Dear Bob ... I work in the lower levels of IT for a wholesaler. My department supports the software our reps use to sell our products. Some of our customers place their own orders, and we support that softare, too. We run a help desk, write manuals, and conduct training. Of all of IT, we are the only part that deals withexternal customers. Most of IT supports our mainframe, network/telecom, and internal users w Dear Bob …I work in the lower levels of IT for a wholesaler. My department supports the software our reps use to sell our products. Some of our customers place their own orders, and we support that softare, too. We run a help desk, write manuals, and conduct training. Of all of IT, we are the only part that deals withexternal customers. Most of IT supports our mainframe, network/telecom, and internal users what is popularly called the “internal customer.” The problem is that they seem to ignore the external customer. This has caused some very annoying problems. Here are two examples” 1. About 2/3 of our computer-using employees are our reps. The other third are involved in getting those orders filled. The inside people almost always work on the network, while our reps almost never do. Until network cards were standard on laptops, our reps didn’t even have network access. So why did our IT department cancel our multiple license contract for our virus software and replace it with a network version? I can trace every worm that hit our company in the last bout to a rep running the virus definition that came with her laptop. Cleaning that up is almost as much fun as trying to update the definitions on 150 laptops during a six hour, quarterly sales meeting.2. Recently our IT got a new batch of computers. These computers were running XP Pro. Works with MS Office, works with our mainframe access program. Works with e-mail. Approved.No attempt was made to see if it worked with our order entry program or our wireless modems. It does, but the installation process on the modems is about four times as long. We had a choice when ordering the computers as to whether to take 2000 or XP Pro. Everything works with 2000, but no one ever asked us before placing the order. Personally, I think XP looks like a children’s game, not an office tool. I can customize it to make it look more professional, but our average user cannot. And the first XP computers will be replacing 95 machines. Talk about your learning curves.Obviously, I’m too low down on the totem pole to make changes, but I can make suggestions. Unlike complaining, which is the popular reponse at the moment, I might be able to do something. Any suggestions about how to word my suggestions? As an aside, what do you think about partnering IT people with the sales force for a one day ride-along so that they can meet the real customers? Everyone in my group did it, and I think it shows in how we do our job. – IgnoredDear Ignored …How to phrase your recommendations? Two suggestions to start, both about impulses you should restrain: Both saying, “What are you, stupid or something?” and choking the living daylights out of someone, while tempting, are poor career moves. I’d suggest keeping this informal, at least initially. Drop in the office of a peer working in the right area – for example, testing – and have a chat about the need to test the applications you support. The keys to having an effective conversation of this sort are (1) to assume positive intent; (2) assume competence; and (3) make the conversation about the future, which is to say make it a problem-solving discussion among professionals rather than a blamestorming session between antagonists.If, in other words, you say, “Boy, you losers really ducked a bullet this time,” it’s unlikely they’ll react in a positive fashion. If, instead, you say, “I think we have a problem with our desktop configuration management, because it looks like you aren’t aware of some of the applications we support. How can we fix this so from now on we include them when we test new operating system versions and patches?” you’ll get a much more cooperative response.In my experience, this kind of problem is best solved on the ground level. If you work in the kind of organization where the solution requires a procedure change that has to go through an approval process, you’re still far better off collaborating with the other stakeholders. I’m assuming, by the way, that you’re asking how to phrase your suggestions with respect to paying attention to the sales representatives, not your suggestions to Microsoft regarding XP’s garish default appearance. I can’t help you there – you just can’t do very much about a complete absence of any sense of aesthetics.On your other question, I think you know the answer. The more you know about the work and people you support, the better the job you’ll do supporting them. IT people should ride along on sales calls, repair calls, and delivery calls. They should tour the production facilities and warehouses. They should listen in on telephone conversations in the call center, and perhaps take a turn staffing the phones there.John le Carre once said, “A desk is a dangerous place from which to view the world.” It’s at least as true for programmers as for any other profession. – Bob ——– Technology Industry