Computer Gurus – Train and Orient Them
Computer gurus can help you to build your computer business. The computer guru at your client’s site is not competition and their work will not reduce your profit. Anything that improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the computers makes you look good. For this reason you should take every opportunity you can to improve the computer guru’s skills.
Providing orientation and training sessions for the computer guru is an excellent way to accomplish this. Here are eight competencies you should instill in the computer gurus working at your client sites:
Top 8 Computer Guru Tasks
- Administrator Password Sanctity – The administrator user account is all-powerful. Use these credentials only when absolutely necessary. If a breach is suspected, change the password immediately. Otherwise, follow your computer consultant’s suggested guidelines for regularly changing passwords.
- Antivirus Software – Since new viruses are discovered al-most daily, antivirus software needs constant updates. Be-cause automatic updates don’t always work, show how to check the date of last update and how to force a manual up-date.
- Lock the Server Console – Even if kept in a locked room, the server keyboard should always be “locked” – either manually, or with a password-protected blank screen saver (and a very short time delay).
- Log File Watching – To nip problems early, show where to look for log files for data backup, power protection, virus protection and security systems. Just as important, show examples of what a “success” and “failure” looks like.
- Password Changes – Sooner or later, someone will “forget” their password — or leave the company. Show how to manually reset a password.
- Printer Job Administration – If a problematic print job in-advertently goes to an expensive-to-operate printer, such as a check printer or color laser printer, the guru should know how to rapidly locate and delete the job from the queue. Also, consider using network permissions to restrict printer access.
- Rebooting the Server – Show how to properly reboot the server(s): check for open files, manually stop key services to speed up the reboot, and shut down/power cycle the server.
- Tape Backup Management – Although backup systems are generally reliable, they do malfunction occasionally. Besides monitoring the tape backup log and rebooting the server to un-jam a stuck tape, show how to restore a file. File restoration is also a great way to test if the backup system is working as well as you think it is. Also, demonstrate how to launch a manual, off-schedule backup job.
Bottom Line on Computer Gurus
Computer gurus will help you to provide superior service to your clients. The onus is on you to train and orient them so that they can manage the small issues that crop up on a daily basis. In the long run, your profits will increase as a direct result of the work done by your computer gurus.
In this article, you’ve been introduced to Computer Gurus. To learn more about how you can improve your knowledge about Computer Gurus, just click here now to get access to a free one-hour audio training program on 5 Easy Ways to Grow Your Computer Consulting Business.