Teaching Technology to Anyone

April 28, 2014 Technology No comments

As a nerd, I often love sharing the things that I am passionate about with other people. I want to explain things in a way that will make my friends, family, and coworkers excited too. Unfortunately, I sometimes misread their need for answers as curiosity and go to far. Of course this happens most often when talking about technology.

Ask If They Want to Learn

Simple. Be up front about the task at hand. Is the person asking the question genuinely interest in learning, do they want the answer, or do they just want you to fix their problem. If they are just looking for the answer don’t waste too much time if they aren’t interested in learning.

Make It Matter to Them

There can be exceptions to this rule. Often when replacing a hard drive or removing malware it is easy to teach the importance of backing up data or running regular anti-virus/anti-malware scans. It is easy to emphasize this when someone just lost all their data, but other times it can be hard. You can’t always make people learn, but creating a good learning environment or providing a good reason for learning will help your cause.

Leave Out the Details

Sure, you know the technology, but when teaching a user how to use a CMS, you don’t always have to explain what is happening on the database. The more you alienate the person, the less interested they are going to be in learning from you. Going too far in depth can leave the user reeling when they are just starting to pick up the basic concept.

Encourage Learning by Doing

If you can let the user try it themselves, go for it! There is no substitute for hands on work. Everything from simple query writing, to coding, to hardware installs can be done by someone who is just learning as long as someone is there to help.

Social Media or CMS?

March 2, 2013 Technology Comments Off on Social Media or CMS?

I built a Drupal website for a church with the intention of users being able to log in and make comments on posts, announcements and changed dates. Unfortunately, some of the users get on the site to check those pages, but they definitely don’t use their logins to leave their impressions or opinions on the site. Often times the Pastor or a parishioner will share a page from their site on Facebook, and I can see via Google Analytics that an influx of traffic comes to the site, but all the comments and discussion happen on Facebook. Is it better to have your CMS designed for your users to interact, or just for them to make necessary updates and changes to the website?

Since all web development work should be done with the customer’s best interest at hand, I feel that in this scenario, whatever drives discussion and brings views to the site is the most beneficial. Not all people will check the church’s website everyday, but most people who use Facebook check their Facebook News feed at least once a day. This means the visibility of the shared pages will rise as well as traffic to the site. Also, with the conversation being on Facebook, there is the added possibility of the website’s influence reaching a much greater audience as people comment on and share the link. Along with this is added page views and links to your website which will raise you site in page ranks on many search engines.

Not Just Your Company’s Computer Guy

January 12, 2013 Customer Service, Technology No comments

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“Oh, yeah… YOU’RE WELCOME.” I think most people have dealt with a computer guy like this, but hopefully it’s not your everyday experience. In case you didn’t get the memo, technology is here to stay. As technology advances, so do the ways in which we use and interact with it.

Previously, most companies had someone just like Nick Burns, someone who lurked in the company’s IT dungeon and who lived in their mother’s basement. (Contrary to popular belief, most IT folks don’t like to be kept in dark, damp places.) This person probably had varying capabilities depending on the size of the company and the kind of technology budget they had. But, for a small company he (“he” assuming he was Nick Burns-like) was an individual who was nerdy enough to handle the small network and maybe a few printers. This person was probably intolerable and enjoyed holding their knowledge of technology over others.

Now, since technology plays a major role in most companies, there are now teams of folks available to help you, not just a cave dweller.

evolution

In our recognition of technology as a vital tool in the workplace, the advances made in the software and hardware have made technology easier to use for the common consumer rather than more complicated. As a result, most people have a good, general understanding of how their technology works. This also means that they have a greater expectation of how it should work. The “Company Computer Guy” now needs to be much more than that guy who fixes the computers. Now he needs to evole into someone who “works well with others” and maybe even “have a personality” in order to fit in with the many non-geek co-workers. All members of the IT team from the top down need to have fantastic interpersonal skills even when talking interdepartmentally. Most importantly, the help desk personnel’s communication skills need to be paramount since they may have the most interaction with people outside of the IT department.

