I am a conference developer for Sales Force Automation conferences and keep hearing and seeing the term "Front Office" as it relates to Customer Management/Relationship systems.

My question is what does this entail? Could you paint a broad picture of this?

Best Regards ,

Alan

Dear Alan:

"Front office" refers to the things customers can see when they are inefficient; back office are those things they can't. Your accounting group is a back-office function. Your customer service people are front office. Another way of looking at it: If the customer doesn't know whether the people who handle the function are grumpy or ill-dressed, it is a back-office function.

Excellent article on Getting Off The Party Line . I like the life insurance bit; I'll have to use that one. I've got a similar problem and am open to suggestions.

My dilemma involves family and friends who are already aware that I don't sell life insurance, darn! You know the type: They're the one who either bought the computer at a flea market or somebody owed them some money and gave it to them as partial payment or something, and unfortunately know or have access to my already-unlisted phone number.

I work on machines and answer software and technical questions all day to the point sometimes I don't even want to turn on my home computer. I'm also a proud new father, which seems to have had a profound correlative exponential affect on the used PC market and its availability to my family and friends. They're driving me nuts; I'm getting calls from relatives my wife of five years has never met nor heard of.

I've taken the initiative to exploit the call-screening convenience of owning an answering machine. It's not real original, but hey, I'm desperate. I don't know why I even bother paying for an unlisted number anymore. All ranting aside, it was good for me to see that I'm not the only one who perceives this as an inconvenience and a bit intrusive on my personal life. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Brandon E.

Dear Brandon:

That is one tough question, but here goes. Probably the best defense is to say you'll get working on it right away and will call them back just as soon as you figure out how to fix their problem. As soon as you hang up, relax for the rest of the evening and play with the new baby. Maybe even have a beer. Then go to bed and set your alarm for 3 a.m.

You didn't miss a beat on Getting Off The Party Line. Right down to the gunfight with the MacBigot. Chills!! This article was so close it hurt.

Stay out of my brain, it scares me.

Morris

Dear Morris:

I'm impressed. After having to deal with all of those people we run into at the parties, to retain any portion of a brain is impressive. I know at that point, mine is non-functioning. Or to misquote a former VP, "A mind is a terrible think to misplace."

Thank you for your recent article "Getting Off The Party Line." I, too, have noticed a change in people actually seeking me out at parties now. Back when I was kept in the "back room" with the super-minicomputers, I enjoyed both my title of 'techno-geek' and my anonymity.

Today, I cringe when I hear, "Oh, you simply must meet 'George', he just bought his first home computer."

Keep up the fine work

Moe K.

Dear Moe:

One of the defense mechanisms I use is that when I get roped into meeting more than one of these people at a party, I make sure to introduce the second one to the first one, and disappear. Try it. It works.

Loved your article about "Getting Off The Party Line." Liked the insurance sales trick -- I always used "Meter Reader Guy" for the electric company. There isn't a thing anyone wants to know from a meter reader. Also, for those that do find out about your background, just let them know the only system you use is OS/2. The blank looks are priceless and a definite conversation-ender.

CK

Dear CK:

Great! I hadn't thought of that one. I suppose the other thing to do would be start talking about how anyone who still doesn't use DOS is nothing but a wimp. Works really well if your wearing jeans, a belt with a big buckle and boots. The spurs are optional.

I'm the IS manager at a small, privately owned life insurance company. Recently a new chief operating officer was hired to better position us for a transition into the broker-dealer market. Until then, I reported directly to the president and had an a ctive role in the direction in which the company was headed. Now I report to the new COO, who made it painfully clear in the first month here that he was not impressed with my work performance or attitude -- and that my opinion no longer amounts to much in this company. For a while I was crushed; this job is my life.

