Despite the reports that IT spending is down, CIOs are still expected to keep their IT infrastructures current, which may mean committing to a Windows 7 and Office 2007 migration.

Choosing the right migration partner could mean the difference between the championship or an epic loss.

As with any major investment, IT leaders are responsible for proving the value behind the purchase — no matter the economic climate. In an economic dip like the one we are riding out now, the focus on ROI is doubled.

Most IT leaders realize that a Windows 7 & Office 2007 deployment requires coordination, planning and oversight, and they know which areas need to be assessed and addressed. As a result, most bring in a third party for migration assistance.

Champion your migration and prove ROI with these eight service practices:

1. First-Level Analyst Certification: Providing certified computer consultants (Microsoft Office 2007 and Windows 7 launch partners) results in higher first-call resolution rates based on their core competencies. Information workers are less likely to be placed on hold or passed through a tiered-level support structure. Applying a simple analogy, it is probable that the golfer playing five to six times a week will outperform someone who hits the links a few Sundays a month.
2. Domestic vs. Offshore Staff: The ribbon and overall look of the Office 2007 interface compared to previous versions will test IT staff and information workers. Adding potential language barriers will no doubt raise the challenges.
3. Maintain 24-7 and After-Hours Coverage: Forgo skeleton crews or lower-level support during off-hours and deliver constant, world-class Office 2007 and Windows 7 support and training outlets throughout the entirety of deployment. Many organizations employ staff globally or remotely, in addition to a nine-to-five crew. Don’t penalize employees for working in a different time zone or after hours by providing less-than-stellar service.
4. Deliver Advanced Level Office 2007 & Windows 7 Support: As IT leaders begin to see ROI during the early phases of the migration, information workers will have begun navigating their way around the ribbon and will begin finding additional and more advanced time-saving features. Support avenues should mirror these advanced-level requests and should not be treated with any less urgency than basic-level requests made during the initial migration phase. Avoid tier-structured support models to keep service levels high and reduce worker frustration and downtime.
5. Number of Software and Mobile Device Applications Supported: Requiring a migration partner that is familiar with applications and mobile devices outside the Office suite can be critical to the complexity of Office 2007 calls. Based on statistics collected over the past 18 months, many information workers begin their support requests by referring to what they could do in previous versions and want to see those same steps applied to this new version.* Additionally, Office 2007 and Windows 7 is just as often expected to work in correlation with other applications including BlackBerry and Windows Mobile.
6. Training: Instruction before, during and after a migration is a key element in measuring ROI. Everyone learns at a different pace, so having a multitude of training options is best, i.e., self-service, on-demand, web-based, individual and customized. Being able to identify and deliver targeted training needs, solution-based metrics and measurable productivity gains can justify several portions of an Office 2007 and Windows 7 investment. Read more…

Jenny Sweeney econolypse, ROI, Windows 7 & Office 2007 Migration BlackBerry, golf, migration, Outsourcing, productivity, Windows Mobile

As recent as a half-dozen years ago, job-hopping was an accepted practice, and retirement and employment security were not American workers’ chief concerns. Then the recession hit, and things changed.

Job security, which used to seem so vintage, is coming back as the most desired attribute.

The recession’s sting has subsided some, but American workers and companies will continue to feel its effects for years to come. In particular, job security, which used to seem so vintage, is coming back as the most desired attribute — so much so that employees now say they will overlook a position’s limited advancement opportunities if it offers greater long-term security.

In its most recent biennial Global Workforce Study, researchers at the professional services company Towers Watson found that eight out of 10 respondents want to “settle” into a job, with about half saying that they would like to work for one company in their entire career — despite the employees’ knowledge that they are in dead-end jobs with no possibility of advancement.

This is a marked change from previous Global Workforce studies, in which researchers reported that advancement opportunities were most important. Read more…

Jenny Sweeney econolypse, Training, Worker Productivity Chief Learning Officer magazine, Global Workforce Study, job security, job-hopping, recession, Towers Watson

While skimming a National Geographic in the doctor’s office waiting room last week, I came across an article about a new font that promises to save the environment and save businesses money.

I couldn’t skip over the short article; I needed to find out how just poking holes in Arial could have such an effect on the bottom line.

The font looks like any other, with one exception — Ecofont, as it’s called, is pocked with little holes. The idea is that by poking holes in the characters, you save more than 25 percent of ink/toner over the regular Arial typeface. According to Ecofont’s creators, legibility is not at all affected. Read more…

Jenny Sweeney econolypse Ecofont, National Geographic, Norway, USA Today