Use Your Pocket PC For Remote Troubleshooting

The Pocket PC can be an excellent tool for troubleshooting network or client PC problems. For example, you could use the Pocket PC to:

Attach to a malfunctioning remote server using a Terminal Server session to correct minor problems. If you determine that the server problem is a major one, at least you’ll know that you’re not going all the way back to the computer room for nothing.

Launch a Terminal Server session to connect directly to the user’s desktop and see exactly what he or she is seeing (Windows XP Professional only).

I’ll show you how to connect your Pocket PC to your network and configure Terminal Services to remotely control a Windows 2000 Server or Windows XP client.

Prerequisites
If you plan on troubleshooting a network with your Pocket PC, you’ll need one that can accept a standard PCMCIA network card. Keep in mind, however, not all PCMCIA network cards will work with a Pocket PC. The Pocket PC must have built-in drivers for the card, or drivers must be available for the card. For instance, my HP Jornada has NE2000 drivers built in, but I chose to use a wireless 3Com card instead because it came with the necessary drivers for network communications (listed as Windows CE Drivers).

The Pocket PC must also have a keyboard. Although most Pocket PCs don’t come with keyboards, companies like NEC and HP do manufacture Pocket PCs with them included. These Pocket PCs are slightly larger than the models without keyboards but are much smaller than a notebook PC.

Pocket PC network attachment
Your brand of Pocket PC and your network configuration will determine how you will attach the Pocket PC to your network, although the steps involved are very similar to attaching a desktop PC to a network. You must assign the Pocket PC a name, supply an IP address if necessary, and specify the name of the domain that you want to log in to. If you aren’t relying on a built-in network card driver, you may also have to use your desktop PC to copy the necessary network card drivers to your Pocket PC.

Seven Steps to the 'Call-flow Process - Customer Service

The Call-flow Process

Purpose: Use this SkillGuide to review the stages of the call-flow process.

The stages of the call-flow process involve:

1. Greeting the customer: Answer by the third ring, smile, speak clearly, give the customer your undivided attention, identify yourself and your department, offer help, and note the customer's name. Begin the conversation with your customer on a positive note.
2. Listening to the customer: Ignore disruptions, distractions, or uncomfortable surroundings such as noise, lighting, or being too hot or too cold. Concentrate on what the customer is saying to you, and attempt to identify the information that is most important.
3. Determining customer needs: Listen actively to the customer from the beginning of the conversation. Paraphrase what the customer has communicated to you, ask questions, and get feedback.
4. Responding to customer needs: First, provide an empathy statement to address the customer's psychological needs. Then, with the customer, develop an action plan that directly addresses his business needs. Developing an action plan involves informing the customer of the steps you plan to take; explaining any steps he should take; telling the customer the benefits of your actions; indicating the timeframe of the results; and checking to ensure the customer has understood the proposed solutions.
5. Getting agreement: Seek feedback and agreement from the customer at this point to establish whether he is satisfied with the solution.
6. Concluding the call: Smile and have a positive, friendly attitude; use the customer's name; review the plan of action; offer further assistance; and thank him for calling.
7. Following up as necessary: You might want to follow up particularly urgent requests or requests that are critical to a large number of users.

How to Communicate Effectively

Communication makes the world go round. On a smaller level, communication, or being able to communicate effectively, is what gets you through each day, in both your career and personal life. Here's how to make sure someone understands what you say. Please note that this article does not address the listening side of communication which is just as important as the speaking side.

1. Organize and clarify ideas in your mind before you attempt to communicate them.
2. Stay on-topic. Make sure all facts, stories, allusions, etc, add to the conversation/debate.
3. Be clear about the purpose of the communication. For example, your purpose could be to inform others, to obtain information or to initiate action.
4. Articulate. Do not mumble. Look into the other person's eyes if possible.
5. Ask the other person to repeat what you have said, in his or her own words.
6. Thank the person for his or her time, and for listening.

