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Tag Archives: “computer support”

What’s the REAL Answer to your Computer Question?

Computers are hard, and so is technical support

My favorite part about being The Computer Answer Guy was that I got a chance to help people out with what seemed like simple questions, often had complicated answers, and needed to be addressed in terms that mattered to the people asking them. I saw things like puzzles, and I got paid to solve them!

Of course, that’s what business is, and we all deal with that kind of thing every day. But to me, being The Computer Answer Guy was just plain fun.

Microsoft Says My 4-Year-Old Computers Are Dead

Today is the fourth birthday of two of the three computers I use regularly.

I talk about the three computers I use as though that’s all there are, but of course I really use many more computers than that. Not including my SmartPhone, I also use cloud-based servers for hosting e-mail and the web sites that make up Answer Guy Central, for storage, and even for managing my appointments.

A Tale: Rotten Customer Service, and Great Customer Service

When I told you about Steve Madden’s enshrinement on The Answer Guy’s Customer Service Wall of Shame earlier this week, I pointed out a problem with not being specific. Yesterday, I experienced another customer service issue brought about by non-specificity, but this time it wasn’t overt; it was a matter of careless automation run amok.

Of course, on the customer service side of things, there’s no real difference.

Music, Clouds, Spots, and Messed-Up Computers

Last week, the most anticipated launch of a cloud music service finally happened here in the USA. Spotify, available for years in much of the rest of the world, finally got their licensing and server acts together and turned on their “listen to almost anything for free even if you don’t own it” music service.

And with that breathless couple of compound sentences, I haven’t even begun to tell the story.

The Cloud” matters. I’ve told you this several times, and while music streaming might not seem all that important to you, it’s enormously popular and both a great test of cloud service capabilities and people’s adoption of new ideas. The Cloud is business change.

Change Your Internet Browser Software! Quick! Right Now!

What software are you using for browsing the Internet? What version? How old is it? Is it secure? DO YOU CARE?

Yes, you do. Or you need to. And yesterday Yahoo! showed me why.

Browser updates are one of those computer issues that keep on coming up, but shouldn’t. I may hate Apple, but they handle this the right way; when Mac OS downloads system updates it also updates your Safari web browser software. You don’t need to know or do anything. Microsoft has recently begun sneaking browser updates for Internet Explorer into Windows system updates, but the process is slightly clumsier and it seems like whenever Internet Explorer updates the changes are dramatic enough that you can’t help but notice them—and likely be confused.

Computer Geeks, Useful Information, Real People, David Pogue

Sometimes, the best business change you can make is when you “go back to your roots”, Rewind to what you know best. Stop being “cute”.

Today, for the first time in a long time, David Pogue wrote a column that was worth reading.

I say that, fully aware that I’m not the world’s end-all arbiter of what’s worth reading. And let me be clear: I’m trying to compliment David Pogue, not insult him. Pogue is an occasional touchstone here at Answer Guy Central, and it makes me sad that every now and then I write about him in a way that sounds snarky. He’s even written in to complain a bit.

Computers Are Easy, Right? (No, Not Really)

In my fifty-one years on the planet I’ve learned a few things. Mostly, I’ve learned that there are very few “facts”; almost everything comes with room for interpretation.

Jeff Yablon and Gary Yablon at Rowan University Graduation 2011

Even this picture, where a father and his son pose together at the son’s college graduation, might be something other than it appears. It isn’t; my oldest son graduated from college last week, and I’m proud of him. But for goodness’ sake, it’s just a picture, right? Anything can look good for 1/100th of a second!

How Much Discount is Too Much? And Who Decides?

Where do you get your business computer support? You should get it from either PC-VIP or The Computer Answer Guy, but because our two stellar support options—great as they are—each serve specific groups, you’re forgiven if you use someone else.

If you use Barrister Global Services, though, this blogger doesn’t forgive you at all. And maybe he has a point. Or maybe not. Consider:

Your Clients Are Dumber Than You

Oh, yeah. I went there.

  • Point #1: I don’t really believe that
  • Point #2: Unless I do

And I don’t. At all. But here’s the thing: your clients hired you because you have some sort of expertise that they need. You’re the expert on something. So why do you speak to them as though they understand the things that are second-nature to you?

Business Change Marketing: Grab The Long Tail and Hold On!

What if I told you to pay more attention . . . pay lots of attention to the “long tail” ? Would that mean anything to you? If yes, keep reading. If no, keep reading and pay very close attention, because this is the single most important issue for your business’ growth and your business change that you will encounter.

Any time. Ever. It’s that important.

What’s the long tail? As the picture in your mind suggests, it’s a connection to something that you can grab from far away. And why does it matter? Here’s the example:

Loans? Insurance? Computer Care? Where Do They Connect?

Imagine someone asked you to completely change the way you do business. Then they offered you insurance to make sure that the business changes you were taking on would work. Would you do it?

Your answer is probably “yes”, if only because of the insurance component. Or maybe it’s still no because change scares you, but the insurance part at least made you consider the idea.





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