Lili's Think Telecom Blog

HelpDesk Humor

There are not a huge number of opportunities for humor in telecom, so when someone does a great job at creatively addressing an issue that plagues the industry, it deserves to be shared with everyone!

I recently found the “HelpDesk Humor” video on YouTube – and it is an absolute must see!   We’ve all got a heap of war stories about our experiences with less than adequate tech support.  But this little video let’s us get a glimpse into the frustrations brought about by less than skilled users.  I suspect most of us rarely think about that side of the equation!

HelpDesk Humor

Not only will this video give you a great moment of laughter today, it also speaks to some truly critical issues in the broadband era, the least of which is the importance of training!  Customer and tech support is a two way relationship, with each party bearing some responsibility for being properly educated and prepared!  The interactions and steps demonstrated in this video clearly highlight the need for not only technical training for support reps, but also softskills training.  These days, what gives a company a competitive edge boils down to two things – how knowledgeable their people are, and how well they interact with their customers, in other words, their customer service operations!

The video also makes a giant point about the fact that the industry is very quick to sign up new customers and subscribers, but then leaves them to flounder about on their own, without the slightest bit of knowledge as to how to use the wondrous tools of the information age.  One of the greatest added value services a vendor or service provider can offer to its users is education.  If you invest in educating your customers, you’ll find you’ve created not only a more loyal user, reducing customer churn, you’ll also create a customer with the knowledge to order and use new services as you introduce them!

A little bit of education can go a long way in securing your relationships with your support staff and customers!  Knowledge is power, so empower your personnel, and empower your customers – create an educational program that will provide them with the basics they need to understand the nature of computing and telecommunications. 

To wind up today’s post - there’s a wonderful quote by Edgar Watson Howe (1853-1937) that really speaks to this “bits of humor” episode –  ”If you don’t learn to laugh at trouble, you won’t have anything to laugh at when you’re old.”

So have a good laugh at the world of Internet help desks, and remember……

“The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.”  e.e.cummings (1894-1962)

LIDO Telecom WebCentral   www.telecomwebcentral.com

The Key to Creating Wealth - Think Telecom

Greetings telecom thinkers – and welcome to the magical world of telecom! Why magical? Between 2001 and 2002, investors saw approximately $2 trillion of market value simply vanish – twice the damage done when the Internet bubble burst. Poof, it’s gone! but Abracadebra……its back, stronger than ever! Today, the telecom industry has not only recovered, but is expected to reach an all-time high! According to a recent Business Week feature article – “Telecom: Back from the Dead” (June 25, 2007),industry profits are expected to reach $72 billion this year - exceeding the previous high-water mark of $65 billion in 1998!

And what does that have to do with the Telecom Essentials Blog? Simply put - telecommunications knowledge is essential to your future. Why? Telecom is the most important infrastructure of the 21st century. Every business, and just about every human activity depends on it. In fact, it is fair to say that is has become more important than power, water, transportation and even education. As noted by R. Brough Turner, CTO of NMS Communications, “Investment in telecom is more productive than investment in other kinds of infrastructure. The impact is particularly noticeable in developing nationsDownload Large Productivity Benefit of Telecom Investment in Emerging Markets If you want to create wealth, think telecom! No matter what industry you work in, telecommunications and information technologies are vital to its operation and survival. Consider that for a moment – healthcare, education, entertainment, government, transportation, finance, national security, defense, public utilities – all these industries and many more are dependent on their ICT infrastructures. In future posts we’ll explore specific applications and technologies impacting all these industries, as well as what exactly is driving the telecom industry today. But for today, let’s continue examining the role of telecom in creating wealth.

As I mentioned above, wealth can mean different things to different people. Most certainly, possessing telecom knowledge can lead you to the financial rewards of cold hard cash, and as indicated by the $72 billion of industry profits expected this year, many are reaping such rewards as we speak! But there are a multitude of other ways in which telecom can build your wealth. The reality is that telecom is good for mankind – not only is it more productive than other kinds of infrastructure investments, but perhaps more importantly, it can dramatically improve the human condition – from bringing expert medical attention to remote and/or impoverished parts of the world, to introducing the luxury of world class education where teachers and facilities are not readily available. Some will become rich as they accumulate intellectual wealth in their quest for scientific truth, while others, in pursuit of environmental protection and social justice, will feel the richness of being empowered to actually make a difference, benefiting many generations to come. And let us not forget the artists and entertainers who enrich our senses and imaginations through wonderful new forms of arts and entertainment, infusing the world with the gift of joy and laughter, while producing an enormous amount of revenue in the process! Whatever wealth means to you, telecom is there to serve you!

The purpose of this blog and the LIDO Telecom WebCentral website, as well as my personal mission, is to enlighten and educate the world about telecommunications. With each post I will share insights – striving to build your telecommunications knowledge. But today, I’d like to finish our discussion of telecom and wealth creation by sharing a charming Indian tale with you…….

Once upon a time in a faraway land, a young man went to the forest and said to his spiritual master, “I want to have unlimited wealth, and with that unlimited wealth, I want to help and heal the world. Will you please tell me the secret to creating affluence?”

And the spiritual master replied, “There are two Goddesses that reside in the heart of every human being. Everybody is deeply in love with these supreme beings. But there is a certain secret that you need to know, and I will tell you what it is. Although you love both Goddesses, you must pay more attention to one of them. She is the Goddess of Knowledge, and her name is Sarasvati. Pursue her, love her, and give her your attention. The other Goddess, whose name is Lakshmi, is the Goddess of Wealth. When you pay more attention to Sarasvati, Lakshmi will become extremely jealous and pay more attention to you. The more you seek the Goddess of Knowledge, the more the Goddess of Wealth will seek you. She will follow you wherever you go and never leave you. And the wealth you desire will be yours forever.”

I thank Deepak Chopra for recanting this tale in his book"Creating Affluence" - for it not only reminded me of the power of knowledge, which I've always worshipped - but it also caused me to reflect on how, today, knowledge of telecommunications is fundamental to creating affluence and wealth - regardless of your industry or passion! 

Knowledge is power, and knowledge invites wealth. Seek telecommunications knowledge and you will create wealth – for yourself and for mankind. I am here to serve you in your quest.

 Welcome to Lili's Think Telecom blog and the wonderful world ot Telecommunications Essentials!