January 2013 Summaries

The author is launching a series called "Support Chronicles" where they will share tips and tricks for providing better support to users, focusing on keyboard shortcuts. The author argues that using keyboard shortcuts can make support faster, more efficient, and empower the user, as it allows them to take control of their technology. They provide examples of common keyboard shortcuts such as Alt-Tab/Cmd-Tab, Ctrl-Tab/⌘-Option-Right Arrow, and Ctrl-F/⌘-F, but also acknowledge that relying solely on these may not be enough to save large amounts of time. Instead, the author suggests using custom search engines with assigned keywords to quickly access frequently searched information, which can make a significant difference in support efficiency.

At Zapier we're always looking to add little touches that make working with web-based software a little less painful: call it a rounding of the edges. All those minor little setbacks and annoyances introduce artificial barriers that turn off users. If you let them accumulate, you end up with a frustrating product even if your users can't articulate why. We've done our best to remove them, while the list goes on and on forever. One of these "roundings" is auto-login links in emails, which utilize tools in most web frameworks to rewrite URLs that auto-login users when clicked. Another example is not forcing email confirmation, allowing users to trial software without restriction. No bizarre password requirements are also implemented, giving users the freedom to choose their own passwords. Additionally, one-click email unsubscribes are provided at the top of every Zapier email, making it easy for users to opt-out. Contextualized help and support is also offered, providing algorithmically selected content based on the user's location in the UI. By removing these minor annoyances, Zapier aims to create a more user-friendly experience that keeps users engaged.

I experienced a power outage during the last workweek before Christmas, which lasted for hours and interrupted my online work sessions. To minimize the impact, I stayed in contact with my co-founder by sending a text update, used my laptop's good battery life to work on offline tasks, had pre-prepared tasks ready using Trello, timed-shifted some of my online work to household chores, and prepared for future emergencies.