Attack of the Gamer

Here are some more tips for getting better technical support.

1. Learn the automated messaging system. – This wont speed up your first call, but if you happen to call back for support, you will know the proper channels to get that help. Hitting random buttons may expidite you to a representative, however you may be sent to the wrong representative. If your calling for technical support, make sure you put yourself in the technical support queue, same for sales, same for billing, etc. Learning the automated messaging system will save you lots of time, and prevent you from being transfered around the call center.

2. Do all the proper troubleshooting. – Proper troubleshooting is the key to good support. If you refuse to troubleshoot your problem, you are refusing yourself help. Troubleshooting should cover all of the basic problems, and usually 99% of the time fixes the issue at hand. The troubleshooting steps were not designed to aggravate people, they were designed to help fix problems, so follow them.

3. Write down troubleshooting steps. – When you know the troubleshooting steps, you won’t have to call in for support right? It’s a good idea to write down the trouble shooting steps and keep them documented. Usually if you have the problem once, you will have the problem again, and unless you can remember how to fix it, you will definatly be calling technical support again.

4. Don’t call in under the influence. – This makes trouble shooting problems next to impossible. Please do not call in for support while you are drunk/stoned. Wait it out, then call in.

Ive been working in the technical support industry for about 6 months, supporting cable tv (analog, digital, hdtv), cable internet, and voip. I have compiled a small list of tips that will make your next technical support experience so much easier.

1. Have your account information, and identification ready. Why? Every company I have called in for support has asked for either a) your account #, or b) your identification information or c) all of the above. Having this information ready is useful because the rep can easily pull up your account, the rep will also appreciate this and if they have been properly trained they will express this to you. Some cities have privacy by-laws where customers have to confirm ALL account and identification just to make sure you are who you say you are. Would you want your neighbour calling in and cancelling your visa, or calling your ISP and having your e-mail password changed? It may become redundant, get used to it, these systems are setup to protect you, not piss you off.

2. When calling in for technical support DO NOT call in from offsite. How is the technical rep supposed to help you troubleshoot your problem when you are in the office, or driving to work? The only way that I can think of that this rule won’t apply to you is if you are calling for support on your offsite webserver or something. Even then, you should really try to be near a computer.

3. Dont Lie. Being evasive makes troubleshooting very hard. The tech rep realizes they cannot see what they are doing so they trust you to be telling the truth all the time, just like you trust them that they are going to do their best to try and solve your problem.

4. Cool down before calling in. Being hostile with the tech rep isn’t going to get things completed faster. Think about it, you are calling in for help, why would you scream at the person that is trying their best to help you? They are humans too and deserve repect too. If you don’t like what the representative is saying, ask to be escalated to higher level support or to a supervisor. Don’t demand it, be polite and ask. They understand your frustrated and are there to help you.

5. Complaining about the phone menu system, or the wait times are going to get you nowhere.  Your barking up the wrong tree.  Tech reps can’t control the ammount of people calling in at a given time, and they can’t make changes to how the phone system is setup.  They may be able to submit customer feedback about it, ask and see.

6. Don’t use your speakerphone.  It causes an echo in the headset and makes it hard to hear you.

I hope these 6 tips help out for now. Part 2 will be posted eventually.