, but it doesn't compare to entering the building of the company behind it all, where it seems like its own society of enthusiasts for technology and preservation alike, seeing people from all walks of the world collaborate for a common purpose which benefits users around the globe.

	Given the existence of [[wikipedia:Samsung_Town\|Samsung Town]] in South Korea, it only makes sense that their subsidiary headquarters also aim to emulate this exact feeling.		Given the existence of [[wikipedia:Samsung_Town\|Samsung Town]] in South Korea, it only makes sense that their subsidiary headquarters also aim to emulate this exact feeling.

	The day started pretty early. We were told to expect a specific process of events, which had implications ~~that~~ the ~~repairs we would be doing would be for real customers. For example, we were specifically told we~~ would ~~be graded for our customer service skills, as well as physical repair competence.~~ But, in reality, it really seemed somewhat improvised on-the-spot. We were able to eat a small lunch in the general building behind the legacy Samsung headquarters while waiting for everyone to arrive. We were filled in on what to expect and were given a tour of the headquarters at this time, which was really magical. This tour alone showcased the positivity shown by employees who seemed to have a genuine affinity for their work and work culture, and created my personal life goal to work in this building at one point.		The day started pretty early. We were told to expect a specific process of events, which had implications on how the day would pan out But, in reality, it really seemed somewhat improvised on-the-spot. We were able to eat a small lunch in the general building behind the legacy Samsung headquarters while waiting for everyone to arrive. We were filled in on what to expect at this point on and were given a tour of the headquarters at this time, which was really magical. This tour alone showcased the positivity shown by employees who seemed to have a genuine affinity for their work and work culture, and created a personal life goal to work in this building at one point.

	We were given pretty expansive freedom, with one finalist allowed to travel inside of an ID-only area without an actual ID. There were beautiful paintings and murals throughout the area. Eventually, we all reconciled at the general building to start the competition. I was the first to walk into the competition room, as shown in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BMpNyAwZVM this video]!		We were given pretty expansive freedom, with one finalist allowed to travel inside of an ID-only area without an actual ID. There were beautiful paintings and murals throughout the area. Eventually, we all reconciled at the general building to start the competition. I was the first to walk into the competition room, as shown in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BMpNyAwZVM this video]!

	~~Things went slightly downhill at this point.~~		The competition itself was a bog-standard request to diagnose and repair one of Samsung's newer flagship phones using a new repair process Samsung seemed to pilot at this event, before shifting their repair centers to the new process nationwide. It went relatively smoothly, and I performed decently, but not anything to write home about as there were errors. All-in-all, it was finished in about two hours. We were also granted access to tour the rest of the Samsung Legacy HQ building afterward as well while the results were being tallied.

	~~I misunderstood the instructions by the~~ competition ~~host. I had the option to perform disassembly and testing in an asynchronous manner, but~~ was ~~inclined to do everything one~~-~~by-one, inherently opening up the risk for errors along the way. In the actual shop, you seal up the phone~~ to ~~test it out after every step, which was redundant in this specific circumstance, so I ended up doing the~~ repair ~~twice. I ended up~~ using ~~the tools correctly, despite being my first time using them! However, I ended up damaging the display panel due to my inexperience - I did not realise the display had~~ a ~~non-removable cable connected~~ to ~~the motherboard (since I never disassembled~~ this ~~model in-store)~~, ~~so I slightly tore the screen cable while cutting through adhesive.~~

	~~Ever since, my trust in my coworkers has somewhat dwindled, and I am now paying more attention~~ to the ~~documentation provided by the OEM rather than my direct coworkers. I hope there will be a next time, in order for me to perform at my most optimal environment~~. It ~~was still very fun~~, and ~~an unforgettable life experience.~~ I ~~just wish the circumstances leading up~~ to it were ~~different~~.

	~~While I didn't receive the crowning placement~~, ~~the competition went relatively smoothly and~~ was finished in about two hours. We were also granted access to tour the rest of the Samsung Legacy HQ building afterward as well while the results were being tallied.

	We learned about each judge and staff, including meeting the head of the mobile experience department of Samsung's legacy headquarters. They thanked us for our performance, and shortly after, we walked out of the building for the last time. The day ended with a celebratory night out with Samsung MX management and other finalists. Information about this event can be found on the [https://news.samsung.com/us/top-techs-put-skills-test-samsung-national-skills-repair-competition-2023/ Samsung Newsroom] website. I won a Galaxy Watch6 for my placement, whilst the top 5 all won the latest Samsung phones.		We learned about each judge and staff, including meeting the head of the mobile experience department of Samsung's legacy headquarters. They thanked us for our performance, and shortly after, we walked out of the building for the last time. The day ended with a celebratory night out with Samsung MX management and other finalists. Information about this event can be found on the [https://news.samsung.com/us/top-techs-put-skills-test-samsung-national-skills-repair-competition-2023/ Samsung Newsroom] website. I won a Galaxy Watch6 for my placement, whilst the top 5 all won the latest Samsung phones.
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	== 2024 MX Repair Competition ==		== 2024 MX Repair Competition ==
	From metrics and assessment results taken from technicians across the country, I've managed to become one out of fifteen top-performing finalists out of Samsung's repair technicians for the second year in a row. With another year's worth of new knowledge and experience, the confidence I have coming for the top spots is through the roof. There's a month away from my flight to compete with the other finalists at a repair event in Samsung's legacy headquarters... but this time, I'll be able to know what to focus on.		From metrics and assessment results taken from technicians across the country, I've managed to become one out of fifteen top-performing finalists out of Samsung's repair technicians for the second year in a row. With another year's worth of new knowledge and experience, the confidence I have coming for the top spots is through the roof. There's a month away from my flight to compete with the other finalists at a repair event in Samsung's legacy headquarters... but this time, I'll be able to know what to focus on, as well as what is expected from us.

