| Why fight fires when you can prevent them? | | | | fighting them can mean the difference between being |
| Scenario: Your team has just begun work on a | | | | productive and stress-free, or becoming prematurely |
| dynamic new project. Everyone is full of enthusiasm. | | | | burned-out. |
| Suddenly a systems problem arises. It isn't unsolvable | | | | Your Problems. Your Solutions. |
| but it affects everyone. Many people might be needed | | | | There are unlimited choices, when it comes to |
| to solve this problem Important deadlines are now | | | | software. Selection criteria are also unlimited. The key |
| jeopardized. There is potential for lost payroll, | | | | to success for your business is finding the software |
| productivity and the tension is bringing morale down - | | | | that provides the solution to your business goals and |
| not to mention the unhappy customers that you must | | | | then training your staff. The greatest application or |
| now take time to deal with. Eventually, the problem is | | | | best "deal" is worthless, if it is shelved by your staff |
| solved. But wait, another problem, or worse, the same | | | | because of inexperience or frustration. How do you |
| one, flares up. Does this sound familiar? | | | | find your own solutions, or even your own problems? It |
| Fire prevention | | | | is crucial to determine needs and priorities at the |
| The antidote for system administration fires is finding | | | | beginning. Don't let cost (or management) steer the |
| their causes and sources and then learning to solve | | | | decision. Spend some time analyzing how each staff |
| them. This solution requires an investment in employee | | | | member spends his/her day. Once you can name the |
| education and software customization. But you say, | | | | problem you can find the solution but many companies |
| we have a department for fixing computer problems. | | | | throw more and more tools at a problem when a few |
| The bottom line is, if their time is tied up with small, | | | | well-understood ones could provide success. |
| recurring technology problems ... your company is losing | | | | The High Cost of NOT Learning |
| money ... and your staff is becoming increasingly | | | | We have all had the experience of someone looking |
| frustrated. Beyond the lost wages and low productivity | | | | over your shoulder while you work and suggesting a |
| this could affect the general workplace morale. | | | | much simpler way to perform a repeated task. With |
| Training Opens the Door | | | | the right training provider, your staff has that |
| The first step in reducing employee frustration arising | | | | customized advisor backing them up. They gain |
| from software issues is to make the solution personal. | | | | confidence in themselves and in the tools they use. |
| Teach them! Employees who are confident that they | | | | Well trained employees solve problems quickly, without |
| can solve the problem themselves go beyond fear of | | | | disrupting work flow and, therefore, saving you both |
| failure to approaching the issue as a challenge instead | | | | time and money. |
| of a roadblock. Fires will always occur, and time spent | | | | |