JRMC Associates—

That Software Training You Need Is As Close As Your Own Computer

By Kaaren Valenta

June McGroary knows the frustration that businessmen and women feel when they need computer training but are unsatisfied by group classes.

“It’s a waste of time and money to travel to a class and then have to sit through instruction geared to many different students when your needs may be very specific,” she said. “On the other hand, it’s also very expensive to have an instructor travel to your home for face-to-face training.”

Recognizing the need for what she calls remote custom training (“meaning we stay in our office and you stay in yours”), the system network engineer who also has a master’s degree in education has incorporated the concept into her business, JRMC Associates.

“As an instructor with more than ten years in the business, I have trained in many classrooms and have seen the frustrations of students firsthand,” she said. “With remote training, I can train a person individually online.”

Remote training can be accomplished using just a telephone and a computer.

“I use the Internet to connect my PC to yours using Microsoft’s Netmeeting [software program] which is already on most newer computers — free with XP and Windows 2000,” Ms McGroary said. “With older versions, you can still get it free from Microsoft.”

The client must give permission each time Netmeeting is used to connect the two computers through the Internet. Once connected, Ms McGroary can see what is on the student’s screen.

“It’s just as if I was looking over their shoulder,” she explained. “I don’t take control of their computer — I walk them through it. I tell them [through the telephone] what to click on. I can tell them to go to tools or options, to click on this or that. The students learn by actually doing it themselves rather than by watching an instructor.”

If the client happens to have speakers and a microphone, verbal instruction can take place over the Internet. Otherwise, it is done by phone.

Some students have video capability, so the student and teacher can see each other, but that is not necessary, Ms McGroary said. “All that’s needed is the computer and a telephone. You don’t need any additional equipment.”

Privacy is always assured because the teacher can only view what the student has on the computer screen, she said.

“I can only see what you let me see. I never take control of your machine. But you get to sit at your desk and run your application with your data. I look over your shoulder and listen to your needs and teach you what you need to run your business. Need to make pie charts but don’t care a wit about pivot tables? Not a problem.”

“Plus,” she said, “I give unlimited support. You don’t get that with a class.”

Among her more requested training are QuickBooks and Microsoft Office.

“People are still going to their accountants with shoeboxes full of papers and they wonder why their accountants charge so much,” she said. “I offer three different QuickBooks training packages. I also offer basic, intermediate, and advanced packages for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access.”

June McGroary spent more than 20 years in the corporate world providing training in managerial skills. Before she started her career as an independent consultant, she worked for a large telecommunications company for ten years.

She and her husband, Artie, moved to Newtown ten years ago from New York City

“We came to Newtown because my sister-in-law lives here. When we visited, we loved the town, the people, the setting. We like the quality of life here,” she said. “I like people — I like helping them. I have a lot of patience.’

A Microsoft-certified systems engineer, she has operated her own consulting business since 1997, designing and configuring systems for integrated solutions for small to large companies. Her job skills, listed behind her name like an MD or PhD, are A+, Network+, MCT, MCP, CAN, MSCE/NT 4.0/MCSE 2000/2003, MSCE Messaging, MSCA, MSCA Messaging, MCP+Internet.

A member of the Newtown Chamber of Commerce, she is also volunteers and donates to local charitable and civic organizations. She is a member of Business Networking International (BNI), a group that meets each week on Thursday mornings at My Place restaurant to help promote their businesses.

For more information about JRMC Associates, visit the website at www.jrmcassociates.com, or call June McGroary at 270-0726, or email her at J_McGroary@hotmail.com.