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Feb
16

User Groups – You know what they are, right?

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I guess it’s just a day to rant.
I live in the Pacific Northwest, specifically just outside of Seattle, and I have to say that the SolidWorks community around her is pretty pathetic. I would guess there to be, easily, 2000+ users in the area and the turnout at the local SASPUG (Seattle Area Power User Group) meetings isn’t just below low, it’s virtually non-existent. I hear all the time about user group meetings that have 50-75+ attendees. Why are things not so good here, and perhaps where you are? I believe that the blame can be placed into three areas:

1) Employers who are lackadaisical  about encouraging employees to attend user group  meetings.
2) Users, themselves, who figure they can’t learn anything by going.
3) Local VAR support of said user group is weak.

Let’s start with employers, shall we? Why would you purchase thousands of dollars worth of software then turn your users loose on it without encouraging your users to learn it inside and out? Yes, some employers pony up the cash to send their employees to training at their VAR but we all know that only scratches the surface. It’s at the user group meetings that you learn tips & tricks, new ways of creating the wheel and, in some cases, your users can find out that they actually can do that. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve smacked my forehead after finding out some little tidbit of information. C’mon, Mr. Executive! Users who know the ins and outs of the software are only going to help increase profits! Sheesh.  Hey, here’s  an idea for you, if you have  a fair amount of users, start your own internal group! I bet Richard would be happy to help you get started. 

Users…"I know enough to get by." "If I don’t know it, I’m sure someone around here does." "I just don’t have time." "User group? What’s a user group?"
Ever hear these comments? I have. I have to tell ya, for those of you who aren’t lucky enough to go to SolidWorks World (yet another rant in that statement), your user groups can go a long way towards expanding your knowledge. Wouldn’t it make more sense to ‘learn’ something at a meeting and be able to use it in the future than to have to go around the company trying to find someone who knows how to add fins to your flux-capacitor? If you don’t know what a user group is…ugh. Where the hell have you been?

VARS – This one should be a no brainer. VAR stands for ‘Value-added Reseller’. The "value" part certainly doesn’t come from only selling SolidWorks, it comes from supporting it. To not support your local user group is flat out doing a disservice to the very people you’re supposed to be servicing.

If you don’t know if there’s a user group in your area, click here to find out. Participate, whether it’s as a member of the audience or as a presenter. Believe me, if you know what you’re talking about, the organizer of your local group will be more than happy to have your help!! 

Ok, I’m done ranting for today. Not sure what got into me, but I’m feeling better. Thanks for reading.

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  • http://www.MikesCadBlog.com Mike Puckett

    Jeff,
    I would only be so lucky to have someone like you at one of our local VARS. We have two of the biggest ones in our area, and neither one wants anything to do with our group. Its a shame, but it always comes down to money for them.
    **Sadly, Mike, even if I were there there’d be little I could do if I were working for one of your VARs. It sounds to me, like that’s just how they operate. Thankfully, I work for one who has no problems supporting the local group.**

  • http://www.MikesCadBlog.com Mike Puckett

    Jeff,
    I would only be so lucky to have someone like you at one of our local VARS. We have two of the biggest ones in our area, and neither one wants anything to do with our group. Its a shame, but it always comes down to money for them.
    **Sadly, Mike, even if I were there there’d be little I could do if I were working for one of your VARs. It sounds to me, like that’s just how they operate. Thankfully, I work for one who has no problems supporting the local group.**

  • http://www.SolidMentor.com Ben

    WOW I could not have said it better myself…
    I think I am going to send this post to my local VARS.
    Ben

  • http://www.SolidMentor.com Ben

    WOW I could not have said it better myself…
    I think I am going to send this post to my local VARS.
    Ben

  • http://www.solidsmack.com Josh

    Good stuff man. Employers are often scared of headhunters getting their employees at the user group meetings. that is the number one most common thing I’ve come up against from day one.

  • http://www.solidsmack.com Josh

    Good stuff man. Employers are often scared of headhunters getting their employees at the user group meetings. that is the number one most common thing I’ve come up against from day one.

  • http://www.cadfanatic.com Brian

    Most of the users at my company I would say are just plain apathetic about our local user group.
    My manager (who attends the meetings himself fairly regularly) has mentioned to me more than once that he really wished more of the guys would attend. But he can’t force them…
    I think we are really lucky with our user group in that we have 3 VAR’s that participate.
    Brian
    http://www.cadfanatic.com/
    **At my former employer, attending x-number of user meetings was included in my goals for the year, which went towards my bonus. I, personally, had no problem with this and didn’t think it was an undue requirement. Granted, I was already attending any meeting I could, but I’m just sayin’…

  • http://www.cadfanatic.com/ Brian

    Most of the users at my company I would say are just plain apathetic about our local user group.
    My manager (who attends the meetings himself fairly regularly) has mentioned to me more than once that he really wished more of the guys would attend. But he can’t force them…
    I think we are really lucky with our user group in that we have 3 VAR’s that participate.
    Brian
    http://www.cadfanatic.com/
    **At my former employer, attending x-number of user meetings was included in my goals for the year, which went towards my bonus. I, personally, had no problem with this and didn’t think it was an undue requirement. Granted, I was already attending any meeting I could, but I’m just sayin’…

  • Steve Calvert

    Jeff, I guess I’m lucky to be in Central Texas. Our VAR, MLC-CAD, has to be one of the best. They are always at our local user group meeting and have time to set down and discuss what’s going on. They put on great release parties. They understand the importance of an active user group.
    Steve

  • Steve Calvert

    Jeff, I guess I’m lucky to be in Central Texas. Our VAR, MLC-CAD, has to be one of the best. They are always at our local user group meeting and have time to set down and discuss what’s going on. They put on great release parties. They understand the importance of an active user group.
    Steve

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  • http://www.abam.com/ Dave

    I’m in Federal Way and have been to one SASPUG. It didn’t seem like Shounco was involved, not sure. I’d love to be more involved and my employer is fully behind me. The one problem is the distances to the meetings; they always seem to be an hour away (without traffic). To me it would seem the quality of the group is determined by the effort put in by the members, until now I haven’t done a thing. I’m a relative newbe but would be willing to help. Shoot me an email if you have any ideas.

  • http://www.abam.com/ Dave

    I’m in Federal Way and have been to one SASPUG. It didn’t seem like Shounco was involved, not sure. I’d love to be more involved and my employer is fully behind me. The one problem is the distances to the meetings; they always seem to be an hour away (without traffic). To me it would seem the quality of the group is determined by the effort put in by the members, until now I haven’t done a thing. I’m a relative newbe but would be willing to help. Shoot me an email if you have any ideas.

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