• Do not beat around the bush when you are trying to get a point across. State what you want in a clear voice.
• To maximize the effectiveness of your communication make sure the person has time to devote solely to you. If the person is otherwise occupied it might be better to save your thoughts for a better time.
• To talk without purpose is to ramble. If you want to be taken lightly, ramble.
• If you are someone who keeps your emotions repressed and your body muscles take the full brunt, it is important to exercise and stretch those muscles to stop this. You will stand taller, breathe better and feel stronger if you do this and exercise helps to free your emotions.
• If the conversation becomes too heated, ask for time-out or a break. Explain that it has nothing to do with the other person, it is just that you feel confused, tired or need time to reflect and that you will resume the conversation later.
• Don't yell or say things you'll regret later. This may seem like an easy option at the time but memories linger and it achieves nothing more than agitating and angering both parties. Assertiveness is about conveying your wants and needs without raising your voice.

Choose your next training course carefully

Takeaway: Future career success can hinge on making wise decisions about what skills to add or polish. Here are some considerations you need to take into account when choosing which course of action fits your current and future needs.

There seems to be no end in sight for the shaky current economy. Companies are still cutting and trimming back when it comes to salaries and staff. Growth is stagnating while workloads are increasing.

Job stress and career worries, obviously, are elevated by all these conditions. But, while it may not seem appropriate, it’s actually a great time for IT professionals to home in on the basics and strive to improve skills. Anything you can do to set yourself apart from the crowd or better direct your career path is worthwhile. When unemployment hits or layoffs loom large, you might as well make the best of a bad situation by gearing up for a major job hunt by adding something helpful to your resume.

The big question, however, is whether you should learn new skills in your current area, move in a totally different tech direction and learn something entirely new, or focus on necessary, but nontechnical, business skills.

Consider the goals
Realize, upfront, that there is no one road to take, as each professional’s career situation is unique. Nonetheless, training for any career path is always important.

How to approach this training—or, more often, retraining for the management level—depends on an individual’s goals.

“My advice is to first determine how happy they are doing what they are doing,” said Gina Schiller, VP of technology recruitment for the executive search firm JB Homer Associates. “It’s obviously a different answer for somebody in a good position who is doing well than for somebody who is not doing well.”

Those who are unsure should take an assessment test that can pinpoint strengths and weaknesses and help recognize job aspirations that would otherwise remain hidden. Assessment tests are often available via a company’s in-house HR unit or can be found at third-party organizations, such as the MAPP career assessment test offered by WetFeet.

Implementing a self-driven training plan can be a critical factor for those employees whose jobs are in danger of being cut or professionals who have limited career opportunities in their region.

“If you happen to be in one of those environments where the array of tech jobs is relatively small—say outside a major metropolitan area—you better be flexible and have a wider than average set of tech job skills,” said Dennis Dickens, the chief generalist of Dickens Design Development, a professional IT services firm. “If you don’t, and the organization you are with is forced to make cuts, you may find that getting your next job is tough.”

Mike Jones, a network analyst at Placon Corp., a packaging company in Madison, WI, is taking career enhancement courses through SmartCertify Direct. Jones wants to develop a specialty in security and, perhaps, gain CISSP certification. He said that this could help him gain a promotion in the future.

He said that SmartCertify offered him unlimited access to all programs for a year, so he took the plunge. He believes that IT professionals should consider becoming generalists, as it expands potential employment opportunities. IT workers seldom get called on only in their specialized area, he noted. In many more cases, an IT professional has to do everything from network security to PC and printer networking, especially at small companies. Continuing training is key in this and can open new career paths, he said.

Training doesn't have to be tech related
One interesting new trend is the belief by experts that today’s training efforts don’t have to involve technology.

Folks who may be looking for a new job—either willingly or not—are advised to think of training in “soft” skills. The idea is that many employers look for things beyond the programming languages or types of networks workers are qualified in and similar narrow skill sets.

Important skills include the ability to effectively communicate, a good understanding of business in general, and the ability to see where in the corporate landscape IT resides.

“One of the biggest problems—in IT particularly—is that people are looking for the next technology but don’t have communications skills, and can’t write a memo that conveys a clear idea,” said Matthew Moran, an IT consultant and author of The I.T. Career Builder’s Toolkit. “It’s difficult because in their personal networking, they stay in their peer group.”

To Moran, the ability to communicate and be an advocate for the department, the company, or even the industry is a better training goal than learning new tech skills. The tech skills, Moran pointed out, will likely become obsolete within a couple of years anyway—if the employee doesn’t grow out of using them first.