	I'm also very excited to discuss and confer with others who live in my shoes ~~and~~ those who make my hobbies possible~~, as these opportunities usually only happen virtually, online~~. This month, I will be thinking of the best questions to ask, the best details to capture, and the best way to ensure my victory as America's top Samsung mobile technician of 2024. Sometimes, I thought my entry in 2023 could have been a fluke.		I'm also very excited to discuss and confer with others who live in my shoes as technicians, as well as those who make my hobbies possible. This month, I will be thinking of the best questions to ask, the best details to capture, and the best way to ensure my victory as America's top Samsung mobile technician of 2024. Sometimes, I thought my entry in 2023 could have been a fluke.

	But this year will be my chance to prove myself wrong. ''Days'' before this, ~~I also learnt that~~ my manager and I achieved "store-of-the-month" throughout the entire uBreakiFix network of stores nationwide, both corporate and franchised locations. Working solo puts insane limits on our personal freedoms during any given work day, forcing us to work 8-9 hours without a break. It's really hard to say it's worth it.		But this year will be my chance to prove myself wrong. ''Days'' before this, my manager and I achieved "store-of-the-month" throughout the entire uBreakiFix network of stores nationwide, including both corporate and franchised locations. Working solo puts insane limits on our personal freedoms during any given work day, forcing us to work 8-9 hours without a break. It's really hard to say it's worth it.

	But no one is going to remember the fact that I consistently lose sleep due to getting home an extra one or two hours later because I missed the bus while cleaning up the store as it closes. They're not going to remember my difficulty even arriving to work, relying on my own methods of transportation while being afflicted with seizures since 2020, preventing me from getting a license (''among other reasons).'' It takes me an hour to get to the store as well as get back.		But no one is going to remember the fact that I consistently lose sleep due to getting home an extra one or two hours later because I missed the bus while cleaning up the store as it closes. They're not going to remember my difficulty even arriving to work, relying on my own methods of transportation while being afflicted with seizures since 2020, preventing me from getting a license (''among other reasons).'' It takes me an hour to get to the store as well as get back.

Ha1vorsen: /* 2023 MX Repair Competition */

2024-09-19T05:44:57Z

2023 MX Repair Competition

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:44, 19 September 2024
Line 11:		Line 11:
	Things went slightly downhill at this point.		Things went slightly downhill at this point.

	Due to severe staffing issues, my primary tasks at work for the months leading up to this event were reduced to merely handling customer tickets, intake, diagnostics, and general maintenance of the store, with nearly all repairs being handed off to the senior employee working that day. This was done to ensure maximum efficiency; due to my absolute unwillingness to talk at length with customers, intake diagnostics and check-in can happen in as little as two minutes, and the phone can be worked on within five minutes of entering the store. As I was still the newest employee two years into the job, seniority defined who took on the repairs. There were times I would not see the repair room for more than five minutes at a time, despite being hired specifically as a technician - not customer service. The problem arises as, a few months prior, Samsung introduced a new method of phone repair that significantly differs from the general process I was trained on. Because I was kept away from repairs due to customer volume and understaffing, I have gone months without any hands-on experience with this new repair process, which involves replacing only the actual OLED panel instead of swapping the entire frame with the panel preinstalled.		I misunderstood the instructions by the competition host. I had the option to perform disassembly and testing in an asynchronous manner, but was inclined to do everything one-by-one, inherently opening up the risk for errors along the way. In the actual shop, you seal up the phone to test it out after every step, which was redundant in this specific circumstance, so I ended up doing the repair twice. I ended up using the tools correctly, despite being my first time using them! However, I ended up damaging the display panel due to my inexperience - I did not realise the display had a non-removable cable connected to the motherboard (since I never disassembled this model in-store), so I slightly tore the screen cable while cutting through adhesive.

	~~This was the repair we were being tested on. Tools~~ I ~~have never touched before, but am expected to use without issue in a national competition.~~

	Completely fuck everything related to my job and the people who organise it. This is all underscored by my own pleading to my manager, as soon as I was hired, to learn the ''correct'' process for repairs, not the quickest or easiest. As far as I can tell, this was ignored. There were multiple instances, within this event and outside of it, where my training did not match the correct process. For example, I was completely unaware of the correct way to test water resistance until I was at Samsung itself. These cumulative issues actively make me angry, especially given that I specifically pled to prevent these within my first week of employment at this place.

	~~I also~~ misunderstood the instructions by the competition host. I had the option to perform disassembly and testing in an asynchronous manner, but was inclined to do everything one-by-one, inherently opening up the risk for errors along the way. I ended up using the tools correctly, despite being my first time using them! However, I ended up damaging the display panel due to my inexperience - I did not realise the display had a non-removable cable connected to the motherboard (since I never disassembled this model in-store), so I slightly tore the screen cable.

