I Can Help With That: What Customer Service Can Teach Technical Writers

Speaker: Rachel Lamb

Description

How are customer service agents and technical writers alike? Well, neither of us spend our time in the spotlight. We don’t have the flash and pizazz of marketing. We don’t have the kind of coding muscles that developers can flex. We’re not at the top like the managers, calling the shots and making the big bucks.

However, we’re still important. We’re the support players, making sure the users– or should I say customers— get the guidance they need. For technical writers, we give them the resources to put the product to use. For customer service agents, they’re there to assist customers when they need something related to the product that they can’t get from anyone else. Without us, companies would lose their customer bases.

I’ve seen both worlds. It’s why I say not only are we not so different, but that there are things we can learn from the other side.

About the Speaker

Rachel is a technical writer at Acumen LLC in Burlingame, CA, following a successful career change. She obtained her certificate in Technical Writing and Communication in 2019 and is currently pursuing her User Experience and Web Design Certificate. She currently serves as VP for Programs and Webmaster of STC San Francisco Bay. In her spare time, Rachel is an absolute nerd who enjoys a variety of hobbies including playing video games, reading, traveling, and watching motorsport.

 

Event info

Time: Wednesday, October 13th, 2021 6:30 p.m. Pacific

Location: Zoom

Program:
6:30 to 7:00: Networking
7:00 to 7:15: Announcements
7:15 to 8:30: Presentation
8:30 to 8:45: More networking
8:45: Clear the room; move conversations to offline

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82414326338

Meeting ID: 824 1432 6338
One tap mobile
+14086380968,,82414326338# US (San Jose)
+16699006833,,82414326338# US (San Jose)

Dial by your location
        +1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)
        +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
        +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
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        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
        +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
        +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
Meeting ID: 824 1432 6338
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kQKmupVX8

 


Important notes:

  • Members of other chapters welcomed. If you belong to another STC chapter, you can attend our meetings for the regular price (free for virtual events).
  • IABC members welcome. All members of the San Francisco Chapter of the IABC are welcome to register for San Francisco Bay STC General Meetings at the member price (free for virtual events).
  • Non-members can attend. You don’t have to be a member to attend our meetings.
  • Tell us if you’re hiring or job-hunting. Attendees are encouraged to announce open positions or to announce that they are searching for work. Feel free to bring job listings, resumes, or business cards for distribution.
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Recording for the September Meeting

Hello all! Hope everyone is doing well and staying safe.

The recording for the September meeting is live on our YouTube channel! You can also view the video below. Many thanks again to Colin Budd for presenting to us this month!

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Cheat, Borrow, Steal: How to Build and Scale a Successful Design Practice

Speaker: Colin Budd

Description

Building a sustainable, scalable, and successful design practice is no easy feat. In this talk, learn the real techniques, tricks, and best-in-class methods for forming a true design practice that organically grows and transforms your business. Anecdotes and insights from in-field learnings that helped countless companies (from startups to Fortune 500s) build and grow their own sustainable design cultures will ensure that everyone – no matter their role/industry/team/company or perceived barriers – is able to bring the same transformative practices into their own worlds. You may have to cheat, borrow, steal, but that’s all part of the game!

About the Speaker

With a restless drive to innovate powered by an interdisciplinary background in design, technology, business, and psychology, Colin focuses on creating forward-thinking solutions across emerging domains (spanning AI, IoT, 5G, Edge, Mixed Reality, Blockchain, and beyond) which seek to solve the often unseen, higher-level problems latent in our world and the technologies, platforms, and services we use everyday. 

As a Digital Advisor with Microsoft, Colin has the immense pleasure of assisting enterprise customers in unlocking new value by transforming their offerings, teams, cultures, and industries through a human-centric focus, mindset toward what could be, and passion for empowering others to do the right thing – not just the easy thing.

A Cornell University graduate with degrees in Information Science and Fine Arts, Colin is an emerging thought leader in the spaces of Human-Centered Practices and Creative Strategy. He holds a number of patents within these spaces and is often found deeply exploring, tinkering with, and speaking/writing on these topics.

 

Event info

Time: Wednesday, September 8th, 2021 6:30 p.m. Pacific

Location: Zoom

Program:
6:30 to 7:00: Networking
7:00 to 7:15: Announcements
7:15 to 8:30: Presentation
8:30 to 8:45: More networking
8:45: Clear the room; move conversations to offline

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81486356115?pwd=NkF0SXRlOWZyb1R3NjZUZVNtSkZ3Zz09

Meeting ID: 814 8635 6115
Passcode: 361026
One tap mobile
+16699006833,,81486356115#,,,,*361026# US (San Jose)
+14086380968,,81486356115#,,,,*361026# US (San Jose)

Dial by your location
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 814 8635 6115
Passcode: 361026
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcYQjXb03

 


Important notes:

  • Members of other chapters welcomed. If you belong to another STC chapter, you can attend our meetings for the regular price (free for virtual events).
  • IABC members welcome. All members of the San Francisco Chapter of the IABC are welcome to register for San Francisco Bay STC General Meetings at the member price (free for virtual events).
  • Non-members can attend. You don’t have to be a member to attend our meetings.
  • Tell us if you’re hiring or job-hunting. Attendees are encouraged to announce open positions or to announce that they are searching for work. Feel free to bring job listings, resumes, or business cards for distribution.
Posted in Events, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Cheat, Borrow, Steal: How to Build and Scale a Successful Design Practice

September Career Management Session for Job Seekers

Last month, the San Francisco Bay chapter presented our first contribution to the multi-chapter effort aimed at helping jobseekers. Our very own Joy Montgomery will be running this event, now called Career Management,  again in September.

The Job-Seeker Logo, part of a multi-chapter effort

The one hour session will be held on September 13th, 2021 from 6-7 pm Pacific time. The link for the September event’s Zoom meeting is below.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89423130298?pwd=MGlZRHBSOTkwZndqSEYvRER6TkpPZz09

Future meetings will use the link below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81014089150 

These sessions will be held at the same time on the second Monday of each month for the rest of this year at least. We highly encourage you to come by when you can. Thank you again to Joy for her efforts in making this program possible!

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Recording for the August Meeting

The August meeting recording has finally been published on our chapter YouTube channel. We do apologize for the delay and wish to once again thank our speaker, Jan Johnston-Tyler, for presenting to us this month!

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