I’ve spent the last 25 years providing computer and network
support for various businesses as a contractor, a consultant, and an
employee. In that time I’ve had to deal
with some awfully strange situations involving the interaction between man and
machine. Some of them are due to
ignorance on the part of the user. A
few can be chalked up to quirks in the hardware or software that do occur from
time to time (and no, your computer is NOT out to get you or purposely trying
to prevent you from doing your job).
Others can be caused by more malicious items such as viruses, spyware,
or malware. But one problem seems to
haunt small businesses especially, growing as the company does: It’s the notorious in-house “Computer Guru".
In the Beginning
Many small businesses start out having to make maximum
purchases with minimum budget. As a
result, business owners probably can’t afford large computer systems to handle
all their data processing needs. In
many instances, what the small business ends up with is something very similar
to what they may have at home – a DSL or cable modem, a hub or switch which
plugs into the high-speed connection, and several computers running through the
hub or switch. No servers for file and
print sharing, email, or Internet access are required.
How does the business owner find himself with this computer
setup? Occasionally it may be with the
assistance of a consultant or service bureau.
Frequently it’s because someone in the company (either the owner or
another employee) has this setup at home and is comfortable maintaining
it. Whether by accident or by design,
this is the person who finds himself designated as the Guru, and whom users
contact when they have computer problems.
This arrangement probably works out well. In this configuration the computer problems
the Guru deals with are relatively simple ones that can be easily
resolved. The business owner finds he
has to spend no additional money for contract or consulting services. It seems to be the best of both worlds for
the small business.
And it is, until the company grows beyond what this computer
setup can effectively supply in terms of data processing. It’s then that a consultant is called in to evaluate
the current system and recommend upgrades or replacements. Operating systems on the workstations may be
upgraded, as well as application software programs. The DSL or cable modem may be removed, replaced by a T1 line that
connects to file servers running a network operating system. Standalone low-end printers are supplemented
with larger, high-capacity network printers.
The consulting firm may even recommend that someone from their company
install and maintain the new network, or that the business owner hire a
full-time person to do so. It’s at this
point that the trouble begins.
Turf Wars
The Guru was handling things just fine before all the system
changes came through. Now somebody else
is calling the shots, making changes on HIS computers, messing around with HIS
settings, modifying HIS configurations, and basically getting rid of the system
HE worked so hard to put together. It
makes no difference that there are now file servers and switches and LAN
configurations with which he’s never had to work before. It doesn’t matter that the number of
workstations has grown to the point that one person can no longer properly
support them, or that the operating system and applications are ones with which
he is totally unfamiliar. This is an
issue of ownership.
The conflicts usually start small. As the network administrator works on a computer, the Guru walks
up, looks over her shoulder, and says, “That’s not the way we do it here." When she politely replies that this is the
way things are done now, he responds with a shrug and says, “Okay, but it’s
wrong."
The network administrator comes to realize that the Guru
continues to work on employees’ computers, sometimes ruining access to
applications or even the operating system, and causing more work for the group
that’s now responsible for all computer access. When confronted, the Guru smiles and says, “But you were so busy
and this person really needed to get back up and running. Really, I was only trying to help." The more insistent the network administrator
is that these changes are causing more harm than good, the more ardent the Guru
is that his assistance is required.
It’s usually around this time that things start heating
up. The network administrator attempts
to limit the Guru’s access to certain parts of the system. The Guru complains to upper management that
his ability to do his job is impaired.
Inevitably feelings are hurt and business relationships are strained. It’s a nasty business all the way
around. It costs the company time and
money and man-hours to repair the damage caused by multiple groups providing
contradictory support. And it needs to
be contained from the very beginning.
Stop the Insanity
It’s imperative that the business owner and network support
personnel be on the same page when it comes to handling the company’s computer
support. Policies concerning who is
responsible for each segment of the network should be clearly outlined in
writing and signed by the appropriate parties.
Employees should be given a directory of the people who are allowed to
perform maintenance on their workstations, and specific guidelines as to the
using of network accounts and sharing of passwords. In fact, it would be a good idea for employees to sign a paper
stating they have read the company’s rules for computer usage and promise to
abide by them. Everyone should know who
the point-of-contact is when reporting computer problems, whether it be a
support person or a help desk group. It
may be necessary for the business owner and the network support group to call a
meeting with the Guru, explain the changes in policy, and emphasize that the
policy is to be followed with no exceptions.
Change in the business world is a way of life. Those who can adapt to the changes move
forward, while those who do not get left behind. Be understanding of the Guru’s career concerns and certainly be
appreciative of what he has done for your company. But allowing sentiment for this individual to override the
company’s need for modern computing access can be disastrous. Honor the past, and look forward to the
future. It’ll be worth it in the long
run.
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