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I have a dilemma that I suspect many of you might have, too. We write
software documentation that goes directly into the hands of customers, yet
none of the people in our group has ever made a customer visit. Although
I'm a "technical communicator," I often feel isolated from the very people
I'm trying to communicate with.
I'd like to hear from anyone who has (or has had) customer contact in the
course of his/her job.
* How did it happen? (Pre-arranged by someone else? Accidental? At your
suggestion?)
* Did you work with other groups in your company (Development, Sales,
Marketing, Consulting, Customer Support, etc.) to make the arrangements
and/or attend the meeting/visit?
* Did you have to convince management that this is a good idea, and if so,
how did you do that?
* Is/was it part of a regular process or program (e.g., usability testing?)
* What could you offer on behalf of your company that people in other
positions could not?
* How did it benefit your group and your professional development?
Thanks for your insight!
Jane Torpie
Senior Software Technical Writer
EASEL Corporation
Burlington, MA
