Comments on: What’s your Internet like? (Hint for dealing with clients) http://www.wisdump.com/web-experience/whats-your-internet-like-hint-for-dealing-with-clients/ Dumping wisdom on design and the web Sat, 01 Oct 2011 03:29:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Brad K. http://www.wisdump.com/web-experience/whats-your-internet-like-hint-for-dealing-with-clients/comment-page-1/#comment-407667 Brad K. Tue, 24 May 2011 23:34:04 +0000 http://wisdump.com/?p=991#comment-407667 The story I was told, that in the old days before the IBM PC nearly sunk the IBM company, IBM marketing would never discuss business with anyone below the level of VP, and especially not with technical people before the contract was in force. The reason was supposedly to play to the business angles that the VP understood, without having to answer technical issues or problems. In college my Systems professor claimed that IBM coined the term "feature" -- a bug we don't intend to fix. The word back in the day, 30 years ago or so, was that the first machine that challenged IBM's corner on business computing, was the IBM PC. The PC was too cheap to bother the VP, and IBM was weak on marketing the technical aspects. Plus, many customers found those BASIC-in-ROM, single or dual floppy drive PC's did everything the big mainframe with dedicated operators and service contracts did. And without the tech disconnect of IBM marketing. My point? That customers doing business without being tech savvy, need to be aware they need that tech support when the marketers come avisiting. The story I was told, that in the old days before the IBM PC nearly sunk the IBM company, IBM marketing would never discuss business with anyone below the level of VP, and especially not with technical people before the contract was in force. The reason was supposedly to play to the business angles that the VP understood, without having to answer technical issues or problems.

In college my Systems professor claimed that IBM coined the term “feature” — a bug we don’t intend to fix.

The word back in the day, 30 years ago or so, was that the first machine that challenged IBM’s corner on business computing, was the IBM PC. The PC was too cheap to bother the VP, and IBM was weak on marketing the technical aspects. Plus, many customers found those BASIC-in-ROM, single or dual floppy drive PC’s did everything the big mainframe with dedicated operators and service contracts did. And without the tech disconnect of IBM marketing.

My point? That customers doing business without being tech savvy, need to be aware they need that tech support when the marketers come avisiting.

]]> By: Tim Jahn http://www.wisdump.com/web-experience/whats-your-internet-like-hint-for-dealing-with-clients/comment-page-1/#comment-226111 Tim Jahn Tue, 21 Oct 2008 18:30:35 +0000 http://wisdump.com/?p=991#comment-226111 'but the idea is not just to yell at your client for “not getting it”' This is an excellent point. Talking down to the client gets nothing done; working with the client to explain solutions and reasons gets things done. Great idea with the list! I'll be sure to try it. ‘but the idea is not just to yell at your client for “not getting it”’

This is an excellent point. Talking down to the client gets nothing done; working with the client to explain solutions and reasons gets things done.

Great idea with the list! I’ll be sure to try it.

]]>