	Ever since, my trust in my coworkers has somewhat dwindled, and I am now paying more attention to the documentation provided by the OEM rather than my direct coworkers. I hope there will be a next time, in order for me to perform at my most optimal environment. It was still very fun, and an unforgettable life experience. I just wish the circumstances leading up to it were different.		Ever since, my trust in my coworkers has somewhat dwindled, and I am now paying more attention to the documentation provided by the OEM rather than my direct coworkers. I hope there will be a next time, in order for me to perform at my most optimal environment. It was still very fun, and an unforgettable life experience. I just wish the circumstances leading up to it were different.

Ha1vorsen: /* 2023 MX Repair Competition */

2024-09-19T05:39:03Z

2023 MX Repair Competition

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:39, 19 September 2024
Line 1:		Line 1:
	== MX Repair Competition ==		== 2023 MX Repair Competition ==
	[[File:Chrome EdHWhtb5zJ.png\|thumb\|In this image, [[User:Ha1vorsen\|North]] is depicted with a gray blazer.]]		[[File:Chrome EdHWhtb5zJ.png\|thumb\|In this image, [[User:Ha1vorsen\|North]] is depicted with a gray blazer.]]
	Every year, Samsung Electronics America (SEA) hosts a competition which pits fifteen of the nation's highest graded technicians against each other in a competition within SEA's headquarters. This can be for various departments, such as the Home Appliance division, to their Mobile Experience division, covering devices like smartphones and watches.		Every year, Samsung Electronics America (SEA) hosts a competition which pits fifteen of the nation's highest graded technicians against each other in a competition within SEA's headquarters. This can be for various departments, such as the Home Appliance division, to their Mobile Experience division, covering devices like smartphones and watches. In 2023, I was lucky enough to be among the fifteen finalists Samsung has chosen for this year's event. After the travel to Samsung's Legacy headquarters in Plano, Texas, I had only a night's rest before the competition started, with no clue on what to expect on the following day. When that day came, I met the other finalists who flew in from all over the country; some within Samsung's own repair facilities, and some with business partners via uBreakiFix. While most of us were first-time contestants, there were a number of returning finalists from years past who were already sharing new repair experiences, how the industry has shifted, and new challenges the sector faces. Meeting with people who also possess the technical knowledge and passion in your daily work environment is already an important experience, but it doesn't compare to entering the building of the company behind it all, where it seems like its own society of enthusiasts for technology and preservation alike, seeing people from all walks of the world collaborate for a common purpose which benefits users around the globe.

	~~=== 2023 MX Repair Competition ===~~
	In 2023, I was lucky enough to be among the fifteen finalists Samsung has chosen for this year's event. After the travel to Samsung's Legacy headquarters in Plano, Texas, I had only a night's rest before the competition started, with no clue on what to expect on the following day. When that day came, I met the other finalists who flew in from all over the country; some within Samsung's own repair facilities, and some with business partners via uBreakiFix. While most of us were first-time contestants, there were a number of returning finalists from years past who were already sharing new repair experiences, how the industry has shifted, and new challenges the sector faces. Meeting with people who also possess the technical knowledge and passion in your daily work environment is already an important experience, but it doesn't compare to entering the building of the company behind it all, where it seems like its own society of enthusiasts for technology and preservation alike, seeing people from all walks of the world collaborate for a common purpose which benefits users around the globe.

	Given the existence of [[wikipedia:Samsung_Town\|Samsung Town]] in South Korea, it only makes sense that their subsidiary headquarters also aim to emulate this exact feeling.		Given the existence of [[wikipedia:Samsung_Town\|Samsung Town]] in South Korea, it only makes sense that their subsidiary headquarters also aim to emulate this exact feeling.
Line 12:		Line 9:
	We were given pretty expansive freedom, with one finalist allowed to travel inside of an ID-only area without an actual ID. There were beautiful paintings and murals throughout the area. Eventually, we all reconciled at the general building to start the competition. I was the first to walk into the competition room, as shown in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BMpNyAwZVM this video]!		We were given pretty expansive freedom, with one finalist allowed to travel inside of an ID-only area without an actual ID. There were beautiful paintings and murals throughout the area. Eventually, we all reconciled at the general building to start the competition. I was the first to walk into the competition room, as shown in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BMpNyAwZVM this video]!

	It was very fun, and an unforgettable life experience. I just wish the circumstances leading up to it were different ~~in regards to my retail repair job~~.		Things went slightly downhill at this point.

			Due to severe staffing issues, my primary tasks at work for the months leading up to this event were reduced to merely handling customer tickets, intake, diagnostics, and general maintenance of the store, with nearly all repairs being handed off to the senior employee working that day. This was done to ensure maximum efficiency; due to my absolute unwillingness to talk at length with customers, intake diagnostics and check-in can happen in as little as two minutes, and the phone can be worked on within five minutes of entering the store. As I was still the newest employee two years into the job, seniority defined who took on the repairs. There were times I would not see the repair room for more than five minutes at a time, despite being hired specifically as a technician - not customer service. The problem arises as, a few months prior, Samsung introduced a new method of phone repair that significantly differs from the general process I was trained on. Because I was kept away from repairs due to customer volume and understaffing, I have gone months without any hands-on experience with this new repair process, which involves replacing only the actual OLED panel instead of swapping the entire frame with the panel preinstalled.