Another important aspect of any training today is incorporating real-world experience. Simply adding skills via classes is not the most efficient course of action, according to Moran. He said that IT professionals who expand their horizons solely in classroom or online learning settings are often ill prepared for real-world positions that utilize those new skills. The only way to really grow, he stressed, is to put the new skills to work.

Paying Attention To Details - How Important

“The magic behind every outstanding performance is always found in the smallest of details.”

If you long to accomplish great and noble tasks, you first must learn to approach every task as though it were great and noble. Even the biggest project depends on the success of the smallest components.

Many people downplay small details, dismissing them as minutia—the “small stuff,” that we’re encouraged to ignore. But, in fact, our whole environment is simply an accumulation of tiny details.

Although we measure our lives in years, we live them in days, hours, minutes and seconds. Every action—every detail of our lives--has bottom-line repercussions, and it’s dangerous and derogatory to think of any of those details as trivial, unimportant or inconsequential.

Successful people, in many walks of life, understand the importance of detail:

· Crime scene investigators know that it's often the smallest, most obscure detail that results in the arrest and prosecution of criminals.

· Athletes and coaches are all too aware that one minor misjudgment can swing momentum to their competitor and result in a loss rather than a win.

· Doctors and nurses understand that the slightest mistake or loss of focus can result in a tragic situation that carries massive liability.

· Business people carefully oversee the details of their products and services, knowing that one simple slip up can cause a series of events that negatively impacts the bottom line, brand integrity, and public perception.

· Engineers and architects know that the stability of the most gigantic structure depends on the integrity of its smallest element; a failed bolt or a misplaced pin can have huge consequences.

· Fireman, first aid responders, and other emergency personnel are trained to focus on details even as a tragedy unfolds, as every second can make the difference between life and death in an emergency situation.

· Amusement parks know that the safety and physical well-being of their guests—and the financial viability of the company—require consistent and meticulous attention to the minute mechanical details of rides and attractions.

· Computer programmers spend their careers tightly focused on detail, as one incorrect digit in a code of millions can create an operational nightmare for the end user.

· Automotive detailers make their living by restoring a car to showroom condition. This requires the removal of every last piece of lint, dirt, and grime, and the tool of their trade is the simple q-tip.

Ultimately, the key to quality in every aspect of our lives is doing little things correctly, all the time, every time, so that each action produces a quality result. When every detail is lovingly attended to, and each step in the process is given complete and careful attention, the end result inevitably will be of the highest quality.

Passion for your work, a pervasive commitment to quality, and relentless attention to details are essential markers of excellence. Quality work and an appreciation for the importance of details benefit not just the clients a business serves; these attitudes and habits also bring joy and peace of mind to the person who delivers the work. To know how to do something exceptionally well is to enjoy it.

The magic behind every outstanding performance, exceptional meal, fine piece of furniture, jewelry, or clothing is always found in the smallest of details. Those who enjoy the greatest success understand that it takes hundreds of small, seemingly insignificant details repeated perfectly day in and day out to create an unforgettably excellent experience.

The people who deliver superior results are not simply doing more of the same things everyone else does; they are doing better things. Very small differences, consistently practiced, produce superior results.

In business, it is the attention to the little things—the details—that create and build long-term customer loyalty.

From the training of employees and the quality of products and services, to the type of stationary used in correspondence and the music customers hear when placed on hold, a successful company knows that every detail counts. The thread count of a sheet, the font style for a product’s label, the lighting of a room, the welcoming smile, the floral display in the lobby, the polish and shine of a doorknob, are all small details that leave big impressions. In the successful organization, no detail is too small to escape close attention.

If you believe you are too busy to focus on details, or that attending to the ‘minutia’ of your business would make you less effective in delivering your services, I encourage you to re-examine your thinking.

Further, I can tell you this with confidence: No matter what business or personal activities you are engaged in, you will be continuously challenged by larger problems that could have been prevented if you had paid closer attention to the details at the beginning.

