Education Breeds Empowerment

I had no idea where to put this but, felt it worth saying. Rich can move it, of course, if there's a more apt spot .

When I started years ago in IT it was clear there was a need in people to receive help w/ various issues & computer needs. And there were 2 other things immediately obvious. (1) People lacked awareness, knowledge & understanding. (2) That when sold stuff or having work done on their gear little of nothing was explained or taught. The 2nd is borderline dirty-tricks, since it can be a 'make work' project.; leave someone stupid & likely they'll be back w/ more or another problem. From big-box stores & other service depots to independent 'techs' this happens. I've oft been called to a client who just had work done & a short time later I'm cleaning up the mess... either what was done or what was not done coupled w/ the fact that the End User was left no more enlightened than they were before. Another is places or so-called 'techs' using certain tools or utilities to address a problem in a person's machine. But, then take the tools back out when they may be things that , actually, should be in a machine or even things already in the OS (by default) but, @ any rate, TLC things that should be used regularly to keep machines @ their optimum and they don't give them to the client or bother to tell them about TLC things they should be using or doing. It's simply not good business, good customer service or even good ethics.

Don't work on people's devices w/out giving them enhanced potential for a better and longer lasting experience w/ their computing going forward should be everybody's credo but, alas, sadly it is not. Give End Users the power & ability to know & use things so they have fewer (if any) issues in the future & so they can manage their 'puters daily w/ the TLC they should have themselves, that should be the credo.

An the irony is, do a complete job including explaining & teaching & they will, still, come back but, for the right & good reasons & new business, plus you get a good reputation & referrals. Repeat business is great and I get & have had lots of it but, never people coming back w/ the same problem over again. Drawing them back or forcing them to go elsewhere for the same issue (they had) is disgusting.

Education breeds empowerment.

 

I agree and practice teaching my clients which at times can be quite frustrating but I feel pays off in the long run because they are more certain to tell others about me.
I was really beatten up on the Linkedin PC Business Owner Forum for saying that because those Capitalists feel you tell them nothing so they keep coming back and I believe just the opposite.
I always pass out sheets I call "Safe Computing" telling them how to keep their system Malware free.

 

"I always pass out sheets I call "Safe Computing" telling them how to keep their system Malware free."

Ditto I be telling clients all this stuff & some would take notes. At some point I started being asked did I have anything printed. So I wrote a paper called "Best Practices" and would leave it for their reference & perusal. WOW, do they appreciate it!

There are many who find LinkedIn doesn't produce much. Certainly, although I am a Member, don't think any of my customers & business has come from there, directly or indirectly.

There is potential for networking & picking up work through IT Pro User Groups. Also, attending courses, seminars & conferences can lead to good contacts & clients. Colleagues turn each other on to stuff or other productive leads or projects.

There is less break-fix work than there used to be, which says a good thing in a way. We try to have Folks be more preventative than reactive these days. And Cloud Services has changed the landscape for IT Pros. But, at least, we have End Users and Enterprise thinking more about off-prem storage & back-up more than in the past.

 

One thing I love to do is when they email me or call with a question, 98% of them are on my paper and I just tell them "reread #4" and that forces them to read it
probably for the first time before asking the next stupid question!