As someone who’s working a lot in Customer Support, I have a handful of industry-resources I’m pretty open to read and catch-up on trends, etc…
In the latest email from We Support NYC, I came across this link, comparing average industry salaries.
Before I dive in, keep in mind that I’m technically a freelancer, contractor working remotely for a US-based company. I’ve worked in the industry since 2011, so I technically have 5 years behind me.
As pointed out by the post itself:
5 interesting facts about compensations in support
The median annual salary raise is 7%.
Your salary will increase by $10,000 raise after 3 years in support.
The gender inequality is still there. Women are paid 5.8% less than men.
Support people in the US make 40% more than in Western Europe
Working remote or having a technical background doesn't impact your salary.
Now, when I look at this number, considering the amount of work I undertake and other different factors I take into account. What's sad is that it doesn't there's a difference of about $20k going against me, compared with industry standards.
The golden rule of freelancing is that you should technically earn more than someone on a full-time job (about 20% or so I’ve heard), since you technically have more risks and taxes to balance with your work and professional services.
So I’m actually way under the standard, which bugs me a bit. Not so much the whole “comparing with others”, but more so knowing that I could earn so much more than I do now and that this higher income would help me move to a less risky situation.
Though I’ve been aware of this for a while and have already set in motion a few things that should help me. More on that really soon!
This new Kindle looks great! I’m part of the minority of people loving this new slim industrial design. But at $289/289€/£269 , this is way too expansive to upgrade from my 2015 Kindle Paperwhite.
You may have to disable your ad-block since they use proprietary players or their videos… (0_o').
Oh, and if you’re using the Ghostery plugin, to protect yourself from third-party advertising services, data-mining, and just for your privacy, you’ll have to temporarily deactivateRich Relevance, reload, and then Kaltura.
One of the most frequent yet hardest questions I’m asked these days is “What do you do?”
Since the beginning of the year, I’ve been asked this question more times than I can count, and every time, have given a different answer.
See, it’s very hard for me to answer this simple question. Am I a developer? No, but I can code. Am I a designer? Not at all, although I know how to use Graphic Design applications well enough to accommodate myself. Am I a web designer then? Not really, although I’ve been creating websites for clients. A (digital) marketer, maybe, then? Well, not really, and yet I’m all these things at once.
This is always a loaded question, and it’s harder to answer with relatives and people who don’t understand the web, or our industry. Because I’m hungry and I’ve got the attention span of a magpie, and since I’ve started freelancing in June 2015, I’ve worked on different projects.
Sure, as of writing these lines, I’m very much involved with my One Big Client, however, I’m also trying to take on more work on the side, that I manage over my weeknights and weekends, to complete my income and most of all, ensure that I don’t rely on a single client.
It’s been challenging, but it’s also allowed me to optimise the way I work to the point where I’ve found the time to launch twopodcasts.
And circling back, it’s enabling me to live in this place I come from, the French Riviera, and work on other paid projects.
In concrete terms: I’ve been paid to handle a brand’s social media presence, I’ve been paid to write blog posts, I’ve been paid to create a website, I’ve been paid to help acquire new customers for a B2B company, and many other projects.
So what do I do? Well it depends: what do you need me to do, for you?
Apple won’t become boring with age. The company is just as exciting — and occasionally as unexpected — as they were 40 years ago. Of course, I owe Apple an unending debt: This is the company that made my life exciting, rewarding, and brought me to Silicon Valley.
A great note worth your time, from the man who almost became Apple’s CEO back in the 80’s. In his article, Mr Gassée reflects on his time at the company, and extends the reflection to the company itself.
During this single episode — which really only spans a single night — Marnie grows more as a person and a character than she did in any of Girls' past seasons.
HBO’s Girls has produced another great episode that goes in depth with one of its most quiet characters.
My point here is that this show puts on characters that are both relatable, and yet incredibly self-destructing. So while it’s definitely worth watching to get an understanding of the millennial generation’s struggles and state of mind, I know for a fact that it does not reflect my personal life.
