If you haven’t had a direct experience with technical support services yourself, then you’re at least no doubt familiar with the tech support experience of someone you know. In these digital days, it’s as inevitable as jury duty.
If the desktop computer doesn’t give you reason to call, then your mobile phone or wireless router will. Usually this entails time spent waiting for a support team member to become available, time spent explaining the problem to the team member, and time spent solving the problem. All the while real work and home related problems that need the dysfunctional device to be solved wait.
In order to quicken the process and improve the quality of support you receive, it’s wise to consider the following:
10. Unplug, re-plug, restart, reboot, and research if possible
Before calling tech support, make sure you’ve already ruled out the obvious problems like a cord being unplugged or recently installed updates needing a restart to take effect. It’s also smart to try and fix the problem yourself via advice mined from Google searching your problem. This saves time when on the phone with support.
9. Commit the Details to Memory
It isn’t enough to simply tell the support team member that “now and again an error code window pops up”. All you’re going to get in return is pressure to provide more details. Know these details. Startup malfunctions are very different from ones that are spawned by program use or some other activity.
8. Don’t Hold Them Accountable Because They Aren’t
When you’re speaking with tech support you aren’t talking to the designers and developers of your device or operating system. These individuals are not responsible, in any way, for the way in which software and hardware works. It doesn’t help to berate them for application attributes and other elements completely out of their control.
7. Provide Step-by-Step Descriptions
Since tech support workers can’t get an actual eye on what you’re doing the best they can do is simulate it on their own computer. But sometimes, they need more than that and must visualize the problem themselves. They can only achieve this if you can provide detailed descriptions of display activity and progress.
6. Be Patient
At first, every tech support team member is going to sound uncertain and unsure as they formulate possible problems and solutions in their heads. They will figure it out though, so long as you give them the space and the stress-free atmosphere to do it in.
5. Follow Directions
You call these people for the sole reason to get their help. Don’t shrug off anything they say, as everything they say matters. If you need them to slow down their talking, ask politely for them to do so.
4. Stay Focused
Now is not the time to get caught up on your favorite reality TV show or fold laundry. You need to be ready to do what needs to be done at any given moment, and more importantly you should extend the same kind of respect that’s being extended to you.
3. Mention Everything
The fact that your boss had new software downloaded onto all work computers over the weekend might be key to the problem, or even if you bought yourself a new keyboard. Disclose everything you can.
2. Be Honest
That includes accessing adult websites. Such websites are notoriously malware-spreading and are often the source of basic computer problems. No matter what the activity has been, remember you’re anonymous.
1. Be Polite
Just because you’re anonymous doesn’t mean you can be rude. Showing respect to another human being when you don’t have to is a sign to that person that you’re genuinely good and worth helping. It always pays to show respect.
Tech support workers help dozens upon dozens of individuals with electronic gripes everyday. Calling prepared makes you the exception, and increases your chances of getting good support and getting back to serious work as soon as possible.
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on July 28, 2011 at 9:35 am
What I have learned over the years if you be polite then they might just help you more..so be calm about it.
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on July 28, 2011 at 6:44 pm
I agree. Polite customer service will always calm the most pushy person with a technical problem.
on July 29, 2011 at 1:10 am
Great points for getting the best out of customer support. One thing I would like to add is that taking screenshots and storing the images helps when calling tech support. Many times I would feel confident that I remember everything only to realize while actually calling them that I am not too sure of some information. Having the screenshots is quite handy.
Also noting down who one has spoken to and when (in a notepad file) is a great way of keeping track of these things – especially when the problem does not get resolved quickly.
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on July 29, 2011 at 10:04 am
Screenshots are very helpful for diagnosing technical problems. Not only does it help those with the issue remember the exact issue, by sending it to technical support, they can see exactly what you see. That is a great tip.
on July 29, 2011 at 7:39 pm
I recently had a bad experience with the tech support from my internet provider. Woke up one day and noticed my internet was down. Checked to see if it’s not something from my computer, waited a few hours and gave the guys a call. They guy told me to check the cables, but since i consider myself a tech freak i got into an argument with him because i didn’t think the solution could be so easy. But eventually i checked the cable and with this i got my internet back. Cable wasn’t unplugged, i guess it just needed a little push. Awkward moment.
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on July 30, 2011 at 10:59 pm
I have had a similar situation. It is always embarrassing as a tech person to get outdone by something as simple as a cable. Sometimes the simply solutions are what works.
on July 29, 2011 at 8:34 pm
I’ve worked as a technical support agent before, and its so stressful because of some people who called you and expect that you are the expert. They even yell at you no matter how polite you handle the conversation.
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on July 30, 2011 at 11:02 pm
While I haven’t been a technical support person, I have helped many people with a technical problem. Many times, however, they get frustrated at their problem that they take out all that frustration on you, which doesn’t make it easy to solve their problem. The important point is to not get frustrated in return, but to try and remain calm until the problem is solved.
on July 31, 2011 at 1:53 pm
Be honest and polite are things very important to receive a good technical support, you cannot receive a good service if you are rude. At other side of the phone there is a person like you, and this person deserves respect.
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on July 31, 2011 at 10:31 pm
I agree. Being polite on the phone and providing as much information as possible to the technical support representative is important to getting your issue resolved quickly. Remembering that there is an actual person on the other end of the phone is key.
on August 1, 2011 at 7:11 pm
Great tips!
Years ago when I called tech support for the first time, I learned in the hard way that you kind of have research and know about the problem before calling, because if you don’t have any idea, some tech support will take advantage of that and wash their hands.
A quick 5mins research doesn’t hurt more when you need to get a replacement!
Thanks,
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on August 2, 2011 at 8:29 am
I usually perform my own research about problems that I encounter. A quick trip to Google usually solves any technical issue that I have. Having a little knowledge does go a long way.
on August 2, 2011 at 4:06 am
Hi there. Thanks for sharing this. You know, sometimes, we could just end up receiving a call from someone’s that sound so frustrated. And it’s really annoying somehow, because they keep on insisting on something, which is clearly not our fault.
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on August 2, 2011 at 8:32 am
When a problem occurs people are confused about what the real problem is. It can take some time to sort out the true issue, and then try to explain it to the caller.
on August 5, 2011 at 2:36 pm
I’m sorry for all the technical persons that I scolded whenever I call. I just realized that I should not shout and get mad easily.
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on February 16, 2012 at 12:18 am
I work as an IT support level 1 officer. Part of my job is to answer calls from the production staff and I really appreciate if they conduct themselves well and be helpful in explaining their problem. It makes me walk the extra mile to help them.
If you are calling tech support I recommend that you treat them with respect and I am sure that they’ll try to solve your problem with all that they can give.
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on February 16, 2012 at 8:07 am
I don’t envy you about being in support. I’m sure there are many times where you wanted to pull your hair out because it was difficult to gather information about a problem. A little respect can go a long way.