One thing that is proving critical for us is determining which services can be effectively tailored for clients with whom we cannot easily meet in person. Some of these services (like copy editing) are quite easily handled through simple exchanges of email, but where any sort of computer troubleshooting is involved, we’ll need a more immediately interactive exchange medium. So, behind the scenes, we’ve given ourselves some homework, testing out Windows Remote Assistance.

Our goal is to make ourselves as available as possible, in whichever ways are most immediately practical and comfortable for our clients, be that through Windows Remote Assistance, or other means of live communication (from phone calls to Gmail voice and video chat).

We appreciate your interest, and look forward to helping you meet your personal technology needs, big and small, or, if such needs are presently beyond our scope, to connecting you with others who can better assist you. What matters most to us is ensuring that your needs are met. As such, we are always open to your suggestions and feedback. Thanks!

Jeff helps Mariette with her computer

Both her anti-virus software and operating system had been downloading security updates at inconvenient moments, causing her computer’s desired functions (mostly email, web browsing and looking at family photos) to operate sluggishly. We were able to help her configure the timing of those updates so they would not interfere with her user experience (while still keeping her system safe).

We also opened up her computer to see what options she might have for expanding its memory, noting the manufacturer’s specifications in the event that Mariette decides, later, she’d like to boost her system’s performance a bit more. (For now, she’ll see if the fine-tuning we did is sufficient in terms of freeing up her computer’s resources.)

Mariette also wanted help navigating her file structure, reorganizing existing files, and, most importantly, safely backing up her files to an external source, in the event of a hard drive failure.  Finally, she needed to adjust her unit’s settings for automatic standby and shut-down, as too often, she’d returned to her workstation after a brief interruption to find she had to start her computer all over again to resume work.

We were able to assist her with all these matters – explaining all steps as we went, so she can make further necessary adjustments on her own if she likes – and agreed to follow up with her in a few weeks if she has further concerns.

We thank Mariette for the opportunity to assist her, as well as letting us describe that work here, to help others understand some of our available services!

…AND who are offended in any way by my setting up a website titled Personal Technology Sherpas in my husband’s and my need to create a portal through which some manner of living-making (or at least not getting our utilities shut off, while making constructive use of our skills) might be obtained, I am genuinely sorry.

Following are my excuses:

1. It was my husband’s idea. Seriously, I was in a mad frenzy setting the site up and ran out to the living room and said, Honey! What the heck are we supposed to call this thing that we’re thinking of doing? I mean, what are we supposed to be in this heretofore untested situation? And he replied, “Well, it’s kinda like we’d be sherpas.  Folks might need a little help getting up whatever their “mountain” might be (or it might be more of a molehill) – or maybe they need a lot – and if that means we haul a bunch of their gear for them and set up their campsites and all that business, that’s fine, and if it means we just provide some nifty maps and stuff, that’s great too. (Or words to that effect.)
2. I have been known to stretch a metaphor or two in my time. (Warning: Links in this sentence are to my feed on Twitter, the entirety of which may not be appropriate viewing for all parties. Those particular links shouldn’t be offend, but at any given time, the way I use Twitter might not be appropriate for all viewers.) (Incidentally, if you are reading this and thinking, Twitter! Isn’t that something CNN keeps going on and on about? Should I care? If I do care, can you help me figure out whether and/or how it’s something I’d like to use? - My answer is but of course, and just let us know. This is something we actually have done before – helping individuals decide what kinds of social media they want to be involved with, setting up accounts that meet their needs, be they for the purposes of publicity, or for communication within more personal and private networks.)
3. We are entirely sincere. We really just want to help people meet their needs, whatever they may be, with projects large and small.
4. Persons of bona fide Himalayan extraction, living in Nepal or Tibet, who might need any manner of help that we are qualified to perform, provided it’s something amenable to telecommuting (we’re not really in a place where international travel is a possibility, to say the least), we’re more than happy to provide a very steep (<– that would be a mountaineering joke!) discount. You know, off the fee structure we haven’t exactly set up yet.
5. This is, obviously, a work in progress. It’s also worth noting that while the “Sherpas” language was at my husband’s suggestion, he is now the one wondering if it might offend any parties – now that I’ve used up the credit I had on my (pre-paid, a few years ago) hosting account for this brand, spankin’ new domain name. So, it looks like we’re stuck with it.

Now, if there’s anything we can do for you (persons of Himalayan or any other origin, near or far), please let us know!

And thank you.

Sincerely,

Victoria.

UPDATES COMPLETED:

• Created contact page with short form, email, and telephone contact options.[9/20/09]
• Installed option to pre-pay for already agreed upon services. [9/21/09]
• Edit and upload basic list of services available, with category subpages. [9/21/09]

SILL TO COME:

• Much, much more!