The characters, while being portrayed accurately, tend to be naive and go over the top as opposed to being realistic and rational. And while I know some of my peers can make the same mistakes, I also know that I myself, as well as many other friends, relatives, and people that I know, do not behave the same way.
Still, this episode was worth seeing, and this article worth reading!
Somehow it is possible if you brave it.
So if you possibly can, please start your own thing. Seek support and build your confidence from friends and great organisations like She Says, Ada’s List, the Female Entrepreneurs Association and the British Institute of Women Entrepreneurs.
In other words, Never give up on your projects, on what makes your heart ticks, and launch something that will put a dent in the universe! For women, but also for anyone else feeling frustrated
Hello and Welcome to a new episode of the [Digital Digest](http://digest.digital) podcast!
This is the third episode, and today, I'm chatting with Paul Papadimitriou, who goes by the title of Innovation Scout. We're going to chat about his childhood and international background, discuss around the topic of Identity, and look into his career as an international consultant working with organisations all around the world.
There's plenty to unpack here, so without further adue: enjoy this new episode of the Digital Digest Podcast!
[mixcloud www.mixcloud.com/tibz/digi… width=100% height=400 autoplay=1]
It’s been really fun to chat with Paul, and it was an absolute breeze to record this interview. He’s a well-traveled, curious man, and I’m very grateful that he shared so much about his life, his work, and his diverse career and travels. Hearing his tales of working with different businesses and organisations around the world is not just a consultant’s dream, but a personal aspiration of mine, and having someone of his caliber on my tiny little podcast was absolutely humbling.
Thanks again for listening, and I eagerly await to hear back from you, my dear listener!
Finally, if you’d like to help — I’ve enabled donations on the podcast’s page. Donating a small amount of money helps me make up for the hosting costs, and if I manage to get beyond the costs, I’ll may be able to record more frequently too (twice a month? Hallelujah!)
Each donation is a unique and will not be a recurring payment every month: it’s a one time only kinda thing. Although if you wish to donate more, I’d be even more grateful :
While we believe the FBI’s intentions are good, it would be wrong for the government to force us to build a backdoor into our products. And ultimately, we fear that this demand would undermine the very freedoms and liberty our government is meant to protect.
The Tech industry at large has sent clear explanations to governments about the risks of creating “backdoor access”.
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver has turned into one of my favourite shows to watch on a weekly basis. Debunking insane policies of the US government, calling out corporate companies and lobbyists or putting Donald Trump in check.
His latest segment is a mandatory watch on the Encryption debate going on, with Apple and the San Bernardino’s shooter’s iPhone at its core:
I’m not a fan of fast-fashion, however, one has to salute the latest collaboration between H&M and… Caitlyn Jenner! Not only does the collection look pretty good, it’s also a great way to help mentalities evolve for the better around the acceptance of the LGBT community.
Being a Frank Ocean fan in 2016 is not about being frustrated; it’s about being a frustration meme. Have you expressed your annoyance that he hasn’t released anything new yet? If not, are you really a fan? Waiting for Frank Ocean has become the new listening to Frank Ocean.
The true life and real sadness of being a Frank Ocean fan!
Natalie Lloyd is a digital strategist and a director at MOHARA, an agency based in Brighton, England. She’s also a close friend of mine.
In this episode, we’re chatting about her background in commercial photography, working from New York to the South of France, running a TEDx event, and… diversity.
So, over the next few months, if you pay attention to the trades, you'll see Hollywood misunderstanding the lesson they should be learning with Deadpool. They'll be green lighting films "like Deadpool" - but, by that, they won't mean "good and original" but "a raunchy superhero film" or "it breaks the fourth wall." They'll treat you like you're stupid, which is the one thing Deadpool didn't do.
James Gunn, director of the phenomenal Guardians of the Galaxy, is spot-on! And this is guaranteed!