The details of your work affect your company’s ability to compete and prosper. A careless or cavalier approach to details is the kiss of death to progress. Those committed to excellence know that the real threat to success isn't the Armageddon of some huge and horrible slip-up; it's the much more insidious danger of being nibbled to death by the smallest of mistakes or oversights. No lapse of judgment, taste, or quality can be shrugged off by a true professional. Successful people know that everything counts.

It's not that the devil is in the details, but that every detail contains a seed that can potentially make the difference between success and failure. Therefore, if the benefits of hard work are to be maximized attention to detail is a must.

Excellence in any endeavor is a production in which every little detail tells a story about one's intention, commitment, and character. Pay attention to the small stuff. Consistent attention to details produces excellence—that's why every detail counts!

Finding the right way to address mistakes

Family gatherings are supposed to be fun and happy occasions. Unfortunately, an incident occurred during a recent one I attended. Although I wish it hadn’t happened, it still contains valuable lessons for dealing with mistakes your customers make.

On Saturday evening of this gathering, a group of us were going to a restaurant for dinner. I was in one car, and my daughter Rayna was in another car behind us, driven by a relative. We’ve been to this central New Jersey restaurant dozens of times, and everyone knows the way: west on Laurel Road, then before the intersection of route 35, bear right onto a bypass road that puts the traveler directly onto route 35 north toward Keyport and Perth Amboy, thereby avoiding the intersection. The car I was in made the correct turn. However, as I looked back, I saw that the second car (the one with Rayna inside) missed the bypass road. Then, to my amazement and disbelief, the driver (my relative) backed up on Laurel Road about 100 feet until he was at the bypass road, then took it and arrived at the restaurant shortly after we did.

As the relative was approaching the restaurant (but while he was still a distance from the others), I went to him and said the following:
“Thanks for driving Rayna.”
“I thought backing up was a dangerous thing to do. What about, instead, keeping on going and then making whatever turns are needed to get here?”
I was concerned about his backing the car up, because to me it was dangerous to do. Now, before anyone accuses me of being a busybody, I will say the following: Had it been just his family, or others, in the car, I would have said nothing. The only reason I raised the issue was that Rayna was in the car, and as her father, I am responsible for her safety.

What does this exchange have to do with customer service? You often run into customers who call you because they messed something up or otherwise did something wrong. It’s important, of course, to address the immediate issue. However, you also may want to address the actions the customer took that created this problem, because you don’t want it to happen again. Just as I had an interest in the relative’s unsafe actions in backing up (because Rayna was in the car at the time), you have an interest in having the customer refrain from future actions of that kind (because the resulting problem will be your problem as well). However, it’s important to consider the way you share your concerns with the customer. Here are some tips for doing so.

Focus on the issue, not the person

When I approached my relative, I didn’t tell him he was a bad person or that he was stupid or incompetent. Instead, I focused on the action itself. Consider the difference:
“Backing up was the wrong thing to do.”
“You were wrong to back up.”
Likewise, when talking to your customer, address the action (“Deleting the file is what caused the problem.”) rather than the person (“You caused the problem by deleting the file.). This style of speaking lessens the chance of causing defensiveness in the other person. In addition, it avoids assumptions about who did what. The person you’re talking to may not even have done that action, and implying that he or she did might cause a distracting disagreement.

Aim for diplomatic wording

The most diplomatic remark I ever heard came from the wife of the pastor of my church. Her statement concerned two young people in our church, both friends of mine, who had been dating for a few years. I asked the pastor’s wife when these two people were ever going to get married, and she replied, “I don’t know about those things. I just try to mind my own business.”

Finding the right way to address mistakes customers make

The way we say things to customers is as important as, if not more important than, what we actually say. In particular, when dealing with a mistake the customer made, try to phrase your statements in the passive voice, rather than active voice. The same principle applies here: By taking your focus off the person, you reduce the chances that the person will feel defensive. And again, the action you’re addressing might not have been the fault of the person you’re talking to.

I’m not saying to always use the passive voice. Overusing it can lead to confusion and uncertainty over, for example, responsibility for project tasks. I am suggesting, though, that you consider what you say before you say it, because a more diplomatic alternative may exist.

