The concepts of “professionalism” and “IT as enabler” are high on the IT agenda. Dumping problems on users is neither professional nor enabling, so why do many companies still do it?
People often need help with using software and IT systems, even if the interface itself is intuitive to use. Help comes in many ways, such as through support desks, training, and product documentation.
Documentation is not an end in itself, but if it is necessary, an organisation should do it properly. Don’t waste customers’ time with “enter the widget code in the widget code field, and click continue to continue”.
A while back, I purchased a router made by a major international manufacturer. After a fruitless weekend trying to set it up, I phoned the helpdesk. The support person was extremely helpful, told me that the manual was wrong, and gave me precise instructions on how to set up the router. So, because of incorrect documentation, that company cost me the best part of a weekend.
Sadly, you have probably had similar bad experiences. Whether it is for a commercial off-the-shelf product or an in-house IT system, poor documentation has a cost.
Sometimes the user pays, sometimes an organisation does, and it may not even be quantified. What is the cost of employees wasting time trying to figure out how to perform tasks with which they are not familiar? What is the cost of jobs carried out incorrectly, which then need to be put right?
Poor documentation can give an organisation a bad reputation and can hurt the bottom line.
Couldn’t the router manufacturer have made a small investment in an accurate manual? Despite the router being effective, I probably won’t buy that company’s products again. Even no manual would have been better than an incorrect one. “For help, phone the helpdesk,” would have prevented a weekend of frustration.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom. For example, Triangle’s new software, mPOS, extends the functionality of the InfoGenesis point of sale software onto handheld terminals. Triangle integrates mPOS with customers’ existing InfoGenesis systems.
Historically, Triangle’s hospitality customers are in the UK, and Triangle gives a customer’s staff about 15 minutes of training on the terminals.
To release the software to a global market, Triangle developed mPOS into a commercial off-the-shelf product. It commissioned the development of train-the-trainer and technical documentation, which means that the firm has empowered its customers to help themselves, and can use resellers to install and support mPOS globally. Now, that’s what I call both professional and enabling.
Given the shoddy state of much documentation, it is no wonder that people have an aversion to reading user manuals.
With a bit of vision, and a clear mandate from management, an organisation could improve the overall “user experience”, which in turn can lead to increased revenue and the opening up of new markets.
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