Help Desk - User Requests

We've all heard the frustrated IT professional say something like 'I'm just taking my brain out. I have to go and talk to some users (or Customers).' when having to face the usually timewasting challenge of meeting users representatives wanting to talk about IT.

User Requests But do you know how to tell the difference between a 'customer' and 'User'?? These people, users are far more dangerous to you than simple ' customers'. Customers live in blissful ignorance of the power of IT (and we intend to keep it that way). Users however, know something. It is these little critters that have PC's at home. The term user, within the IT social environment conjurs up images of 'abuser'. Somebody who will do anything to satisfy his(or her) individual needs regardless of the impact upon, or respect for others. They have little or no respect for IT. They use it for their own selfish aims with little care for the impact they have upon the IT Infrastructure management departments (or other 'abusers' of IT). For example they are responsible for huge amounts of requests for changes to IT, problems and questions about IT and make excessive and uncontrolled use of IT causing performance and workload demands. Need we say more?? No wonder they are always complaining that IT is so expensive. Users can also be aggressive; for example they can be very dangerous if startled. Therefore always make plenty of noise when walking in their territory so that they know you are arriving. It is a wise precaution never to feed them after midnight and never allow them to get wet.