Why can't they see?
I got a call this morning from a fairly new customer asking for help. I had recently installed a Small Business Server 2003 server which took them out of stand-alone computer environment and moved them to one where the server manages the email, the SQL database for their core application, an ISA firewall/proxy and a domain to secure their logins.
Everything was working fine from my perspective but they did not share my enthuisiasm. While I was building the server I was not able to train anyone (their choice) in the operation and system administration and I was just waiting for a call like this but it was not quite what I expected. This person was pretty knowledgable and had an IT degree but was so busy with other responsibilities where IT had taken a backseat and was preparing to phase out of the organization within the next few months. The customer voiced the desire to get back to simple or something they could understand. This was simple I thought to myself.
They way I translated the whole scenario was that the original request was to get them updated to a simple modern and secure environment to host their core application and offer remote access in a secure manner. This customer was taking a quantum leap in technology but from my experience, the user and support environment was obviously not ready to change. So now the first request was to go back to receiving pop-mail from an externally hosted service. Unfortunately no one was able to provide the previously hosted email setup information. When they had web-based mail using OutlookWebAccess, Outlook client support via RPC and VPN it seemed like step backward but I could not make them see this.
Just yesterday I remoted into the server and shadowed the customer session so we could share the servers screen. Pop-ups showed up immediately loading the IE browser on the server. I asked if there was virus protection on the laptop being used to remote in. Did not get an immediate response. This was not very comforting. I suggested that the laptop install the Kaspersky virus-protection software which could be installed from the server. Will do, was the response - later. But we proceeded in showing how to add users, assign rights, and create network printers, closing pop-ups are as we were going along. Even though I walked the through the steps which I knew were important I sensed that the this is was not where this customers focus was. It was on the next journey far far away from this work environment.
How simple this all could have been if there was someone there who would take on the ownership responsibility which so often a lacking in organizations. All I could is offer help and overlook such things and simply feel what I feel and accept the situation for what it is and go on. Part of that exercise is this backward motion and try not to feel sorry for the people who are affected by this action. For me it is like accepting ignorance. Why can't they see? They don't want to see is a simple answer or I can't show them in a language they understand.
It seems like a dark cloud that was created by this scenario and I felt we were both under it and all I could do is move out from under it. Maybe after it rains and thunders we'll see the sun again I was hoping. Time will tell.
Everything was working fine from my perspective but they did not share my enthuisiasm. While I was building the server I was not able to train anyone (their choice) in the operation and system administration and I was just waiting for a call like this but it was not quite what I expected. This person was pretty knowledgable and had an IT degree but was so busy with other responsibilities where IT had taken a backseat and was preparing to phase out of the organization within the next few months. The customer voiced the desire to get back to simple or something they could understand. This was simple I thought to myself.
They way I translated the whole scenario was that the original request was to get them updated to a simple modern and secure environment to host their core application and offer remote access in a secure manner. This customer was taking a quantum leap in technology but from my experience, the user and support environment was obviously not ready to change. So now the first request was to go back to receiving pop-mail from an externally hosted service. Unfortunately no one was able to provide the previously hosted email setup information. When they had web-based mail using OutlookWebAccess, Outlook client support via RPC and VPN it seemed like step backward but I could not make them see this.
Just yesterday I remoted into the server and shadowed the customer session so we could share the servers screen. Pop-ups showed up immediately loading the IE browser on the server. I asked if there was virus protection on the laptop being used to remote in. Did not get an immediate response. This was not very comforting. I suggested that the laptop install the Kaspersky virus-protection software which could be installed from the server. Will do, was the response - later. But we proceeded in showing how to add users, assign rights, and create network printers, closing pop-ups are as we were going along. Even though I walked the through the steps which I knew were important I sensed that the this is was not where this customers focus was. It was on the next journey far far away from this work environment.
How simple this all could have been if there was someone there who would take on the ownership responsibility which so often a lacking in organizations. All I could is offer help and overlook such things and simply feel what I feel and accept the situation for what it is and go on. Part of that exercise is this backward motion and try not to feel sorry for the people who are affected by this action. For me it is like accepting ignorance. Why can't they see? They don't want to see is a simple answer or I can't show them in a language they understand.
It seems like a dark cloud that was created by this scenario and I felt we were both under it and all I could do is move out from under it. Maybe after it rains and thunders we'll see the sun again I was hoping. Time will tell.
posted by Charles Moll at
8:35 AM
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