			This was the repair we were being tested on. Tools I have never touched before, but am expected to use without issue in a national competition.

			Completely fuck everything related to my job and the people who organise it. This is all underscored by my own pleading to my manager, as soon as I was hired, to learn the ''correct'' process for repairs, not the quickest or easiest. As far as I can tell, this was ignored. There were multiple instances, within this event and outside of it, where my training did not match the correct process. For example, I was completely unaware of the correct way to test water resistance until I was at Samsung itself. These cumulative issues actively make me angry, especially given that I specifically pled to prevent these within my first week of employment at this place.

			I also misunderstood the instructions by the competition host. I had the option to perform disassembly and testing in an asynchronous manner, but was inclined to do everything one-by-one, inherently opening up the risk for errors along the way. I ended up using the tools correctly, despite being my first time using them! However, I ended up damaging the display panel due to my inexperience - I did not realise the display had a non-removable cable connected to the motherboard (since I never disassembled this model in-store), so I slightly tore the screen cable.

			Ever since, my trust in my coworkers has somewhat dwindled, and I am now paying more attention to the documentation provided by the OEM rather than my direct coworkers. I hope there will be a next time, in order for me to perform at my most optimal environment. It was still very fun, and an unforgettable life experience. I just wish the circumstances leading up to it were different.

	While I didn't receive the crowning placement, the competition went relatively smoothly and was finished in about two hours. We were also granted access to tour the rest of the Samsung Legacy HQ building afterward as well while the results were being tallied.		While I didn't receive the crowning placement, the competition went relatively smoothly and was finished in about two hours. We were also granted access to tour the rest of the Samsung Legacy HQ building afterward as well while the results were being tallied.
Line 18:		Line 25:
	We learned about each judge and staff, including meeting the head of the mobile experience department of Samsung's legacy headquarters. They thanked us for our performance, and shortly after, we walked out of the building for the last time. The day ended with a celebratory night out with Samsung MX management and other finalists. Information about this event can be found on the [https://news.samsung.com/us/top-techs-put-skills-test-samsung-national-skills-repair-competition-2023/ Samsung Newsroom] website. I won a Galaxy Watch6 for my placement, whilst the top 5 all won the latest Samsung phones.		We learned about each judge and staff, including meeting the head of the mobile experience department of Samsung's legacy headquarters. They thanked us for our performance, and shortly after, we walked out of the building for the last time. The day ended with a celebratory night out with Samsung MX management and other finalists. Information about this event can be found on the [https://news.samsung.com/us/top-techs-put-skills-test-samsung-national-skills-repair-competition-2023/ Samsung Newsroom] website. I won a Galaxy Watch6 for my placement, whilst the top 5 all won the latest Samsung phones.

	You bet I will be returning for more!		MX Repair Comp. is a yearly event. You bet I will be returning for more!

			== 2024 MX Repair Competition ==
			From metrics and assessment results taken from technicians across the country, I've managed to become one out of fifteen top-performing finalists out of Samsung's repair technicians for the second year in a row. With another year's worth of new knowledge and experience, the confidence I have coming for the top spots is through the roof. There's a month away from my flight to compete with the other finalists at a repair event in Samsung's legacy headquarters... but this time, I'll be able to know what to focus on.

			I'm also very excited to discuss and confer with others who live in my shoes and those who make my hobbies possible, as these opportunities usually only happen virtually, online. This month, I will be thinking of the best questions to ask, the best details to capture, and the best way to ensure my victory as America's top Samsung mobile technician of 2024. Sometimes, I thought my entry in 2023 could have been a fluke.

			But this year will be my chance to prove myself wrong. ''Days'' before this, I also learnt that my manager and I achieved "store-of-the-month" throughout the entire uBreakiFix network of stores nationwide, both corporate and franchised locations. Working solo puts insane limits on our personal freedoms during any given work day, forcing us to work 8-9 hours without a break. It's really hard to say it's worth it.

	~~=== 2024 MX Repair Competition ===~~		But no one is going to remember the fact that I consistently lose sleep due to getting home an extra one or two hours later because I missed the bus while cleaning up the store as it closes. They're not going to remember my difficulty even arriving to work, relying on my own methods of transportation while being afflicted with seizures since 2020, preventing me from getting a license (''among other reasons).'' It takes me an hour to get to the store as well as get back.
	I ~~said what~~ I ~~said~~

	~~From metrics and assessment results taken from technicians across the country~~, ~~I've managed to become a finalist for Samsung's MX Repair Competition for~~ the ~~second year~~ in a ~~row! With~~ a ~~year's worth of new knowledge and experience~~, ~~the confidence I have coming~~ for ~~the top spots is through the roof. Only a month away from my flight... but this time, I'll be able to know what to focus on~~.		No one gives a shit about that, or the irony in forcing a person prone to seizures to drive in the bike lane as they can't get a license, which is inherently less safe for them.

