jeff dray

Blog Post

Lo, the gas man cometh

August 4, 2008 12:51pm PDT

There are times when the cheapest option may not be the best, but how do you justify going for the more expensive option? A recent transaction with a utility provider got me thinking about this...

4 Latest comment by JohnMcGrew@...

Blog Post

Learning to say no!

July 28, 2008 1:32pm PDT

Harping again on the subject of stress and burnout, I recently learned about the art of saying no. You will find that regularly taking on any job that you are asked to do will result in more tasks...

25 Latest comment by Jeff Dray

Blog Post

Button pressers and non-button pressers

July 21, 2008 12:53pm PDT

Some people ask for help, others work it out for themselves. Is this what makes the difference between a help desk tech and a user?

33 Latest comment by Joe_R

Blog Post

Managing those extra tasks

July 14, 2008 2:56pm PDT

There's a minefield of tasks out there, coming your way from an overzealous manager with such preambles as "can you just-" "would you mind popping over to-," and "when you've got a moment-."...

16 Latest comment by hisb79@...

Blog Post

Can you take your customers seriously and laugh about them?

July 7, 2008 1:17pm PDT

Is it possible to laugh about your work and do it properly as well? Is it necessary to be totally straight faced about your end users in order to provide the correct level of service? Jeff Dray...

15 Latest comment by reisen55@...

Blog Post

How does your workplace cope with disability?

June 30, 2008 11:10am PDT

Access for the disabled is a big issue here in the UK and often the simplest solutions are overlooked. Here are a few thoughts based on my experience.

7 Latest comment by wfs1946

Blog Post

Help desk burnout

June 23, 2008 12:51pm PDT

Don't let stress rule your life; take control of your work-life balance by recognizing the symptoms of stress or work burnout.

Blog Post

Fixing the fault, fixing the customer

June 15, 2008 12:52pm PDT

Jeff Dray finds that it's easy to get caught up in the fix for a problem and forget to focus on the user's other concerns. What should you do when you fix a problem but still have an unhappy customer?

4 Latest comment by Lizzie_B

Blog Post

Don't leave new helpdesk people to struggle

June 6, 2008 2:12pm PDT

Make sure that new help desk analysts understand the job before they start taking calls. Creating a documentation package for new hires ensures that they know all of the rules for your organization.

16 Latest comment by avgoustinosc@...

Blog Post

So why do managers collect so much data on the work we do?

May 31, 2008 1:49pm PDT

In all the reporting that must be done now, how do we account for the intangible benefits of providing good customer service and going the extra mile? Do we work for the customer or the bean counters?

7 Latest comment by Hogie51

Blog Post

Think twice, act once

May 23, 2008 12:56pm PDT

Jeff Takes another wander down memory lane (no pun intended), cautioning help desk pros to think twice before performing even routine maintenance.

14 Latest comment by piers.tuson@...

Blog Post

The importance of live logging

May 17, 2008 2:56am PDT

Do you take notes and log later or do you live log your help desk calls? Here's why you should live log

11 Latest comment by jascc1

Blog Post

Expect the unexpected

May 9, 2008 12:34pm PDT

When you think you've seen it all from the help desk, life has a way of letting you know different.

13 Latest comment by JohnMcGrew@...

Blog Post

Being part of a team

May 2, 2008 1:12pm PDT

When you're overwhelmed by work requests, deadlines are piling up, and the phone won't stop ringing, don't forget that you have other team members to ask for help.

2 Latest comment by redhatslayer@...

Blog Post

How much do you use role play in training?

April 25, 2008 1:10pm PDT

Getting your students to squeal at each other across the room may make more sense than you might think

3 Latest comment by Michael Kassner

Blog Post

10+ dangerous species of help desk callers

April 25, 2008 9:57am PDT

Support techs are well aware that end users come in all shapes and sizes. And thanks to IT pro Jeff Dray, they can now be classified. See if this list of user species matches up with the folks who...

24 Latest comment by lord_beavis

Blog Post

Recognising the signs of help desk burnout

April 18, 2008 9:05am PDT

Does your help desk lose people due to burnout? If so, IT pro Jeff Dray offers his thoughts about how the attrition might be managed.

28 Latest comment by jfyksen

Blog Post

Giving support can be a two way street

April 10, 2008 12:18pm PDT

We never stop learning and the places we get our learning from can be many and varied. Here are some reflections from my years of support and training.

9 Latest comment by docotis@...

Blog Post

Streamlining support, getting the job done

April 5, 2008 5:17am PDT

Is it right that, for some jobs, the help desk ticket takes longer to resolve than the job itself?

7 Latest comment by bthorsda@...

Blog Post

10 ways for support techs to stay healthy and safe on the job

April 2, 2008 9:05am PDT

As winter gives way to spring, many people are struggling into work with colds and influenza, which they may pass along to co-workers -- and to you. Here are a few simple precautions that can help...

23 Latest comment by trohland@...