A Fabulous Thing Happened on the Way to the Forums

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So a couple of weeks ago, I wrote here about HP Support’s plans to attend the AARP Life@50+ National Conference and Expo in New Orleans. We had a sneaking suspicion that the Baby Boomers attending AARP might have the makings of future HP Experts – HP consumers who volunteer their time to help out their fellow HP customers on our HP’s Consumer Support Forum.

The folks we’ve met at the show so far are confirming that suspicion in spades.  We met with one woman who was unfamiliar with forums and initially intimidated by the prospect of contributing to one. What she did have was a heart condition, and extensive experience in researching medical information online related to that condition. After spending 10 minutes with one of HP’s current Experts, she was participating on HP’s forum and answering questions for others!

We met with another woman who just happened to own several ferrets. Which seemed appropriate. Because the simple fact is, anyone who knows how to ferret out information and wants to share that information with others who need it has the makings of an HP Expert.

Online forums are called communities for a reason. The people attending AARP know, understand and recognize the value in being an active member of a community. They, like blogger Susan Tolles, know that it’s important to share your wisdom and expertise with others. And like blogger Ronni Bennett, they also understand that the best communities are comprised of young and old(er) people alike. Melding different people and different viewpoints creates a synergy that sustains communities in the long run.

If you’re reading this blog, chances are you already own a product (or 2 or 3) from HP and chances are you know your way around those products pretty well. We invite you to join our online support community and help  the millions of other HP customers looking for information from people just like you. You’ll get to learn more, do more, build relationships and experience the kind of satisfaction that only comes from giving back to others. Find out more about how you could be the next HP expert now.