I have to be careful with this thread...as my true colors will tend to show. I'm one of those evil computer nerds, who tends to dislike dealing with customers. I'm not quite a
BOFH , but I must admit to sharing many of the traits exhibited by this fictional character. For those of you who have not had the pleasure,
the BOFH stories are a MUST read.
Many who have followed up in this thread, are in the industry and have made good points. I'm in a somewhat unique position...Dana and I are both IT professionals, working at the same employer, in the same department. We support approximately 2,000 users, and the IT infrastructure they rely on. However, our perspectives are very different, which benefits both of us - given the amount of shop talk in our household, we have first-hand insights into two very different areas of IT support.
Dana is an IT Manager - she manages the Help Desk. She oversees the "first line" support; these folks, have the jobs from hell, IMO. They take the grief from the B~C's of the world, and have the least amount of influence when it comes to making decisions that affect their clients. In short - Dana's section is very customer service oriented, and must put on a happy face and attitude even when the users are screaming.
Me - let's just say, I'm not IT management material, nor could I ever work on a Help Desk. I like the tech, enjoy working with those who understand it, but have little patience for dealing with customers on a routine basis.
And here is my first disagreement with a few of the posts above. There absolutely is a place in IT, for technicians who don't live and breath customer service. I've met very few advanced level technicians, who would make good Help Desk employees - they are too easily frustrated by seemingly mundane issues. Many people who are drawn to these machines are problem solvers; they live for the challenge of the puzzle, are incredibly creative, and when given enough free reign are worth their weight in gold. Good IT managers understand these unique personalities, and can guide them in ways that benefit the organization. Senior level techs do NOT need to have excellent customer service skills; while it's certainly a benefit if they are not completely lacking in social graces, that's not the primary criteria by which they are valued. They need to work well in teams of like-minded individuals, and must be able to communicate effectively with IT managers who set policy. Once given direction, they need to implement policies in the best technical method possible.
So...what do I see as the answer to B~C's problem? It's a very, very common issue, that is easily solved with good management, the right tools, and talented techs. Unfortunately, this is a rare combination at most employers.
You can't give users full access on their PC's. Much as they want to bitch and whine about how their work is being impeded, the risk to the organization is far greater in doing so, than any benefit they'll receive in productivity. The virus, licensing and support issues have already been raised. With the limited IT budgets most organizations have, none of these issues can be addressed if you don't lock your users down.
Now...here's the tough part. Many organizations stop after the previous paragraph, and simply tell their employees "tough luck." This invariably leads to the B~C's of the world groaning about their IT department, and rightfully so. IT must give users the tools they need to do their jobs.
Notice, I didn't say, the tools they ASK for. I'm speaking in generalizations here, but the average corporate computer user rarely sees beyond their own needs; they don't fully comprehend the impact their work has on the entire enterprise, and they rarely know every aspect of an organization's existing IT structure. This is where good management, and good techs come to the rescue, and it's no different than any other profession. You don't tell a plumber
how to fix a leak - you just want it fixed.
If B~C approached us about an application he wanted installed, our initial questions would have nothing to do with the software. We would inquire as to what problem he was trying to solve, and how the existing tools he had available to him were failing.
Depending on his answers, any of a number of things might happen - but unless he was simply trying to download his porn more efficiently, he likely wouldn't be told, "Sorry, that's how it is." :lol:
If software had been approved for use elsewhere in the organization that substantially met his needs, that's what he would receive. If nothing existed and his need was legitimate, IT staff would analyze solutions (including his suggested software), taking into account the impact and/or usage it could have elsewhere in the organization. And regardless of what solution he was provided, it would be packaged, managed, and distributed from a centralized location, to his locked down PC.
After which, he would write an email to the IT manager, thanking them for the quick and professional support he received.
B~C...thanks for being my whippin' boy in this little scenario.
