Sometimes it’s Not What You Think: IT Systems, Part 1

Over the course of 25 years, our clients have come to us with many problems and requests.  We interact with technology every day.  Clients have a request – speed up my computer, get customers to my website, etc. – and think it’s an easy fix.  But what they think is the problem might or might not be the problem.  If you don’t get the problem right, you can’t fix it.

But first, a story.  Many years ago, a relative kept having car problems.  The car wouldn’t start.  Battery, she thought.  The Auto Club jumped the car, she drove it to recharge the battery.  Next week: same problem.  This time, she replaced the battery.  Two weeks later – same problem.  She concluded the new battery was defective, and insisted on a replacement.  In goes the new battery.  Two weeks later, the car wouldn’t start.  Determined to make a case against the battery manufacturer, she had the car towed to her mechanic.  It turned out there was a short circuit in the lighted mirror on the passenger side of the car. This drained the battery – ever so slowly – so the car wouldn’t start.  While the self-diagnosis of the battery sounded reasonable, there was no point in pursuing this four times to avoid paying for the mechanic.  Plus, she missed shifts at work and had to make alternate arrangements for children to get home from school.  Major hassle – and expensive.

Here are some IT examples. 

“One of our computers locked up.  We think we’ve been hacked.  Can you retrieve the information on the computer and get us back in business.” 

Cybersecurity is top of mind for everyone these days – or it should be.  Cybersecurity includes hacking, and many other things.  Ransomware, phishing, data breaches, privacy breaches, and more.  Each type of cybersecurity failure requires its own response.  You may need to notify the government and/ or customers.  While one computer is locked up, malware can continue to exist on others, stealing valuable information and waiting to disrupt your business even more.  We’ve seen situations where the computer in question was simply so old that it didn’t have the ability to view websites or use online applications that are now standard. 

“Change the color scheme and photos on our website, so we get more sales.”

A website must be pleasing to the eye to engage viewers, and to turn them into customers.  The popularity of color schemes changes over time.  [Heck, interior designers are even saying that the open concept format is on the way out!]  But as fast as color preferences change, the technology in the back end of a website changes even faster.  One client had an order process that was unwieldy; over half the items placed in the shopping cart stayed there.  Changing the website colors from blue to orange would not result in more sales.  Our firm redesigned the shopping cart and e-commerce payment process.  The Client reduced abandoned merchandise in the shopping cart substantially within two weeks.

“My computer keeps running slower.  Help me set up my new one I got from my brother-in-law.” 

Moving from one computer to another is no joke, and it is to this client’s credit that they asked for help.  But if the existing computer is loaded with garbage, and doesn’t have current, effective software – the new computer will likely be no better.  And maybe you thought (like we did) “why is your brother-in-law getting rid of that computer?”   Does it have a virus?  Is there data on the computer you should not have, and/or should not plug into your company’s network?  Does this involve moving from a PC to an Apple product, or vice versa?  We have rescued some clients’ computers with a thorough clean-up.  Sometimes simple tools are enough.  Old operating systems are inefficient and slow, and may not support many critical activities in your business.  Other times, a new computer is a splendid idea – just not the one from your brother-in-law.  We’ve helped clients pick one for longer-term success, not just a temporary reprieve from their day-to-day annoyances. 

IT systems are just that – systems.  Systems include many parts:  online; websites; cloud services; operating systems; devices.  Systems include intangibles, notably skills, competencies and experience to navigate the way parts of IT systems relate with others. 

We encourage our clients – national businesses, local businesses and boutiques, and families using technology for their everyday lives – to bring us their problem.  Any problem.  But with over 25 years of experience in several generations of IT systems, be prepared for this:  it might not be the exact problem we fix!