	I'~~m also very excited~~ to ~~discuss and confer with others who live in my shoes and those who make my hobbies possible, as~~ these opportunities usually only happen virtually, online. This month, I will be thinking of the best questions to ask, the best details to capture, and the best way to ensure my victory as America's top Samsung technician in 2024. Sometimes, I thought my entry in 2023 could have been a fluke.		They're going to remember events like these.

	~~`This year will be my chance~~ to ~~prove myself wrong~~.		One of the biggest opportunities that could lead to me being able to eliminate these issues in the future...

Ha1vorsen at 14:38, 17 September 2024

2024-09-17T14:38:43Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:38, 17 September 2024
Line 1:		Line 1:
	== ~~2023~~ MX Repair Competition ==		== MX Repair Competition ==
	[[File:Chrome EdHWhtb5zJ.png\|thumb\|In this image, [[User:Ha1vorsen\|North]] is depicted with a gray blazer.]]		[[File:Chrome EdHWhtb5zJ.png\|thumb\|In this image, [[User:Ha1vorsen\|North]] is depicted with a gray blazer.]]
	Every year, Samsung Electronics America (SEA) hosts a competition which pits fifteen of the nation's highest graded technicians against each other in a competition within SEA's headquarters. This can be for various departments, such as the Home Appliance division, to their Mobile Experience division, covering devices like smartphones and watches. In 2023, I was lucky enough to be among the fifteen finalists Samsung has chosen for this year's event. After the travel to Samsung's Legacy headquarters in Plano, Texas, I had only a night's rest before the competition started, with no clue on what to expect on the following day. When that day came, I met the other finalists who flew in from all over the country; some within Samsung's own repair facilities, and some with business partners via uBreakiFix. While most of us were first-time contestants, there were a number of returning finalists from years past who were already sharing new repair experiences, how the industry has shifted, and new challenges the sector faces. Meeting with people who also possess the technical knowledge and passion in your daily work environment is already an important experience, but it doesn't compare to entering the building of the company behind it all, where it seems like its own society of enthusiasts for technology and preservation alike, seeing people from all walks of the world collaborate for a common purpose which benefits users around the globe.		Every year, Samsung Electronics America (SEA) hosts a competition which pits fifteen of the nation's highest graded technicians against each other in a competition within SEA's headquarters. This can be for various departments, such as the Home Appliance division, to their Mobile Experience division, covering devices like smartphones and watches.

			=== 2023 MX Repair Competition ===
			In 2023, I was lucky enough to be among the fifteen finalists Samsung has chosen for this year's event. After the travel to Samsung's Legacy headquarters in Plano, Texas, I had only a night's rest before the competition started, with no clue on what to expect on the following day. When that day came, I met the other finalists who flew in from all over the country; some within Samsung's own repair facilities, and some with business partners via uBreakiFix. While most of us were first-time contestants, there were a number of returning finalists from years past who were already sharing new repair experiences, how the industry has shifted, and new challenges the sector faces. Meeting with people who also possess the technical knowledge and passion in your daily work environment is already an important experience, but it doesn't compare to entering the building of the company behind it all, where it seems like its own society of enthusiasts for technology and preservation alike, seeing people from all walks of the world collaborate for a common purpose which benefits users around the globe.

	Given the existence of [[wikipedia:Samsung_Town\|Samsung Town]] in South Korea, it only makes sense that their subsidiary headquarters also aim to emulate this exact feeling.		Given the existence of [[wikipedia:Samsung_Town\|Samsung Town]] in South Korea, it only makes sense that their subsidiary headquarters also aim to emulate this exact feeling.
Line 9:		Line 12:
	We were given pretty expansive freedom, with one finalist allowed to travel inside of an ID-only area without an actual ID. There were beautiful paintings and murals throughout the area. Eventually, we all reconciled at the general building to start the competition. I was the first to walk into the competition room, as shown in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BMpNyAwZVM this video]!		We were given pretty expansive freedom, with one finalist allowed to travel inside of an ID-only area without an actual ID. There were beautiful paintings and murals throughout the area. Eventually, we all reconciled at the general building to start the competition. I was the first to walk into the competition room, as shown in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BMpNyAwZVM this video]!

	~~Things went slightly downhill at this point.~~		It was very fun, and an unforgettable life experience. I just wish the circumstances leading up to it were different in regards to my retail repair job.

	Due to severe staffing issues, my primary tasks at work for the months leading up to this event were reduced to merely handling customer tickets, intake, diagnostics, and general maintenance of the store, with nearly all repairs being handed off to the senior employee working that day. This was done to ensure maximum efficiency; due to my absolute unwillingness to talk at length with customers, intake diagnostics and check-in can happen in as little as two minutes, and the phone can be worked on within five minutes of entering the store. As I was still the newest employee two years into the job, seniority defined who took on the repairs. There were times I would not see the repair room for more than five minutes at a time, despite being hired specifically as a technician - not customer service. The problem arises as, a few months prior, Samsung introduced a new method of phone repair that significantly differs from the general process I was trained on. Because I was kept away from repairs due to customer volume and understaffing, I have gone months without any hands-on experience with this new repair process, which involves replacing only the actual OLED panel instead of swapping the entire frame with the panel preinstalled.