In the first episode of the new Digital Digest podcast, I’m chatting with my friend Geet Khosla about growing in India, being part of the family business at age 12, launching & selling your company, working with family, and much more…
The Taken King works surprisingly well as a single-player game — especially if you have a few friends playing once or twice a week who don’t mind running quests again and keeping their mouths shut about what happens next. I didn’t rush to figure out how
I absolutely agree: my PSN Friends are either way ahead or don’t even play Destiny so I’m on my own most of the time and it just works. Really freaking well!
It’s not exactly the most serious game, but it’s very enjoyable to give it a bit of time throughout the week to slowly, but surely, improve your character.
That’s also how I felt playing through Diablo at my own pace, binging every couple of weeks/months or so.
Back in 2015, I wanted to experiment with audio and with podcasts. I started recording podcasts on my own time, focusing on the tech news cycle. Very soon I was spending a few hours per week recording and editing up to 23 episodes on a weekly basis. Then I decided to go on a hiatus. This coincided with a new job I’ve started, and then by moving abroad, leaving England (and Brighton) for good.
However during this time, my community of listeners grew, I stayed losing my focus and becoming aware of different problems and shortcomings. Amongst which were these :
**The tech news cycle is too fast. ** Adjusting to the news and taking the time to explain it was my primary focus, but in reality I couldn't dedicate enough time and as a one man band, I spent several hours recording a single 10mn episode.
I want to go more in depth with the variety of topics we discuss. And go beyond the news.
And perhaps more importantly, I want to interact with other interesting individuals. See, my passion is in the people, more than the pixels. Ever had an in-depth conversation with someone and wanted to share it with those around you? Well that's what I'd like to try and recreate.
So here goes Digital Digest 2.0. I’d like to make sure the episodes are longer and possibly free flowing. I also want to experiment with a quick word before, after, and possibly during the interviews. And I want to showcase people that you may not have heard of before. And in order to do that I’m thinking about publishing one episode a month, to give me the time to offer a teaser/preview, and thank potential sponsors and prepare the next episodes.
So hang tight for the first episode coming out very soon! In the meantime if you have any question or suggestion, I’d love for you to get in touch!
Mailbox, the app that single-handedly revolutionized emails & productivity apps on mobile, is being shut down by its parent, Dropbox. They’re also shutting down Carousel, the excellent but under-used photo management app. Carousel’s core focus around photos will stay inherent to Dropbox, although features such as Flashback and Shared Albumswill not make it to Dropbox.
Beyond the news of the service shutting down are a few things worth noting. First of all, this was discussed a few months ago, when pundits & VC started talking about the death of a few unicorns, and companies starting to consolidate. The biggest targets at the time seemed to be Dropbox & Evernote.
“Apps that get acquired don’t last. Apps that don’t get acquired also don’t last. (Exceptions are rare.)”
This is a worrying trend for the world of app development, and especially indie developers. At this point in time, and without Apple’s help, it is simply impossible to create an independent and sustainable business developing apps. The alternative: working for clients, or branching out to take your focus away from apps and trying your luck building freemium games, or desktop apps. Even leaving your values at the door and adding mobile ads won’t be enough to help you play the long game.
Developers on the iOS & Mac App Store have asked for PaidUpgrades for years, and until Apple decides to help its developers, the situation will only get worse. Customers already feel icky about paying for an app, even for a price as low as ranging from $0.99 to $2.99, and a later option to monetise is about the only way to ensure an app’s development. So far, Apple’s stance has always been that third-party developers were working for them, as opposed to working with them.
If independent developers continue to be squeezed out, soon there won’t be a lot of these businesses left, and all customers will be left with will be productivity apps from the 3-4 biggest companies, and free applications developed by big brands who have other ways to monetize, thus rendering the mobile apps & games as mere branded advertising opportunities.
That said, Mailbox is now on a long list of smaller projects swallowed up by big companies just to be shut down later. That's always rough to see.