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These communication skills will come naturally to a person who thrives on human interaction. Good communication will result in greater success in their career, especially in the interview process. Hiring managers and IT directors need to look for people who can communicate well, and help those who have been hired that can’t. No one really prefers to have their IT support done remotely by people they aren’t comfortable with.

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Being an IT Change Agent

December 31, 2012 Technology Comments Off on Being an IT Change Agent

Lately I have been working on projects for clients that will greatly benefit them in the long run, but ultimately have come to fruition from great minds inside my company. While working to give our clients greater security and ease of mind (as well as our own ease of mind) I have come to realize how hard it can be for a company to accept change within their IT infrastructure. I don’t know if it is a general fear of change, or if the worry stems from the fact that the client didn’t have the idea in the first place and hasn’t had time to think through the possible pitfalls or benefits. After going through this process, I have realized that you really have to become the Change Agent for the organization if they don’t have one internally.

The biggest issue is convincing someone to make a change when things are already working and relatively efficient. Do you have the perseverance to create change and deal with the political consequences within their organization? How about the ability to fight the resistance that will most definitely come with any changes that you make? You have to convince the client that the change will bring long term benefits even if things can be rough in the short term.

As technology changes, updates can help security, process, and ease of use. Most people are creatures of habit and like things to be “the way they were.” This may work for some organizations, but as technology advances around you, you don’t want to be left behind.

As a Change Agent, you usually aren’t making a change because it is necessary, you push for change to prevent problems, keep the technology up to date, and to keep your team fresh. These reasons are probably not the reasons your clients are going to want to hear when you are pushing for change inside their workflow.

If you are lucky, the client already has an internal Change Agent. If that person is on board, you can let them run with it. If not, you are going to have to be determined and well prepared for when your client pushes back.

Is the Customer Always Right?

December 29, 2012 Customer Service Comments Off on Is the Customer Always Right?

Just recently I was asked, “Do you believe that the customer is always right?” While growing up I had several jobs in sales, retail and hospitality and when you as a part of those industries, the answer has always been a firm yes. If a customer isn’t happy, they won’t be a return customer and you will lose money. However, when hearing this question recently, I my gut was telling me what I have been told and the way I feel are different.

It’s possible that my feelings have changed because I work in a different industry. Maybe they have changed because I have more “real world” experience, or maybe they have changed because the projects that I am working on now cost more money and require much more time, work, and planning than a nine dollar burger at Red Robin.

One of the main issues i have come across is that many customers do not always know what they want or even what you can offer them. This makes it hard to interpret what they need and can lead to misunderstandings later in the project. As a company, you have to ensure that your team can accurately explain your services as well as the timeframes and any limitations that may entail. A client my want a small item added to their website or a change to their workflow but they don’t necessarily understand how much time that can take. Documenting these talks and writing out specifications is key to protecting you and your company as the project progresses.

If the client is wrong, it’s almost always best to make a compromise. Telling them that they are wrong (even if you have proof or documentation) isn’t the best way to keep clients, so reaching an amicable resolution is imperative. I feel that in most instances the issue isn’t usually money, it’s the timeline. This is when you as a company can really step up to the plate and impress a client. Get the work done as fast as possible while maintaining a high quality. Frequent updates show the client that they are a priority.

While it is important to appease the customer, you can’t let them walk over you. You have to make money so don’t undervalue yourself to the point where you barely get paid.

I still feel that the best way to avoid angry conversations with clients is by creating a personal relationship with clients so issues never get escalated to having the “who is right” conversation. However, if your talk does escalate, there is much less finger pointing if you have a good relationship with them.

What do you do if the client is right? You absolutely have to own up to it. Apologize, fix the problem and move on. Your client will appreciate your honesty and it will help you build on your relationship with that client for the future.