Making Technology Work for Non-Tech-Types

Technology is a fact of life, though some offices seem to harbor a few individuals living in denial.  You know the type: assuage all social media, lament the prevalence of smartphones (after all, they get by just fine without one), and a tendency to “reply all” to office emails, instead of just to the intended recipient.

Yet such non-tech-type teammates may be stellar professionals in all other respects--perhaps even the boss.

Fortunately, with Oracle + NetSuite business solutions, you may be able to make technology work, even for the technologically disinclined.  Here are a few pointers to help everyone have a smoother computing experience.

Getting the User Roles Right

Even someone who refuses to use a smartphone can generally find their way around an app.  It often has to do with user layout--making something streamlined and approachable.

There are several ways to do this in NetSuite, including:

• Setting up the user role to really just be exactly what that person needs to see and access.
• Removing any “extra” functions or dashboard items from the user’s dashboard.
• Utilizing saved searches for reports, so that multi-step procedures get simplified.

If you get the user role just right in the first place, it can save a great number of pleas for help and calls to support later.

Investing in Training

Some offices will view non-tech-types as hopeless cases, and others will just do things for that person.  Think of it as a form of office enabling--you are preventing that person from reaching their computing potential.

Instead, consider remedial computer training.  Community centers, libraries, and private companies often do this sort of computer training--defining the terms such as “hardware” versus “software,” showing someone how to turn on and off devices, explaining copy and paste with shortcut keys, and teaching other simple functions.

Such remedial computer training may not seem directly related to utilizing your CRM or ERP business solutions, but it is: greater facility with computers and technology in general can make someone more efficient, engaged, and able to do their job.

Beyond such remedial training, then consider investing in group or individual NetSuite training. 

Familiarity with NetSuite is easier to gain if one already has some software experience (such as other accounting software familiarity, if one is to utilize accounting features of NetSuite).  However, it is not necessary to have previous software experience in order to make the most out of your NetSuite experience.

Prioritizing Support

Another reason to invest in training is to reduce the number of support or service calls.  The cost of personnel time, internal or external IT support, or even support from other non-IT personnel assisting a co-worker, can really add up.

It helps if an organization has internal policy for technical support.  Here are a couple of recommended best practices:

1. Train all new team members on at least the basics of their job as it pertains to utilizing NetSuite software.
2. Train at least one team member per department to be the first person to assist co-workers in their area, on any computer-related difficulty.
3. Give an IT person or manager access to administrator roles in NetSuite, to be able to set up user profiles, make NetSuite changes, etc.
4. Designate who can reach out for outside professional support and under what conditions.
5. Have a support plan in place that meets your needs (for example, a monthly service contract may save money over paying hourly support fees).

Most businesses find it easier to predict and control their technical support expenses if they follow those suggestions.

SCS Cloud Knows Tech

At SCS Cloud we are bilingual: we speak computer, but we also know how to speak in layman’s terms. We can provide support even for the least technologically inclined among you.

Contact us to find out more.