Mailbox (and Carousel) join a long list of acquired services being swallowed and discontinued. As noted in online comments, this is the type of behaviour one would expect from Google, Apple or Microsoft, not Dropbox.
The future is looking more incertain by the day, and there are no easy answers at the moment. What’s sure is that we are far from the gold rush of the first 4-5 years of the App Store when developers could offer an innovative product for a fee, and make a good return worth the work they’d spend months investing into.
In the meantime, if you’re looking for an alternive to Mailbox, be sure to check out Spark, an excellent email client on iOS by Readdle, one of the few remaining indie developers out there!
Customer support can make or break small businesses, and has a powerful impact on the outcome, successful or not, experienced by younger companies: every praise matters, and any customer with a high enough number of followers can help shine the spotlight on your product. However, this is a double-edged sword that can work against you, when vocal dissatisfied end-users ruin your latest product launch with just a few tweets.
Most businesses haven’t yet realised the opportunity that lies in developing a friendly proactive support team. A great customer experience is worth your time & effort, and this starts by making sure your staff is motivated to give great support.
Customer Support can differentiate between a good product and a great company
OK, so how do I offer great support?
It’s simple really: beyond the simple idea that they want their problems fixed, customers want you to meet their expectations: so start by caring deeply about your customers, and listen to their problems. If you pay attention to your end-users and how they use your product, you can better understand their problems.
And it’s likely that they will realise the amount of effort you put into helping them.
Chances are, they may even feel grateful that you’ve taken them seriously, and you could turn a bad situation (i.e. experiencing a bug) into a positive outcome (i.e. Turn the customer into a fan, or even an ambassador for your product), simply by paying attention to them and being open, honest, and transparent about their request.
Are they experiencing a known bug? Then, explain to them that this is a known issue, that you’re expecting a bugfix to go out soon (feel free to share a rough ETA), and if possible, provide them with a temporary alternative.
Are your customers experiencing a new problem that your support team hasn’t seen, yet? Then try to give very simple & clear steps to help them gather log files, screenshots, and as many details as possible so that you can then investigate what’s going on. Again, be transparent with your customers and try to give them an ETA or offer an alternative, if you can. And make sure to follow-up with them once you have a solution.
Is that it?
It’s a simple thing, but paying attention and listening closely to your users can get you far, whether you’re acknowledging a feature request or trying to fix a problem with your product. It’s the difference between a company & product that they use, and one that they feel they share a bond with.
If your company, through your support agents, is able to show empathy, be reasonable, and make some honest efforts with your end-users, you will start reaping the benefits. This will start with better, more educated customers, friendlier conversations with your existing & potential end-users, and an overall better mood across your team, when dealing with support queries. I wouldn’t be surprised if you started seeing your customers be more vocal and open about sharing the good word about you.
I’ve bought my first Kindle back in 2011, during my internship in San Francisco. I knew I wanted to get back into reading and the advances of eInk as well as the convenience of being to carry hundreds of books in such a small device made it incredibly attractive for me.
I’ve been really happy with my Kindle 3G - the last generation sporting the physical keyboard. It’s travelled with me from the US, back to Europe, and all around the world (from sandy beaches in the Caribbean, to family trips through France, and beyond.)
Recently, I’ve noticed that after 4-5 years, the e-ink started fading away, and the device got slower. So I’ve had my eyes on the latest Paperwhite and Voyage for a while. Last year, when Amazon updated their Kindles I got a strong itch to upgrade. However, as my former colleagues at Realmac got theirs, I managed to hold off.
I’ve got a long list of books to read: fiction, non-fiction, business, self-help, and I’m also excited about the idea of connecting the articles I’ve saved from Pocket, and send them to my new dedicated e-Ink device.
We’re technologists, gadget geeks, and we tend upgrade our gear regularly. For some of the most hardcore of us, it’s a yearly iPhone upgrade. Me? I try to stay a bit more moderate and upgrade when I feel it’s a bit more needed or when I’ve really got a lot of value out of my prized possession. Not on a yearly basis, but every few years when it’s more justifiable. The new Kindle is definitely a (very) nice to have over a need to have, but the devices are not really that expensive anymore and I know it’ll be put to good use.
