IT Soft Skills 2

[Onyxpurr]

Recently someone brought up a couple of issues with IT customers. I thought maybe I could get some good responses on how other handle the following:

Users berating themselves for asking a stupid question, making a mistake, etc...

What is a good way to make your customers understand that first of all that although we're IT, we're not gods/gurus/wizards and secondly that it's okay to make a mistake/ask a question?

 

[Dollie]

Hi I have a stupid question to ask you, Dollie."

"There's no such thing as a stupid question if you've come to me for the answer!

 

[BJCooperIT]

"I have a stupid question."

"I admire you for being willing to ask a question when you do not understand something. Actually that is a smart thing to do, otherwise how could one learn?"

"Hopefully, I can clear that up for you."

OR

"Unfortunately, I am not sure of the answer. Let me find that out and get back to you. That way we will both know the answer."

^{Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw}
Systems Project Analyst/Custom Forms & PL/SQL - Oracle/Windows

 

[DrJavaJoe]

I have a stupid question."
Oh my god you are such a moron. <- no more questions from this guy

and

We're not gods/gurus/wizards?


but seriously, you should just let them know that more problems arise, for you, when people don't ask questions and also we were all there at one time.

Two strings walk into a bar. The first string says to the bartender: 'Bartender, I'll have a beer. u.5n$x5t?*&4ru!2[sACC~ErJ'. The second string says: 'Pardon my friend, he isn't NULL terminated'.

 

[Tarwn]

This is a two-fold thing for me. Generally if it is a customer I will thank them for bringing the question to my attention, usually with some explanation that:
I am a programmer and sometimes that makes me take certain things for granted, just as they would were they describing ( enter facet of their career/education ) and that by bringing this to my attention it shows a lacking in my job in not making it clearer, not a lacking in them for pointing it out to me.

Now, if it is a coworker or boss and I have answered the question many times, sometimes in the form of email, I will generally either repeat the anwer or forward thwm a copy of the email that I last answered them in. Obviously I wouldn't do this if they were asking for clarification, but I onec had a coworker who would ask me every question on at least 3 occasions. Generally questions that were answered earlier on in a document he swore he had read carefully. Heck, he once responded to a small update email with a question that was anwered in the third sentance of said email...I'm not bitter


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Need an expensive ASP developer in the North Carolina area? Feel free to let me know.

 

[dyarwood]

Talking of stupid questions, in the space of two weeks I was asked 3 times to check why a computer was not working.

Conversation for all 3 went as follows

User: Hi can you look at my computer its not working.
Me: How is it not working?
User: It won't switch on.
slight pause
User: I've not checked to see if it is plugged in or the plug is switched on but can you have a look.
Me: Can you not check the plug?
User: I don't know which one it is. Can you come and have a look.


Problem was it was not switched on at the plug.

Personally I would have thought that would be checked before calling IT.

 

[LesleyW]

dyarwood, I've come across the type before. Their mindset is "that's a cable, better call the cable guy".

In my previous life I was a tech support in a small company which sold graphics computers and trained it's customers in their use. The trainer called me up to her room in the middle of a training session "The printer's not working". The printer power cable had a heavy transformer on it, and this was dangling in mid-air, and it pulled the connection out. I tried the show the trainer what it had done, to illustrate that we had to find a way of supporting the transformer and she flatly refused to look. "No, no, it's cables, I don't do cables!"

Aw I feel bad telling you this, cause she's still a good friend of mine

 

[gizmo1973]

In a past life (for my sins) I was a technician for a TV, VCR, and Stereo etc rental company.
We had a very strict vetting policy on who we rented to and my life was a breeze.
We suddenly dropped the vetting criteria so any tom, Dick or Harry could get equipment and my call list went through the roof!!
The calls were along the line of.
TV not tuned in
VCR clock goes backwards when rewinding
TV Stereo needs tuning to local radio station
and on, and on, and on.
Now I'm not stereo typing (I hope) but it seemed quite strange to me!!!!
My point is that to some people even the simplest of things require a call out and to others they are willing to have a go! But be warned the “have a goes” can cause more damage than good


Phil

"Then I’d say what’s the point of having rank if you can’t pull it?"

(DCI Jack Meadows)

 

[Dollie]

You could always go with the standard:

"Well, ask a stupid question.....

Get a stupid answer!"

Of course, depending on what type of clients you are dealing with (ie. computer superstore clients or the client who just purchased your specialized database interface), it makes a huge difference on how you handle the question.

If it's a computer superstore, I believe the standard protocol is to sigh heavily, roll your eyes, tell them it's not your specialty and then try to sell them something they don't need.

If it's your database client, you tell them that all of their questions are valid and you'll be more than happy to help!

 

[Tarwn]

I thought, "Well, it doesn't work quite right because you haven't bought product xyz" was the standard answer to every question?

Oh right, thats sales, my bad

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Need an expensive ASP developer in the North Carolina area? Feel free to let me know.

 

[zemp]

I look at it this way, assuming the same user and the same polite and proper response each time with reminders and perhaps references to the previous responses.

