... while typing a cogent response to this thread, I turn off my internet access and periodically make text-clippings of the text that I am composing since a frequent frustration occurs when I hit a key that performs a function other than what is expected, and I lose all of my composition.
I hit the 'tab'-key, and suddenly it seemed as though I had hit some sort of transmit-key (like 'enter' does outside of text-composition), and I was left with a message indicating that I was not connected to the internet, and, not having yet hit "Preview Post", I lost all of my text (I'm glad that I clipped it).
At a basic-level, there is nothing obvious that indicates non-standard (as in offline typing) functions for certain keys, as in: the 'tab'-key does a 'transmit'; either something else must be done to effect a tab, or it's not allowed in a composition window, or going offline changes the behavior of the composition window, or it might be browser-specific(?) ...
... and this behavior varies from blog to blog ...
As a former self-employed computer technical architect, I know that it is often the little things that get overlooked
(due to the overhead of spending time (like this) writing about them) that setup a client to become really frustrated when a site-specific barrier is encountered.
I hit "Preview Post", and OpenDNS, upon response-timeout, informed me: "You tried to visit www.dgrin.com, which is not loading". I feared that I had lost the post (again), but back-paging 2-pages and re-transmitting brought it back.
... and even though I've used the lower-right-corner of this window to expand it to display all of my text without scrolling, when I preview-post, it doesn't save this setting, and I must re-expand this window every time ...
... 'little' things, like no help-button for this blog-text-composition-window. "Help" should be blatantly available so one does not need to spend time searching for it. Better to be excessive than force the client to search for an answer, which easily leads the client to forgetting what was trying to be accomplished in the first place.
From A Soon-To-Be Pro-Client
One of the core issues that I see is seemingly the lack of a prominent, generic, high-level 'getting started' primer for a client √-list to make sure that all of the requisite functional bases are covered to get a (photo business) site up and running, and example workflows that parallel the business-workflows of day-to-day photo-businesses. Many of us are considering opening a business (and value the thoughts of those already established), and are attracted to dive-in, get-it-doneroadmaps.
You win Pro-clients by saving us time through being clear, upfront, and explicit about what SM does and does not do for us. And doing so helps solidify Pro confidence in SM, engendering us to be loyal in ways that other businesses envy (for ideas, see a winning example: sonic.net).
To make it easy, example-workflows would indicate processes that are:
Local To The Pro-Client's Business (independent of computer assistance)
- - - lets the Pro-client know to look elsewhere for said function(s)
- - - wins new Pro-clients by suggesting resources utilized and proffered by SM-staff and Pro-clients (with appropriate disclaimers).
Assisted By Computer, non-SM
- - - wins new clients by suggesting resources proffered by SM-staff and Pro-clients - - -
..... (and they won't waste time looking for it in SM).
i.e., filing for copyright protections, web-traffic marketing and analysis, etc.
<><> Aside: SM could facilitate the batch automation of copyright filings on a periodic-basis, as time-spent uploading is often a major consumer of a business's labor, and could reduce this business expense by 50% (why do it twice: once for copyright, once to SM). This could be a very significant differentiator for using SM vs. other services. <><>
Accomplished by SM, especially showing the subset done or made easier by SM.
Tracked By SM (sales, revenues, taxes, etc.).
- - - makes clear to the Pro-client what SmugMug's advantages are (it never hurts to keep this clear in the mind of a Pro-client -- it easily comes forth when one is asked for referrals by others).
etc. ...
So, to expand what appears to me to be a notable, professional cohesiveness between SM and its Pro-clients, each step in these workflows should have explicit buttons à la : "SmugMug Sales Tracking Help" & "Pro Sales Tracking Successes".
If such a thing already exists, it is not obvious. Ideally, it should be one (and only one, high-level) page. And it should be a (if not THE) priority of every staffer to make this point-of-entry THE way in, fast, easy (within context), consistent, reliable, and successful.
Most all of this knowledge can be found on SM, but way too much of the Pro-client's time & labor is spent spelunking through the depths of SM to find it.
Short of using something like StackExchange, the SM staff and blog-client-base should have a flag-mechanism specifically targeted (and hopefully judiciously used) to elevate functions and solutions (subject to review) to the roadmap.
SM has experienced (and hopefully successful) Pro-clients who, like you, endeavor to increase profitability, and who know that services provided by SM can, if properly nurtured, improve the bottom-line for all.
Due to brain-damage from a fall off a diving-board, the short, easy, direct route for explaining something is missing, and I must 'go around the far-side of the circle'.
As such, though I eschew obfuscation, I'm frequently obtuse and/or abstruse.
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One of the core issues that I see is seemingly the lack of a prominent, generic, high-level 'getting started' primer for a client √-list to make sure that all of the requisite functional bases are covered to get a (photo business) site up and running, and example workflows that parallel the business-workflows of day-to-day photo-businesses. Many of us are considering opening a business (and value the thoughts of those already established), and are attracted to dive-in, get-it-done roadmaps.
You win Pro-clients by saving us time through being clear, upfront, and explicit about what SM does and does not do for us. And doing so helps solidify Pro confidence in SM, engendering us to be loyal in ways that other businesses envy (for ideas, see a winning example: sonic.net).
To make it easy, example-workflows would indicate processes that are:
- - - lets the Pro-client know to look elsewhere for said function(s)
- - - wins new Pro-clients by suggesting resources utilized and proffered by SM-staff and Pro-clients (with appropriate disclaimers).
<><> Aside: SM could facilitate the batch automation of copyright filings on a periodic-basis, as time-spent uploading is often a major consumer of a business's labor, and could reduce this business expense by 50% (why do it twice: once for copyright, once to SM). This could be a very significant differentiator for using SM vs. other services. <><>
- Accomplished by SM, especially showing the subset done or made easier by SM.
- Tracked By SM (sales, revenues, taxes, etc.).
- - - - makes clear to the Pro-client what SmugMug's advantages are (it never hurts to keep this clear in the mind of a Pro-client -- it easily comes forth when one is asked for referrals by others).
etc. ...So, to expand what appears to me to be a notable, professional cohesiveness between SM and its Pro-clients, each step in these workflows should have explicit buttons à la : "SmugMug Sales Tracking Help" & "Pro Sales Tracking Successes".
If such a thing already exists, it is not obvious. Ideally, it should be one (and only one, high-level) page. And it should be a (if not THE) priority of every staffer to make this point-of-entry THE way in, fast, easy (within context), consistent, reliable, and successful.
Most all of this knowledge can be found on SM, but way too much of the Pro-client's time & labor is spent spelunking through the depths of SM to find it.
Short of using something like StackExchange, the SM staff and blog-client-base should have a flag-mechanism specifically targeted (and hopefully judiciously used) to elevate functions and solutions (subject to review) to the roadmap.
SM has experienced (and hopefully successful) Pro-clients who, like you, endeavor to increase profitability, and who know that services provided by SM can, if properly nurtured, improve the bottom-line for all.
Just My 2¢-worth.
... Apologies.
Due to brain-damage from a fall off a diving-board, the short, easy, direct route for explaining something is missing, and I must 'go around the far-side of the circle'.
As such, though I eschew obfuscation, I'm frequently obtuse and/or abstruse.
Good stuff. Please write our Support Heroes ATTN: Pro Concierges - we'll be happy to get you off to a great start!
I really love your feedback, thanks.
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I almost forgot about the stackexchange. I'm going to go check it out again.
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http://meta.smugmug.stackexchange.com/questions/118/smugmug-stack-exchange-closing-on-june-20th
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