So long Kindle! You’ve been a great friend: now it’s time to make space to the new addition to the family!
A few months ago, I was browsing Reddit and Tumblr when I saw a comic book kept popping up repeatedly: “Sunstone”.
The name somehow stayed in the back of my mind (as someone for whom English is not my native language, I had never heard of the word sunstone before.) Until last week, when Comixology ran a special promotional sale, ahead of the release of the second volume of Sunstone (which came out today, by the way.) As part of this sale, the first volume was discounted: it was the perfect time for me to pick it up and give it a try.
The book is aimed at adults, and is about two women meeting in a chatroom, getting to know one another, and entering a relationship through their common attraction to BDSM. Now, I know what you’re thinking, and you have to understand that this shouldn’t be considered a pornographic book. Where the book shines is by really diving deep into the protagonists background and psychology: these are fully developed three-dimensional characters who bring their share of experience, and at the end of the day, you keep reading these pages trying to learn more about their paths. In a single book, I’ve felt a genuine curiosity towards the stories of these characters and felt compelled to learn what would happen next. Over the first few pages, I’ve already felt like some of the characters traits were reflections of my own personality.
In the past week, I’ve not only read this book from cover to cover, I’ve also taken the time to educate myself on the story behind the creation of the book, the artist, and also read the other finished chapters, available online for free and should be published very soon.
There’s an interesting backstory to how the book came to be: Šejić started drawing a series of sketches and illustrations on his spare-time, as a way to take a break from his busy schedule as a comic book artist. Overtime, he continued to draw these two protagonists in different poses and situations, to the point where he naturally started working on stories between them. He published them online on DeviantArt, under the alias “Shiniez”. Overtime, the web comic became incredibly popular (reaching with millions of views) and the creator was offered a publishing deal to turn the free online comic into a physical version.
Although this is indeed a true independent success story, there is something absolutely unique about this book: it’s no coincidence that it’s such a popular indie title. First of all, starting with the obvious: the art is just beautiful! As I’ve mentioned before, the creator has done some great work on big titles in the past and whether you read it for free from his DeviantArt account, or via the slightly more polished print version, Sunstone is a visual treat on the eyes.
What really shines, however, is the details given to the characters' traits and personalities as well as the attention and respect towards the BDSM community. I’m not into this type of fetish in any way and used to think about it in slightly stereotypical ways… until I started reading Sunstone. This book really respects these practises and takes the time to explain the psychology behind dominance, submission and the whole alternative lifestyle that is the BDSM scene. It’s an exercise in openness and empathy, and the addition of different “vanilla” characters in later chapters help introduce inexperienced readers to this world even more. In addition, there is a lot of humor throughout the book, and the pace is really well balanced. There aren’t any pages during which I got bored or wanted to skip ahead to a different setting or situation. No matter where Šejić takes the story, there is always something interesting on the page.
So here we are: I’ve ordered a physical version of this first volume, as a gift for my girlfriend. I can’t wait to see her reaction after reading the book, so we can talk about these characters together. I would highly recommend anyone (above 18 years old) to check out Sunstone.
If you’d like to read more about the creator and his work on the book, you should definitely read this cross interview between him & his wife.
If you have read Sunstone, I’d love to know what you thought, and what attracted you to the book. And if you have any question on the book, I’d be happy to get in touch with you.
I haven’t yet had time to look at what happened during the latest democratic debate, but this video put a smile on my face. A great way to start the weekend.
“...you know what New York is? It's a place built by the backbreaking work of immigrants. Immigrants like your family, Ted Cruz. And when you say having New York values is a bad thing, you insult my city, my state, my culture, and my heritage. I am the son of an immigrant — and I am proud of it.”
