The two-way success of user groups gives truth to the cliche that there`s strength in numbers.
Starting as informal networking systems to exchange technical information and support during the infancy of personal computers, user groups have proliferated, formalized and gained a strong voice within the computer industry.
”User groups are really not any big, flashing thing,” said Craig Elliott, manager for Apple Computer Inc.`s Pacific operations. ”But talk about groundswell from grassroots support-user groups can be very
influential.”
More than 1,500 user groups have formed for Apple alone in this country and, according to Elliott, ”81 percent of user group members talk about Apple to their peers at least once a day. With 400,000 members, that`s quite a sales force.”
It`s enough of a sales force that vendors make an effort to get information to the groups that members can pass on, as well as to be responsive to user groups` requests and suggestions.
Apple, recognizing that a satisfied customer is going to be a repeat customer, offers comprehensive and sophisticated information. The company even has produced two volumes on ”everything you always wanted to know about starting, sustaining and enjoying an Apple User Group.”
Apple`s efforts consist of specialty mailings directed to, for example, education, corporations and government agencies. The company also provides an on-line technical library, which enables users to call up files for information.
”My job is to make sure they get the support they need,” Elliott said.
”Monthly mailings include product introductions, new training classes and information, and a bimonthly newsletter, Quick Connect, that deals with management issues-e.g., how to manage finances.”
But turnabout is fair play. The more influential user groups often can for computer software and hardware companies.
”Vendors do listen to what user groups have to say,” said Marilyn Aliber, former program manager for customer service with International Data Corp., a market research and consulting company in Framingham, Mass.
User groups do make a difference in product development, Aliber noted.
One group that has made more than a little difference, while giving new meaning to the concept of user groups, is the Boston Computer Society, now known as BCS.
Founded in 1977 by then-13-year-old Jonathan Rotenberg and two others, BCS was established to provide a means of exchanging information in a non-technical manner among users of the first PCs. BCS`s growth flourished along with the PC industry`s growth, and today it is the largest single PC association in the world with 32,000 members representing 57 countries.
With the Mac and Mac Portable, the IBM PC, the Next and other landmarks in the PC industry making their debut at BCS meetings, it is apparent that computer and software manufacturers take seriously the group`s member profile. The following is excerpted from BCS`s newsletter for its approximately 800 volunteers:
”BCS members personally spend over $30 million, or $1,581 each, on personal computer products-more than any Fortune 500 company. . . . In his/her work, the average BCS member influences over $90,000 of hardware and software purchases a year. . . .”
This economic clout carries weight with vendors, said Aliber. ”Vendors don`t want to get a reputation that they`re not responsive to user needs.
”Vendors listen to competitors` user groups as well. The groups can send signals about problems that they could fix in their own products.”
Despite its clout-whether stated or not-BCS maintains its original objective as an information network.
”We aren`t just a user group,” said Elaine Santangelo, acting spokeswoman for BCS`s user group support. ”We`ve got over 50 different special-interest groups under one umbrella-music, training, documentations groups. BCS is volunteer-driven, volunteer-run.”
User groups loosely fall into one of several categories:
– Hardware used (e.g., Apple or IBM group).
– Software used (e.g., WordPerfect or Mac Stack subgroups).
– Work-related application (e.g., amateur radio, construction, robotics, government, etc.).
– Region (user groups of one variety or another are in cities throughout the country).
Still, the roots of any user group are to provide knowledge.
The six-chapter Chicago Computer Society, for example, sees itself as a knowledge-provider as opposed to a lobbying group.
”We started when personal computers first came out,” said staff coordinator Carol Diamond, the group`s only paid employee. ”Back then, none of us knew much more than how to turn the machine on. We needed help.”
The society still is providing that help. For a $40 annual fee, members get regular meetings and programs, a volunteer-manned help line, a computer bulletin board service, 19 special-interest groups, a monthly journal and the use of the society`s library of public-domain software.
”We used to offer six classes a semester, and now we`re offering 36,”
Diamond noted.
”Our members run the gamut from very high-tech people to complete novices,” she added.
Although the groups might vary in format, objectives and membership profile, there`s no doubt that they play an important role in the industry and can be looked at as powerful lobbyists for the computer consumer, which is just about everybody.
By holding regular meetings, publishing newsletters, conducting seminars, providing public-domain libraries and maintaining on-line bulletin boards, user groups keep members informed about hardware, software, trends and new products.
Elliott noted that the trend in the last two years toward creating specialty user groups like the Apple ones has fine-tuned the group process.
”The level of sophistication is incredible . . . the hot-line technical help, software demonstrations, hardware demonstrations, bulletin board services. Third-party developers are interested in user groups because of the influence they have.” Third-party developers are those outside a large company, who write software for that company.
”We don`t support any particular platforms or types of products,” BCS`s Santangelo said, adding that ”BCS does publish reviews of products. Often, we give solutions (that are) not necessarily what the original application was intended for. For example, an `F` key might have a certain function. It`s just like the guy that`s owned his car for four years before he finds out that if he pushes a certain button on the radio, he`ll get the temperature.
”In fact, that`s what we like to compare ourselves to-the automobile clubs of America. There`s not just the Chevy club, or just the Ford club.
”Some people are still afraid of computers. Ultimately, people will come to the understanding that a computer is a computer is a computer, just as a car is a car is a car.”