If a question is asked it is a valid question.
If the same question is asked a second time, they are human, but it is still valid.
If the same question is asked a third time it becomes suspect.
If the same question is asked a fourth time it can become a stupid question.
If the same question is asked five or more times then it is usually the classic "ID ten T" error.

But the client is always treated with respect. Just maybe charged more.


zemp

 

[hilfy]

A star for you, zemp!

That's the way I handled things when I was doing support for my former employer.

What was especially bad was that the trainer we had was the epitome of dumb blonde who thought she could do support. (before y'all get on me for being sexist, let me point out that I'm female!) The program I was hired to support was DOS-based - so we didn't have the neat Windoze GUI stuff. By the third time I had to tell her how to use the copy command, I'd lost all patience with her. After the first time I had to save her a$$ because she'd deleted a client's data, I knew I had a problem.

Now, while I was re-writing the software for Windoze, I tried to keep in mind that our average user was a middle-aged woman who was afraid of her computer. That's the level I spoke to when I was doing support. But our trainer should have had the skills and experience to know better. After 5 years, she was one of the major reasons why I left.

-Dell

 

[philote]

Usually if I have users berating themselves for something stupid they think they did, I'll assure them that mistakes happen and nobody's perfect. I also let them know I've encountered much worse (which usually I have) and possibly even share a story of such an occurence. I'll also try to remind them of a mistake I've made before that was stupid, because I'm far from perfect myself.

If its a question they're asking I'll answer it and assure them that there is so much to know when it comes to computers and no one can retain all of it. I'll also inform them of some resources they can use to research other questions they can if they don't want to have to find me. And of course, I'll let them know they can come ask me any other 'stupid' questions if need be.

 

[Tarwn]

Watching this thread unfold has been great, belies the common misconception that tech people can't communicate with end users, keep 'em coming

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Need an expensive ASP developer in the North Carolina area? Feel free to let me know.

 

[mmorancbt]

This topic and many similiar, have been my soapbox for the past several years.

In 1998 I wrote an article, "Why Technologists Must Learn To Speak Business." I rewrote it 2001 and it was published by Power Media Group. It created quite the firestorm of activity and response.

Now I go around speaking to technology departments and professionals on the business-case of technology and largely soft-skills development.

You can check out the article at:

http://www.cbtoolkit.com/consult/whytechnspeakbusiness.htm

For the past 2 years, in my consulting, I give prospective clients a write-up that begins with the phrase, "Don't settle for Nick Burns"

Nick Burns was the Saturday Night Live "computer guy" - no social skills or empathy - a superiority complex, etc.

Unfortunately, such caricatures are built upon the widely held perception. I place the impetus for changing that perception squarely on teh shoulders of the technologist. It might be that you are not, and have never been, a "Nick Burns" but professional it just makes sense to err in the other direction.

Generally speaking, you will stand out as a "better technologist" when you speak less like a technologist.

Matthew Moran

 

[kmcginn]

I think it helps to remember "We were all users at one time!" Nobody started out knowing everything. At some point in our lives, we didn't know either. Hopefully some tech was kind to us and helped us along the way.

It's also helpful to treat users like your 80 year old grandmother who has never turned on a computer.

 

[lespaul]

I am currently working on a project to redesign our unnormalized database. When I started designing the HR tables, I went to one of the HR people and asked some questions about what kind of information they need and what kinds of things they are doing manually in spreadsheets so I could get a better idea of what the structure would need to be to capture all the information. One of her first comments to me was:

You mean you're going to ask me what I want?

I actually have my degree in business with a concentration in MIS. I was exposed to a great deal of IS and how it effects and impacts business. I don't believe that you can be successful in IT without the ability to talk to your users in a way that isn't condescending and get the information you need.


Leslie

 

[Onyxpurr]

I agree lespaul. One of the things I appreciated about Devry was they taught us real-world concepts including how to effectively get customer requirements.

I've noticed in my time as a programmer/business analyst a majority of the databases or applications not used by the users were because the initial programmer didn't bother finding out what their needs were as opposed to what their wants were.

Now I stress that the most important aspect of making a "successful" app is to bring the customer in early on the project and really listen to them.

 

[Blorf]

Tarwn, while reading the post, I spotted your tag, and of course had to decode it.

Got Coffee?

OMG I almost fell out of my chair!

"When religion and politics ride in the same cart...the whirlwind follows."
Frank Herbert

 

[willir]

Users berating themselves for asking a stupid question, making a mistake, etc...

I always respect the person for their skills and experience at their tasks (well almost always). A five thumb typing 55 year old in maintenance who takes 20 min to type up a small report.

"Well John, I look at it the other way. I really wish I knew as much about cars as you do. You should have seen the silly thing I did last weekend..." "Dont worry about asking me a question on computers John. We can not all be experts at everything - I am hopeless with cars".
...kind of thing.

What is a good way to make your customers understand that first of all that although we're IT, we're not gods/gurus/wizards and secondly that it's okay to make a mistake/ask a question?

See above, and then emphasize that IT / computers is a vast field with all sorts experts. And that I am still learning.

I too liked your post Leslie. Realizing our limitations is always a step in the right direction.