Adventures of a Technology Investigator

The Missing Desktop Computer - CASE #2021-01

My name is Randy Lawson, technology investigator, and when it comes to computers and other gadgets and associated wizardry, I sometimes get lost among all the wires and bytes and lines of data. That is why I work with Matt, Brent, and Amy of Joplin’s Technology Center. And these are my adventures.

I would like to say it was a cool and pleasant day last year. But that would be an exaggeration because these southwestern Missouri summers often drive the mercury pretty high—if thermometers used mercury anymore, but technology has changed a lot in our lives. If only we could use that technological know-how to invent something to take away the intense humidity that sticks to you like a wet, woolen blanket.

Service calls are a specialty of the crew, and I needed their help with the case we’re reviewing today. Seems that a certain individual had been collecting books and papers to the point he lost the tower that converted all the electronic signals into images on his screen. He had to have an upgrade to accomplish the things he needed during this work-from-home period in our lives.

So, what I had here was a missing computer case. Those can be tricky. You have to be careful. Who better to call than the Technology Center crew? A quick call to their headquarters set the wheels in motion. 

When something goes missing in my line of work, things can often get a little chaotic. That never happened here as soon as the crew stepped in. They took control of the situation with courtesy and professionalism.

A quick tracing of the relevant cords revealed the missing computer.  It didn’t take the crew very long to have everything in order once again. The customer was satisfied with the quick and effective work performed by Joplin’s Technology Center. They located the equipment and supplied the necessary updates to get the customer up and running so he could accomplish his tasks.

The customer felt like he had his own IT department available to help him. And all it took was a quick phone call to activate the crew.

Best Computer Monitors - CASE #2021-02

My name is Randy Lawson, technology investigator, and when it comes to computers and other gadgets and associated wizardry, I sometimes get lost among all the wires and bytes and lines of data. That is why I work with Matt, Brent, and Amy of Joplin’s Technology Center. And these are my adventures.

In my line of work, I try to keep up with all the changes happening in technology every day. But that can be a little hectic at times. I remember the days when the height of sophistication was an answering machine. These days, you can set up and receive voicemail from anywhere. You can video chat to your best friend while you’re out on the lake fishing.

As all the advances continue to become more and more sophisticated, I have discovered that I need a helping hand every now and then. Getting these technological advances to work as efficiently as possible for me, needs a little foresight on my part. This is where the Joplin’s Technology Center crew comes in. They save the day with their convenient service calls, bringing the experts to me and showing me things that will make my life easier.

For the longest time, I thought monitors were just easy ways to see the data entered into a spreadsheet or words written in a document. Then came better resolution and graphics…and kitten videos. Then I got a Facebook page and talk to my brother across the country on video through the camera. I can see him react to my latest adventure. The most recent addition to my social media life has been Instagram and Pinterest. This way I can keep up with the things that interest my kids.

Did you know you can get a monitor with both picture-in-picture and picture-by-picture functionality? This lets me easily view content from different sources at the same time. The Technology Center crew came out to my office and set up my new monitors for me.

They taught me things about blue light reduction that match my usage scenarios and flicker-free LEDs that will save my eyesight. As technology becomes deeper and deeper ingrained into our lifestyles, the crew taught me what I needed to do in order to not be hindered by all the advances. And all it took was a quick phone all to Joplin’s Technology Center.

Small Business Network Setup Checklist - CASE #2021-03

My name is Randy Lawson, technology investigator, and when it comes to computers and other gadgets and associated wizardry, I sometimes get lost among all the wires and bytes and lines of data. That is why I work with Matt, Brent, and Amy of Joplin’s Technology Center. And these are my adventures.

It was a dark and dreary day filled with gray clouds that seemed to hover right over the rooftops. It wasn’t too stormy. More like damp due to the perpetual mist. It wouldn’t quite open up and rain; neither would it dry up. These are days that some people find it hard to go out and get things done.

This includes one of my latest clients who owned a small business and wanted to set up a computer system that networked her point-of-sale at the front of the store with her warehouse inventory in the back. Much more complex when you understand all the different moving parts involved.

She didn’t want to hold too much inventory and run the risk of it not selling and having to sell it at a loss. Neither did she want to hold too little product on hand and run the risk of missing sales opportunities by not meeting customer demand. I needed a solution that was quick, convenient, and reliable.

Joplin’s Technology Center crew fit the bill. If anyone could swoop in like superheroes and get this job done, it had to be them. Their convenient service calls allowed my client to select the equipment and software she needed. At the same time, they helped her set it up and taught her how to make it best work to fit her needs.

They brought the hardware she needed. Set it up with the software best suited for her business. Taught her how to use it. And are available for any additional assistance or updates that she may need in the future. She doesn’t have to be a huge, multi-national corporation to have an IT department when the team at Joplin’s Technology Center is there to help her. All it takes is a quick phone call to set the crew in motion.