In this issue…

Deskside support: We’ at your service

How to run a training program

Urgent: Help preserve rainfroest

Meet Demeatres Fontaine

Preserving trees in South Boston

ISSUE

10 | OCTOBER 2011

574 dorchester avenue south boston, ma 02127

We’re At Your Service — with Deskside Support

When you’re working to a deadline and

there’s a computer problem, you need a

knowledgeable helping hand. Our

deskside support technicians are at hand.

They work as part of a client organization,

helping users with computer issues right

at their desks, keeping managers apprised

of maintenance needs and solving the

everyday problems that can prevent

people from working effectively. All

deskside support technicians come to a

client office with prior experience

working at the Help Desk on Demand in

TNB’s Remote Services Department.

Deskside support technicians are

employees of TNB, where they receive

ongoing professional training, coaching

and supervision, and full benefits. They

also benefit from staff development

activities provided by TNB. Ongoing

training ensures that your deskside

support technician stays up to date on the

latest technology.

As a cost-effective alternative to hiring

full-time permanent staff, TNB deskside

support technicians make business sense.

They work just as if they were your

internal employees, observing your

organization’s business hours and holiday

schedule.

TNB deskside support technicians are the

perfect complement to your ongoing

service contract with TNB.

This leafy canopy offers more than just natural beauty—it helps regulate the planet’s climate. Join Tech Networks of Boston to protect this forest. http://bit.ly/rawakuno

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Meet a Boston Techie

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Mobile phone not downloading e-mail? Printer acting up? When busy clinicians at

Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA) need a helping hand, they call Demeatres Fontaine.

Demeatres came to TNB with a certificate in advanced computer technologies. At TNB, he

completed a six-week training internship. Now, as a deskside

support technician, he works for TNB but is fully integrated

into the IT department at CCA.

Demeatres’s responsibilities range from application

support to phone help, working directly with end users

at the client office. He keeps CCA managers apprised

of routine maintenance needs. If a problem needs

escalation, Demeatres has a quick line back to Tech

Networks of Boston, where further resources can be

mobilized.

Demeatres loves being part of the IT team at CCA.

He is excited about technology’s new role in medical

settings; he plans to build his career in healthcare IT.

Know Your Southie Trees! October Contest

Where in South Boston is this

tree? The first reader to guess its

location will receive a free gift. Hint:

this tree is a Northern red oak, located

near TNB’s main office in Andrew Square.

Tech Networks of Boston supports the

preservation of mature urban trees,

which make neighborhoods more

pleasant, filter our air and water,

and moderate temperatures. We

hope you’ll use this contest as a fun

way to get to know your city’s trees!

Most organizations know they need

training, but rarely implement it.

According to the U.S. Small Business

Administration, only 1 in 4 organizations

with fewer than 25 employees has a

formal training system.

Here are a few tips from TNB’s resident

trainer, Tuan Pham:

Evaluate Your Needs. Why does

your organization need training? Are

your employees’ skills out of date, or

are you thinking of introducing a new

technology that will make everyone’s

job easier? Do you need training on

standard products, or do you use

specialized systems on which new

employees need to be trained?

Start Small. Your first training

session probably won’t go perfectly.

Instead of starting in the big room, first

!

Demeatres Fontaine Deskside Support Technician

perform a demonstration in front of a

few co-workers. Adjust your slide deck,

your script and your voice based on

their feedback. Then, you can deliver

the training with confidence.

Don’t Be Afraid to Say “I Don’t

Know.” Even the best trainers don’t

know the answer to every question.

Don’t make wild guesses in front of an

audience. Instead, deal with the topic

gracefully and follow up later with an

e-mail.

Gather Feedback. Be sure to give a

survey to all attendees after every

session. Was the information useful?

Was the instructor engaging and able to

answer questions intelligently during the

training?

Use the feedback that you gather to

make future trainings even better.

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!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

! !

!

Meet a Boston Techie

!

Mobile phone not downloading e-mail? Printer acting up? When busy clinicians at

Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA) need a helping hand, they call Demeatres Fontaine.

Demeatres came to TNB with a certificate in advanced computer technologies. At TNB, he

completed a six-week training internship. Now, as a deskside

support technician, he works for TNB but is fully integrated

into the IT department at CCA.

Demeatres’s responsibilities range from application

support to phone help, working directly with end users

at the client office. He keeps CCA managers apprised

of routine maintenance needs. If a problem needs

escalation, Demeatres has a quick line back to Tech

Networks of Boston, where further resources can be

mobilized.

Demeatres loves being part of the IT team at CCA.

He is excited about technology’s new role in medical

settings; he plans to build his career in healthcare IT.

Know Your Southie Trees! October Contest

Where in South Boston is this

tree? The first reader to guess its

location will receive a free gift. Hint:

this tree is a Northern red oak, located

near TNB’s main office in Andrew Square.

Tech Networks of Boston supports the

preservation of mature urban trees,

which make neighborhoods more

pleasant, filter our air and water,

and moderate temperatures. We

hope you’ll use this contest as a fun

way to get to know your city’s trees!

Most organizations know they need

training, but rarely implement it.

According to the U.S. Small Business

Administration, only 1 in 4 organizations

with fewer than 25 employees has a

formal training system.

Here are a few tips from TNB’s resident

trainer, Tuan Pham:

Evaluate Your Needs. Why does

your organization need training? Are

your employees’ skills out of date, or

are you thinking of introducing a new

technology that will make everyone’s

job easier? Do you need training on

standard products, or do you use

specialized systems on which new

employees need to be trained?

Start Small. Your first training

session probably won’t go perfectly.

Instead of starting in the big room, first

!

Demeatres Fontaine Deskside Support Technician

perform a demonstration in front of a

few co-workers. Adjust your slide deck,

your script and your voice based on

their feedback. Then, you can deliver

the training with confidence.

Don’t Be Afraid to Say “I Don’t

Know.” Even the best trainers don’t

know the answer to every question.

Don’t make wild guesses in front of an

audience. Instead, deal with the topic

gracefully and follow up later with an

e-mail.

Gather Feedback. Be sure to give a

survey to all attendees after every

session. Was the information useful?

Was the instructor engaging and able to

answer questions intelligently during the

training?

Use the feedback that you gather to

make future trainings even better.

In this issue…

Deskside support: We’ at your service

How to run a training program

Urgent: Help preserve rainfroest

Meet Demeatres Fontaine

Preserving trees in South Boston

ISSUE

10 | OCTOBER 2011

574 dorchester avenue south boston, ma 02127

We’re At Your Service — with Deskside Support

When you’re working to a deadline and

there’s a computer problem, you need a

knowledgeable helping hand. Our

deskside support technicians are at hand.

They work as part of a client organization,

helping users with computer issues right

at their desks, keeping managers apprised

of maintenance needs and solving the

everyday problems that can prevent

people from working effectively. All

deskside support technicians come to a

client office with prior experience

working at the Help Desk on Demand in

TNB’s Remote Services Department.

Deskside support technicians are

employees of TNB, where they receive

ongoing professional training, coaching

and supervision, and full benefits. They

also benefit from staff development

activities provided by TNB. Ongoing

training ensures that your deskside

support technician stays up to date on the

latest technology.

As a cost-effective alternative to hiring

full-time permanent staff, TNB deskside

support technicians make business sense.

They work just as if they were your

internal employees, observing your

organization’s business hours and holiday

schedule.

TNB deskside support technicians are the

perfect complement to your ongoing

service contract with TNB.

This leafy canopy offers more than just natural beauty—it helps regulate the planet’s climate. Join Tech Networks of Boston to protect this forest. http://bit.ly/rawakuno