However, now I've learned that the president's brother-in-law has been negotiating since the beginning of the year [when the new COO first came on board] to become the new "system architect" in IS and I'm to have more of a support role. Some of the reasons I was given is that he has an extensive marketing and insurance background; he actually doesn't have as an extensive background as I do. I feel this company has been blowing smoke for the past six months to hire the in-law to come in and take over from me. It's definitely time for me to move on, which isn't exactly palatable given the circumstances. I have several consulting firms that have shown some interest in my Visual Basic and NT ser ver skills [with a lot better salary], but I feel like I'm taking a step down the career ladder, going from decision-maker to programmer.

My question to you is what type of background do you have or do you think a person might need to become a director or CIO of a company? I'm looking into several graduate school MBA programs that focus on technology. I don't want to again be in the position I'm in right now. I'm trying to shore up my job skills and education to prepare for the future. I'm currently 32 and I'm female. Any advice?

Lisa

Dear Lisa:

You will find a lot of my comments about the type of background a person needs to be a director of systems or a CIO of a company in the past Ask The Secret CIO columns listed at the bottom of this page. But I would rather that you first contemplate your present situation and what you can learn from it. I was struck by your reaction to the remarks of your new boss about your pe rformance and attitude. I know that it is tough to hear personal criticism, but if you didn't discuss with him his reasons for saying what he did and then reflect upon them, you will be giving up the most valuable experience of all for a future CIO: the ability to learn from our own experience.

Hi! I just read your excellent article, Power of Persuasion .

I can relate to Wendy's former predicament and yours as well. My boss and my boss' boss both support me and the work/family balance proposals I have submitted, but we can't seem to get past human resources. The issue was recently raised in a companywide meeting and the response back is that HR will begin to address these issues in six months or so.

I am so discouraged. Since the birth of my child 17 months ago, I've been a work/family balance advocate. Another six months seems like an eternity. I guess, too, my fear i s that after waiting six months, the response may be similar to the "beautiful, carefully crafted work of turf-protecting art" you received, and in the end, I've "lost" another six months.

Any ideas on keeping the work/family balance issue alive and kicking during the next six months? What can I do to keep it from falling by the wayside?

Angie H.

Dear Angie:

I can understand why you are discouraged.

You have to first analyze how important the job is to you and what happens if you antagonize the people in HR. Also, you have to think about how far your bosses will go to back you.

Based on what that information tells you, here are some of the options you could consider:

1. Let your bosses know first what you are doing, then call the highest-ranking HR person in the company and ask for an appointment.

   At the meeting, which will probably have at least two HR people present (the boss and a specialist), explain your situation and ask what can be done to help you (do not ask what difficulty they have in making the situation better; that's their problem, not yours). Ask them for what alternatives they can develop, if they can't use your proposals. Remember, they may not like you telling them how to do their jobs, so ask questions.

   Get specific information as to what will be done and when. Mentally, treat it like you are interviewing users who have information that you need to design a system and this is your only chance to get it right. Let them do most of the talking. If they are not clear, politely say you don't understand.

2. If the answers are not to your liking, talk to your bosses about what they can do to help you. Now it's their turn to go and badger HR. If they think highly enough of you, they will try -- even if for no other reason than to show that they are on your side.

3. Try to find out what the feelings and experiences of your co-workers have been. Be careful here. If the job is really important to you, you risk being labeled as an agitator if you do this.

4. Pick a "drop dead" date by which things must improve or you will begin looking for a new job that better meets your needs. Update your resume and follow your plan.

   I like to think that along the way, people will see the light and help you.

5. Good luck.

   ---

   View past issues of "Ask The Secret CIO"
   

   Aug. 11, 1997 July 29, 1997 July 15, 1997 July 1, 1997 June 17, 1997 June 3, 1997 May 20, 1997 May 6, 1997 April 22, 1997 April 8, 1997 March 25, 1997 March 11, 1997

   Feb. 25, 1997 Feb. 11, 1997 Jan. 28, 1997 Jan. 14, 1997 Dec. 24, 1996 Dec. 3, 1996 Nov. 19, 1996 Nov. 5, 1996 Oct. 21, 1996 Oct. 7, 1996 Sept. 24, 1996 Sept. 9, 1996 July 29, 1996 June 24, 1996

   ---