“Mr. Trump, you wouldn't know New York values if they were written in 50-foot gold letters on the side of the Empire State Building. ”
In this post, I’d like to discuss some simple ways to improve the way you can support your users. Although we are a software company, these tips will apply to any domain where you have to deal with clients and customers on a regular basis.
In a world where a single individual can reach just about anyone, anywhere, it is vital to keep your customers happy. It has become too easy to spread a bad word about a product, a company, or even a person; your reputation matters more than ever before. Delivering great products is as important as making sure you bring satisfaction to your users.
At Realmac Software, we care for those two aspects, and aim to build great products to delight our users and provide them with outstanding customer service.
Know Your Product
There’s no secret to success: if you want to be good at something, you need to do the work. In terms of customer service, this means knowing the products that you sell, inside-and-out. If there is a new version or a new feature, try to plan ahead of time for the type of questions you might receive, and be ready to train users with simple instructions. For example, while preparing for the launch of OS X Mavericks, we set up a post on our Help Page with answers to questions we believed would likely be asked about one of our apps.
Simple Directions
When talking with your users, keep it simple and break it down. If you require the customer to follow a certain procedure, make sure that every step is explained clearly (and don’t be afraid to use those bullet points). A good rule of thumb when dealing with users is to assume the person is not familiar with the product, unless stated otherwise. The easiest your instructions will be to understand, the more likely the customers' experience will improve.
Remember the Details
If you’re unsure about something mentioned by a customer, don’t make assumptions: just ask them. It might be one more exchange, but understanding what the user is doing is the most efficient way to identify what’s wrong. If something is not obvious to one of your users, it can be a clear indicator that we need to improve something in our product. In this case, knowing how to replicate the error will help your engineers to outline and fix the issue. You need to help them help you!
Ask More Questions
One of the many inspiring posters we have at the office is a typographic piece from Anthony Burrill with the inscription “Ask More Question” on it.
If you’re not 100% sure about a solution, the best thing to do is to double check with one member of the team. In my case, and depending on the context, I know I can ask our QA Manager, our Product Manager or even one of our Engineers. No one is going to blame you for asking questions and trying to be better at helping customers. However if you tend to forget things, make sure to write them down somewhere.
Let your team help
Having a dedicated support team helps to make sure users get the assistance they require in a timely manner. It also helps to keep an eye on how these users are doing and outline specific issues or bugs within the products we ship. However an app will likely be built by a team, and as such, you should encourage all members of the team to respond to the users every now and then. It’s easy for your coworkers to login on Twitter and save a search with your app’s Twitter handle, or even a hashtag. This way they can keep a finger on the pulse of the product they helped build.
Empathy
One of the quality that you must develop to become better at supporting customers, is empathy. This means taking the time to see the world through your users' eyes. It can be hard to assume someone else’s perspective. But it’s important to try to be unbiased and understand that the way your user sees the situation is different then yours. You probably have much more context and knowledge about how the product was built, and why it takes a certain way to use a specific feature. So try to be understanding: if you can educate your user in the process of helping them, you are much more likely to get some great feedback and for them to spread the word about their good experience with your company.
If you’re in a business-to-consumers venture, it is also very hard to outline a product that will appeal to many different people in different ways. Being able to step out of your own shoes to see the bigger picture will help you much more to understand other perspectives.
Don't take it personally
Finally, it’s vital that you don’t take things badly. Customers will often see the end-product and it’s impossible for an outsider to understand the consequences and the context in which a product was built. So if someone just doesn’t get it, leave your ego at the door, and try to be as clear as you can. The more efforts you put into growing a thicker skin, the more unbiased and subjective you will be to try and help your users. It’s one of the most important —yet overlooked— things when dealing with customers. It’s even harder if you’ve put a lot of effort on a project with a very small team.
Hopefully this gives a better idea of the responsibilities when supporting customers. A lot of it boils down to paying attention, and taking the time to understand your customers' perspective. If you have any addition or subsequent question, I’d love to hear about it, so feel free to contact me on Twitter.