	~~This was the repair we were being tested on. Tools I have never touched before, but am expected to use without issue in a national competition.~~

	Completely fuck everything related to my job and the people who organise it. This is all underscored by my own pleading to my manager, as soon as I was hired, to learn the ''correct'' process for repairs, not the quickest or easiest. As far as I can tell, this was ignored. There were multiple instances, within this event and outside of it, where my training did not match the correct process. For example, I was completely unaware of the correct way to test water resistance until I was at Samsung itself. These cumulative issues actively make me angry, especially given that I specifically pled to prevent these within my first week of employment at this place.

	I also misunderstood the instructions by the competition host. I had the option to perform disassembly and testing in an asynchronous manner, but was inclined to do everything one-by-one, inherently opening up the risk for errors along the way. I ended up using the tools correctly, despite being my first time using them! However, I ended up damaging the display panel due to my inexperience - I did not realise the display had a non-removable cable connected to the motherboard (since I never disassembled this model in-store), so I slightly tore the screen cable.

	Ever since, my trust in my coworkers has somewhat dwindled, and I am now paying more attention to the documentation provided by the OEM rather than my direct coworkers. I hope there will be a next time, in order for me to perform at my most optimal environment. It was ~~still~~ very fun, and an unforgettable life experience. I just wish the circumstances leading up to it were different.

	While I didn't receive the crowning placement, the competition went relatively smoothly and was finished in about two hours. We were also granted access to tour the rest of the Samsung Legacy HQ building afterward as well while the results were being tallied.		While I didn't receive the crowning placement, the competition went relatively smoothly and was finished in about two hours. We were also granted access to tour the rest of the Samsung Legacy HQ building afterward as well while the results were being tallied.
Line 25:		Line 18:
	We learned about each judge and staff, including meeting the head of the mobile experience department of Samsung's legacy headquarters. They thanked us for our performance, and shortly after, we walked out of the building for the last time. The day ended with a celebratory night out with Samsung MX management and other finalists. Information about this event can be found on the [https://news.samsung.com/us/top-techs-put-skills-test-samsung-national-skills-repair-competition-2023/ Samsung Newsroom] website. I won a Galaxy Watch6 for my placement, whilst the top 5 all won the latest Samsung phones.		We learned about each judge and staff, including meeting the head of the mobile experience department of Samsung's legacy headquarters. They thanked us for our performance, and shortly after, we walked out of the building for the last time. The day ended with a celebratory night out with Samsung MX management and other finalists. Information about this event can be found on the [https://news.samsung.com/us/top-techs-put-skills-test-samsung-national-skills-repair-competition-2023/ Samsung Newsroom] website. I won a Galaxy Watch6 for my placement, whilst the top 5 all won the latest Samsung phones.

	~~MX Repair Comp. is a yearly event.~~ You bet I will be returning for more!		You bet I will be returning for more!

			=== 2024 MX Repair Competition ===
			I said what I said

	~~== 2024 MX Repair Competition ==~~
	From metrics and assessment results taken from technicians across the country, I've managed to become a finalist for Samsung's MX Repair Competition for the second year in a row! With a year's worth of new knowledge and experience, the confidence I have coming for the top spots is through the roof. Only a month away from my flight... but this time, I'll be able to know what to focus on.		From metrics and assessment results taken from technicians across the country, I've managed to become a finalist for Samsung's MX Repair Competition for the second year in a row! With a year's worth of new knowledge and experience, the confidence I have coming for the top spots is through the roof. Only a month away from my flight... but this time, I'll be able to know what to focus on.

Ha1vorsen: /* 2023 MX Repair Competition */

2024-09-17T14:35:31Z

2023 MX Repair Competition

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:35, 17 September 2024
Line 23:		Line 23:
	While I didn't receive the crowning placement, the competition went relatively smoothly and was finished in about two hours. We were also granted access to tour the rest of the Samsung Legacy HQ building afterward as well while the results were being tallied.		While I didn't receive the crowning placement, the competition went relatively smoothly and was finished in about two hours. We were also granted access to tour the rest of the Samsung Legacy HQ building afterward as well while the results were being tallied.

	We learned about each judge and staff, including meeting the head of the mobile experience department of Samsung's legacy headquarters. They thanked us for our performance, and shortly after, we walked out of the building for the last time. The day ended with a celebratory night out with Samsung MX management and other finalists. Information about this event can be found on the [https://news.samsung.com/us/top-techs-put-skills-test-samsung-national-skills-repair-competition-2023/ Samsung Newsroom] website. I won a Galaxy Watch6 for my placement, whilst the top 5 all won the latest Samsung phones~~: Galaxy Fold5 for first, and the Galaxy Flip5 for the other top places. 5-10 earned watches and a Samsung backpack full of collectibles~~.		We learned about each judge and staff, including meeting the head of the mobile experience department of Samsung's legacy headquarters. They thanked us for our performance, and shortly after, we walked out of the building for the last time. The day ended with a celebratory night out with Samsung MX management and other finalists. Information about this event can be found on the [https://news.samsung.com/us/top-techs-put-skills-test-samsung-national-skills-repair-competition-2023/ Samsung Newsroom] website. I won a Galaxy Watch6 for my placement, whilst the top 5 all won the latest Samsung phones.