Reinforce the customer's correct actions

Sometimes, your customers do take correct actions, even if they’ve created a problem. Try to reinforce those correct actions by commenting positively on them. Now, don’t lie about things, and don’t overdo it, because it may sound insincere. It need not be a long complicated statement, either. While doing customer service consulting at a university, I overheard the following exchange between the help desk and the caller:

Help desk: “So, Professor Smith, if I understand you correctly, you COPIED the file instead of MOVING it?”
Professor Smith: “That’s right.”
Help desk: “Good; that was the right thing to do.”

Avoid emotional reactions to bad news from the customer

A customer who comes to you with a problem already is nervous enough as it is. Don’t make that customer any more nervous. Have you ever had a problem with your car that required a visit to the mechanic? Have you ever had the experience of watching the mechanic open the hood, peer inside, and then whistle? My rule of thumb is that the extent of the problem, and the cost of fixing it, varies exponentially with the length of the whistle.
Avoid doing similar things when you hear the customer problem. Don’t give the auto mechanic whistle, or mutter to yourself, or put your head in your hands. On the other hand, don’t lie to the customer. If it’s a problem, say so, but be as matter-of-fact and "cautiously optimistic" (as diplomats would say) as possible. Your immediate instinct might be to say, “You &#&@&#&#ing &#@@#@@!!! You really #@#@#ed up big time!” But it's better to say something like, “This is a serious situation, but we’re going to do all we can to resolve it.”
Small things you say and do can have a big effect on the customer and on that customer’s perception of your customer service.

Desktop Management Services: Are You Using it?

DMS is Desktop Management Services: Great tools used on Pfizer's desktops and Laptops
Technology, Delivery, and Customer Support Services

DMS provides an array of new features such as the latest version of Windows XP, Office 2003, state-of-the-art security features, and the ability to push out applications and security updates with minimal interruption to your workday. DMS is committed to providing a consistent, secure and reliable workstation, while continuing to enhance support services and improve desktop technology. DMS offers a secure & reliable workstation with several key features. These include a Desktop Firewall that protects your workstation against viruses and worms that can spread over the internet.

The DMS upgrade will also include SMS, or Systems Management Server 2003. SMS 2003 will allow your business unit to “push” or send security updates and applications to your PC over your company's network, without requiring a deskside visit. These software pushes may include new programs or updates to programs, and can easily be sent directly to your workstation.

SMS 2003 also provides the capability for the Help Desk to remotely troubleshoot issues with your computer, again reducing the need for deskside visits, and more importantly, minimizing interruptions to your work day.

Another significant benefit of your DMS upgrade is a program of Periodic updates. DMS has established a service plan to keep your workstation up-to-date over time.

On a quarterly basis, DMS will deliver updated software and patches to your workstation. You will receive advance communication on these updates before they are delivered to your PC. A ‘pop-up window’ will appear to alert you when updates are available for your PC, and allow you to install at time that is convenient for you.

As new viruses are discovered, virus protection files on your PC will be updated automatically.

We have now completed the Features and Benefits portion of the DMS training module.


Throughout your DMS upgrade, you will receive DMS Customer Communications to help you understand the process before, during and after your DMS migration. These communications will help you:


-Prepare for your upgrade

-Plan for your migration appointment

-Receive your upgraded workstation, and

-Review a Quality Assurance checklist.



More companies need to invest in DMS Desktop Management Services.
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HP's Desktop Management Services helps you reduce desktop costs while at the same time improving IT service management HP is the leading supplier of SAP operations worldwide. You may even outsource the management of your desktop and mobile appliances to HP. While the costs of desktop hardware steadily decrease, the costs associated with desktop management, administration, training, and end-user support continue to escalate.

Desktop Management Services (DMS) integrates people, processes, and technology to bring reliability to the desktop through a centrally managed, standardized PC hardware and software infrastructure. With over 400,000 desktops around the world under HP management, HP has been able to develop a proven, pre-engineered DMS core that allows for fast implementation of a customized solution at a greatly reduced risk.
HP provides special services tailored to the needs of mobile professionals. We ensure the secure access and efficient management of notebooks and handhelds used by mobile workforces. And HP offers a variety of innovative financing options and value-added services such as asset management solutions, total cost of ownership advisory services, and lease and buyback options.
Be sure to find out more about our mobile computing solutions. Click here to contact our Desktop Management Services.