Not All Clients Are Tech Savvy
Spending time with friends and family, there can be a sudden realisation that you are not like them.
What do you mean you don’t know what twitter is?
You DON’T use a feed reader?!
Spending time online, or with fellow ‘techies’ (hi Ian!) 
, means that you can become very blase in terms of technology.
Most people don’t use twitter. Most people don’t blog. Most people don’t have mulitple websites, and most people think that twitter is something Bill Oddie does.
This scenario is exactly the same with most clients, heck, that is why they are employing me in the first place! However, it is easy to assume that they are up to speed on technology and web applications that we take for granted.
Working with clients in 2009
Something I am very concious of, having started working with a new client recently is ways of working, and using web applications with them. I’ve come up with a few guidelines for helping the working relationship start smoothly, and improve over time: (I hope this helps other web workers / consultants and also help clients)
- Important! – Assume nothing – they are often paying me to help them with their online activities, including social media, and possibly business practices like contact management systems
- Understand what level they are at, from an online virgin to a web app ninja. I now have a couple of short, simple surveys I send clients to assess where they are on this scale
- Ask them how they currently work with providers and also internally
- Gently introduce them to any new forms of working, and make sure you point out that this is not a deal breaker / compulsory
- Show the BENEFITS to them, not just the features – talk about time saving, clarity of communication and ease of access for example if explaining about Basecamp
- Offer to provide a little training
- Be patient!
- If you don’t get immediate buy in, leave it and perhaps try again a little bit further into the project
- If it is going to really hamper your working style, then consider telling the client in a friendly manner with proper reasoning
- Don’t be afraid to listen to their point of view, as you could potentially learn something from them!
The only thing I would be completely firm about is with proposals and contracts. If a client is not happy signing something or giving written approval, this is something to take seriously, and you could be opening yourself up to risk. Just be tactful and always consider the option of walking away.
If you have any thoughts about this or anything you recommend, then please get typing in the comments!
Related posts:
- Smartvue – high tech security
- 2009 – brands, technology, the web and a community
- Clarity
- Weekend Catch Up
- Brand your cloud
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2 Responses to “Not All Clients Are Tech Savvy”
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You cannot assume that your clients are comfortable with how you normally work >> http://bit.ly/1417B
Well reasoned stuff there Jon. Even having a cohesive communications toolkit is something that many corporates are struggling with… this stuff needs open discussion so perhaps an Open Coffee / Hull Digital event for discussing business web apps with local businesses could be something “taomi” could look at?
There is a tendency to fear change, I guess, and it’s tough to ignore that many larger organisations are tied into expensive legacy IT systems, licensing schemes and opaque security policies and procedures… business is quite tough right now though, and with proprietary local network based IT services I really believe that many companies are carrying more pain and cost than they should, or can afford to.
Web application technology has matured (but development is showing no sign of slowing, it just gets slicker, faster and more integrated with devices and other software services). There is a wave of web-based applications, services and tools available that are intuitive, attractive and beneficial from a business agility perspective, Salesforce.com being my favourite of these.
The key differentiators, for me, of a tool like SF.com are security, reliability, performance and interoperability… actually, hell… that’s not true at all… let’s take that again
Security, reliability, performance and interoperability are the entry-qualifications that many legacy networked business systems fail to achieve, and have failed to achieve for 10+ years. What DIFFERENTIATES web applications from previously used systems is the “available anywhere, zero install” omnipresence that is just in their DNA. All you need is a half decent Internet connection and you’re connected, doing business and communicating as your needs dictate, rather than the IT manager allows.
Whether you prefer a Mac, XP, Vista, Linux or Unix… well, we’ve never had so much possibility to enjoy secure consistent productivity across such a diverse range of computing platforms.
The great enablers in the web application world include Google (everything from email and instant messaging through to voice communications and hosted applications… not forgetting AdSense as a revenue stream and AdWords to get your business website seen and generating revenues), Mozilla (the Firefox browser has an astonishing 20.78% market share now and is the weapon of choice for many web app ninjas, who value the plug-in accessories that are offered to integrate their favourite services with their browser) and a whole host of bijou development houses (37 Signals is a great example) that are popping up with wonderful ways to exploit the Internet as THE platform for open communications.
Moving your business into a communications environment that takes advantage of the improved cost and business continuity potential of the web is logical, and could be part of a rational IT regime to keep you trading profitably in a tough market.
Things to consider include:
Voice (fixed, mobile and VoIP)
Internet access (fixed and WLAN / cellular mobile)
Email
Instant Messaging
Web Presence (Internet, Intranet, Extranet, Social Networking tools)
CRM, Customer support & Billing
Other IT overheads (could be anything from internal / external IT guy to the computer in your hand or on your desk… could you rework this and work more efficiently with lower cost burden?)
What percentage of your fixed and variable CAPEX and OPEX is spent in these areas? What percentage of your revenue (or profit) does this represent? Can you afford to be scornful of web applications or would you value significant savings?
So for me, 2009 is the year where we can evangelise and business folks may listen (and gain many thousands of pounds of value from what they hear)… those expensive legacy systems with their hefty licencing fees and requirement for in-house or externally contracted IT support could begin to look rather stinky in this new and cost-focused business environment. Bring on Web 2.0.x
/ic