	MX Repair Comp. is a yearly event. You bet I will be returning for more!		MX Repair Comp. is a yearly event. You bet I will be returning for more!

			== 2024 MX Repair Competition ==
			From metrics and assessment results taken from technicians across the country, I've managed to become a finalist for Samsung's MX Repair Competition for the second year in a row! With a year's worth of new knowledge and experience, the confidence I have coming for the top spots is through the roof. Only a month away from my flight... but this time, I'll be able to know what to focus on.

			I'm also very excited to discuss and confer with others who live in my shoes and those who make my hobbies possible, as these opportunities usually only happen virtually, online. This month, I will be thinking of the best questions to ask, the best details to capture, and the best way to ensure my victory as America's top Samsung technician in 2024. Sometimes, I thought my entry in 2023 could have been a fluke.

			`This year will be my chance to prove myself wrong.

Ha1vorsen: /* 2023 MX Repair Competition */

2024-05-15T03:27:09Z

2023 MX Repair Competition

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:27, 14 May 2024
Line 21:		Line 21:
	Ever since, my trust in my coworkers has somewhat dwindled, and I am now paying more attention to the documentation provided by the OEM rather than my direct coworkers. I hope there will be a next time, in order for me to perform at my most optimal environment. It was still very fun, and an unforgettable life experience. I just wish the circumstances leading up to it were different.		Ever since, my trust in my coworkers has somewhat dwindled, and I am now paying more attention to the documentation provided by the OEM rather than my direct coworkers. I hope there will be a next time, in order for me to perform at my most optimal environment. It was still very fun, and an unforgettable life experience. I just wish the circumstances leading up to it were different.

	While I didn't receive the crowning placement, the competition went relatively smoothly and was finished in about two hours. We were also granted access to tour the rest of the Samsung Legacy HQ building afterward, and it ended with a celebratory night out with Samsung MX management and other finalists. Information about this event can be found on the [https://news.samsung.com/us/top-techs-put-skills-test-samsung-national-skills-repair-competition-2023/ Samsung Newsroom] website. I won a Galaxy Watch6 for my placement, ~~while~~ the top 5 all won the latest Samsung phones: Galaxy Fold5 for first, and the Galaxy Flip5 for the other top places. 5-10 earned watches and a Samsung backpack full of collectibles.		While I didn't receive the crowning placement, the competition went relatively smoothly and was finished in about two hours. We were also granted access to tour the rest of the Samsung Legacy HQ building afterward as well while the results were being tallied.

			We learned about each judge and staff, including meeting the head of the mobile experience department of Samsung's legacy headquarters. They thanked us for our performance, and shortly after, we walked out of the building for the last time. The day ended with a celebratory night out with Samsung MX management and other finalists. Information about this event can be found on the [https://news.samsung.com/us/top-techs-put-skills-test-samsung-national-skills-repair-competition-2023/ Samsung Newsroom] website. I won a Galaxy Watch6 for my placement, whilst the top 5 all won the latest Samsung phones: Galaxy Fold5 for first, and the Galaxy Flip5 for the other top places. 5-10 earned watches and a Samsung backpack full of collectibles.

	MX Repair Comp. is a yearly event. You bet I will be returning for more!		MX Repair Comp. is a yearly event. You bet I will be returning for more!

Ha1vorsen at 08:21, 9 May 2024

2024-05-09T08:21:42Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:21, 9 May 2024
Line 5:		Line 5:
	Given the existence of [[wikipedia:Samsung_Town\|Samsung Town]] in South Korea, it only makes sense that their subsidiary headquarters also aim to emulate this exact feeling.		Given the existence of [[wikipedia:Samsung_Town\|Samsung Town]] in South Korea, it only makes sense that their subsidiary headquarters also aim to emulate this exact feeling.

	While I didn't receive the crowning placement, the competition went relatively smoothly and was finished in about two hours. We were also granted access to tour the rest of the Samsung Legacy HQ building afterward, and it ended with a celebratory night out with Samsung MX management and other finalists. Information about this event can be found on the [https://news.samsung.com/us/top-techs-put-skills-test-samsung-national-skills-repair-competition-2023/ Samsung Newsroom] website.		The day started pretty early. We were told to expect a specific process of events, which had implications that the repairs we would be doing would be for real customers. For example, we were specifically told we would be graded for our customer service skills, as well as physical repair competence. But, in reality, it really seemed somewhat improvised on-the-spot. We were able to eat a small lunch in the general building behind the legacy Samsung headquarters while waiting for everyone to arrive. We were filled in on what to expect and were given a tour of the headquarters at this time, which was really magical. This tour alone showcased the positivity shown by employees who seemed to have a genuine affinity for their work and work culture, and created my personal life goal to work in this building at one point.

			We were given pretty expansive freedom, with one finalist allowed to travel inside of an ID-only area without an actual ID. There were beautiful paintings and murals throughout the area. Eventually, we all reconciled at the general building to start the competition. I was the first to walk into the competition room, as shown in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BMpNyAwZVM this video]!

			Things went slightly downhill at this point.

