Why Training (or Ending Three Years of Unhappiness)

I said I'd start off with some posts on training. But first, I have to answer a question.

Why should you spend money on software training?

Many of you have wasted lots of time in fairly useless training classes. Sales training, software training and of course the dreaded "team building exercise".* Probably all you got was a some more points on Continental and few mediocre meals at the local chain restaurant.

I want you to know that client after client has shown be that people think their software stinks mostly because they don't know what it can do. About two weeks ago, I went to a client that had been working on an accounts payable system for about three years. They were surprised at all the things it couldn't do—like print invoice information on check stubs or clear off clients with a zero balance from their aging. This and a whole list of other "software faults" had been driving them crazy for years. A new ap manager had been hired and thought that it just couldn't be that bad.

And of course, it wasn't. It took me about two hours to work through half the list. The other half will be resolved in the next two weeks. And with one exception, very little involves any new technical work. They just didn't know what they had.

So, if you are unhappy, if you're people are unhappy, or you think your software makes you waste time, think about the last time anyone learned anything new about what you have. You're problems won't always be solved in three weeks, but I think you'll find that things will get better.

Next time: Three Big Problems with Software Training.

*I'm a computer geek at heart. I don't want to share my feelings with my coworkers. Ever.

December 2, 2008 | Email Us

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