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In our previous post, we revealed the various signs of a digitally deficient organization that call for IT outsourcing – some of which pointed towards a lazy and jaded IT department. But that’s just one side of the story. This time we must do justice to all those overworked, stressed-out IT experts out there by enumerating the worst kinds of tech users they have to encounter daily. Let’s just add: with IT outsourcing, no one has to put up with these nightmarish types in-house – just pass them on to weathered external professionals who have the patience to deal with them.
First up, there’s the Paranoid who is well aware of all possible threats to his device or the system and he’s ready to panic at the drop of a hat. Every new virus, every privacy scare on social media keeps him on his toes and so he, in turn, keeps tech support busy.
Another regular at the IT desk is the Coveter. He has his eye on cutting-edge trends in gadgets and tech, and as soon as the latest software version, app or hardware model is out, he wants it. Could IT sort that out, please?
The Complainer is unhappy about a variety of issues ranging from the hassle of system updates to slow Internet connections to malfunctioning software – and he’s eager to let the IT department know, whether or not they can do something about it.
There are users who’ve got the wrong idea about the IT department’s function. The Personal guy makes a habit of dropping by with non-work-related queries, asking for purchasing advice concerning his new laptop, troubleshooting tips for his home PC, and quick fixes for whatever he shouldn’t be doing during office hours, like editing his holiday photos. He doesn’t see why the IT folks grumble – aren’t they there to help?
Another archetype of misguided tech user might be called the Search-Impaired. This person hasn’t quite grasped the essence of online search, so whenever he has some sort of question, he turns to IT instead of Googling it. At least his problem is easy to fix.
When it comes to actual challenges with equipment or software, it’s hard to tell which user is worse: the Knowledgeable or the Clueless. The former insists on trying to fix whatever issue may arise and only resorts to IT help when all homespun remedies have failed. By this time, naturally, the original problem may have increased manifold, making the IT expert struggle with solving it – which only reinforces the Knowledgeable in his belief that tech support is useless.
As for the latter, his problem-solving skills converge to zero, which means he’ll be harassing the IT desk with utterly no-brainer issues. He’s the kind of guy who has to be reminded to plug in the power cord to be able to switch on his computer.
Last but not least, there’s a group of users who could function normally in a world of pen and paper, but computerization sheds unflattering light on their shortcomings. The Amnesiac is incapable of remembering anything, be it a password or a simple, two-step procedure – so he’ll keep asking the same questions again and again.
The Defiant ignores rules or instructions and fails to see the importance of security warnings. He opens unidentified emails, downloads dodgy attachments, and skips prompts to update his antivirus system without a second thought. He’s surprised when consequences of his reckless behavior start showing, but he never learns from his own mistakes.
The Bad Liar makes the same missteps, but when asking for IT help, he insists that he’s done nothing wrong. His point might be hard to prove – he did not delete those crucial files; he has no idea how those NSFW videos ended up on his hard drive – he’ll stick to them like an 8-year-old. Which, again, may hinder trouble-shooting at times.
Remember, IT outsourcing lets you avoid the tension in-house between frustrated tech support people and useless users. Of course, no list is ever complete – any more types you could add? Or are you perhaps one of them?