			Due to severe staffing issues, my primary tasks at work for the months leading up to this event were reduced to merely handling customer tickets, intake, diagnostics, and general maintenance of the store, with nearly all repairs being handed off to the senior employee working that day. This was done to ensure maximum efficiency; due to my absolute unwillingness to talk at length with customers, intake diagnostics and check-in can happen in as little as two minutes, and the phone can be worked on within five minutes of entering the store. As I was still the newest employee two years into the job, seniority defined who took on the repairs. There were times I would not see the repair room for more than five minutes at a time, despite being hired specifically as a technician - not customer service. The problem arises as, a few months prior, Samsung introduced a new method of phone repair that significantly differs from the general process I was trained on. Because I was kept away from repairs due to customer volume and understaffing, I have gone months without any hands-on experience with this new repair process, which involves replacing only the actual OLED panel instead of swapping the entire frame with the panel preinstalled.

			This was the repair we were being tested on. Tools I have never touched before, but am expected to use without issue in a national competition.

			Completely fuck everything related to my job and the people who organise it. This is all underscored by my own pleading to my manager, as soon as I was hired, to learn the ''correct'' process for repairs, not the quickest or easiest. As far as I can tell, this was ignored. There were multiple instances, within this event and outside of it, where my training did not match the correct process. For example, I was completely unaware of the correct way to test water resistance until I was at Samsung itself. These cumulative issues actively make me angry, especially given that I specifically pled to prevent these within my first week of employment at this place.

			I also misunderstood the instructions by the competition host. I had the option to perform disassembly and testing in an asynchronous manner, but was inclined to do everything one-by-one, inherently opening up the risk for errors along the way. I ended up using the tools correctly, despite being my first time using them! However, I ended up damaging the display panel due to my inexperience - I did not realise the display had a non-removable cable connected to the motherboard (since I never disassembled this model in-store), so I slightly tore the screen cable.

			Ever since, my trust in my coworkers has somewhat dwindled, and I am now paying more attention to the documentation provided by the OEM rather than my direct coworkers. I hope there will be a next time, in order for me to perform at my most optimal environment. It was still very fun, and an unforgettable life experience. I just wish the circumstances leading up to it were different.

			While I didn't receive the crowning placement, the competition went relatively smoothly and was finished in about two hours. We were also granted access to tour the rest of the Samsung Legacy HQ building afterward, and it ended with a celebratory night out with Samsung MX management and other finalists. Information about this event can be found on the [https://news.samsung.com/us/top-techs-put-skills-test-samsung-national-skills-repair-competition-2023/ Samsung Newsroom] website. I won a Galaxy Watch6 for my placement, while the top 5 all won the latest Samsung phones: Galaxy Fold5 for first, and the Galaxy Flip5 for the other top places. 5-10 earned watches and a Samsung backpack full of collectibles.

			MX Repair Comp. is a yearly event. You bet I will be returning for more!

Ha1vorsen: Created page with "== 2023 MX Repair Competition == North is depicted with a gray blazer.]] Every year, Samsung Electronics America (SEA) hosts a competition which pits fifteen of the nation's highest graded technicians against each other in a competition within SEA's headquarters. This can be for various departments, such as the Home Appliance division, to their Mobile Experience division, covering devices like smartphon..."

2023-11-10T20:01:51Z

Created page with "== 2023 MX Repair Competition == thumb|In this image, [[User:Ha1vorsen|North is depicted with a gray blazer.]] Every year, Samsung Electronics America (SEA) hosts a competition which pits fifteen of the nation's highest graded technicians against each other in a competition within SEA's headquarters. This can be for various departments, such as the Home Appliance division, to their Mobile Experience division, covering devices like smartphon..."

New page

== 2023 MX Repair Competition ==
[[File:Chrome EdHWhtb5zJ.png|thumb|In this image, [[User:Ha1vorsen|North]] is depicted with a gray blazer.]]
Every year, Samsung Electronics America (SEA) hosts a competition which pits fifteen of the nation's highest graded technicians against each other in a competition within SEA's headquarters. This can be for various departments, such as the Home Appliance division, to their Mobile Experience division, covering devices like smartphones and watches. In 2023, I was lucky enough to be among the fifteen finalists Samsung has chosen for this year's event. After the travel to Samsung's Legacy headquarters in Plano, Texas, I had only a night's rest before the competition started, with no clue on what to expect on the following day. When that day came, I met the other finalists who flew in from all over the country; some within Samsung's own repair facilities, and some with business partners via uBreakiFix. While most of us were first-time contestants, there were a number of returning finalists from years past who were already sharing new repair experiences, how the industry has shifted, and new challenges the sector faces. Meeting with people who also possess the technical knowledge and passion in your daily work environment is already an important experience, but it doesn't compare to entering the building of the company behind it all, where it seems like its own society of enthusiasts for technology and preservation alike, seeing people from all walks of the world collaborate for a common purpose which benefits users around the globe.

Given the existence of [[wikipedia:Samsung_Town|Samsung Town]] in South Korea, it only makes sense that their subsidiary headquarters also aim to emulate this exact feeling.

While I didn't receive the crowning placement, the competition went relatively smoothly and was finished in about two hours. We were also granted access to tour the rest of the Samsung Legacy HQ building afterward, and it ended with a celebratory night out with Samsung MX management and other finalists. Information about this event can be found on the [https://news.samsung.com/us/top-techs-put-skills-test-samsung-national-skills-repair-competition-2023/ Samsung Newsroom] website.