Tech Support: Etiquette

Introduction

Having to contact someone for tech support is never a fun chore. Trust us, even in our business we are also having to pick up that phone and call tech support from one of our vendors just as much as we receive tech support calls for our services. The sheer amount of technical processes that have to be in order for something to work is quite astounding. The fact that we have a working computer world at all is a miracle.

Over the years of being on both sides of that tech support call, I have learned what works well and what does not to solve a problem. Once a tech support connection is made, it is imperative that both parties work together to solve the mutual problem. The client has something that does not work and wants it working, while the support tech needs to learn as much of the situation as possible in order to make the best solution. Without proper communication, the support person may attempt to fix something that isn’t broken or provide instructions that do not help whatsoever. To create the best environment possible, this guide is here to help paint a picture of effective communication to solve problems.

If you are a Capslock IT Solutions client, we use direct chat rooms for faster support when we reference them below.

Start with a story or get straight to the point

The first question to ask yourself when contacting tech support is if this is an issue that you have dealt with before. If both you and your tech know exactly what is happening and how to solve it, get right to the point. E-mail the screenshot or post it to the support chat room. However, it is good to still pay attention for replies in case there are follow-up questions—the same symptom may in fact be an unusual case.

If, on the other hand, this is a new issue that you are unfamiliar with, the best thing you can do is to start with a story:

1. Explain what you were doing
2. Explain what happened when the issue started
3. Explain what it is now preventing you from doing
4. Explain what you have done up to this point to try and fix it

1. Explain what you were doing

Many conversations start with “my _____ is not working”. As important as it is for tech support to know that the thing is not working, things very rarely go wrong without some sort of catalyst. Something needed to change for something to go wrong. Sometimes this is not the client’s doing, but something in the back end that has changed. Either way, learning the steps that led up to the error is vital. One of the most important steps to proper troubleshooting is the ability for the support tech to recreate the error.

2. Explain what happened when the issue started

Did the error come up because of a pressed button? A few minutes after reboot? Whenever a program or pop-up is loaded? Issues are triggered by something, and it is important to be absolutely precise on the action that was taken. Broader explanations like “I was working in this program when this happened” or “This thing randomly happens” are not very useful. With close enough attention, patterns can usually be identified. Support techs need to understand the pattern or interval of the issue to help narrow down the cause.

3. Explain what it is now preventing you from doing

Explaining why this is a problem is good for the tech to understand the urgency. In extremely urgent situations, it may be better for the tech to provide a quick band-aid solution so that the client can continue on with their work. Non-urgent situations allow the tech more breathing room to expand their investigation and find a better, more permanent solution. Sometimes the symptom and the root cause are completely different—like a program causing the computer to freeze. The client may want the computer running again, whereas the tech may want to fix the program so that it doesn’t freeze again. Be clear what you hope to get from the call and be reasonable about whether you need an urgent band-aid or a long-term fix.

4. Explain what you have done up to this point

If you have not tried basic troubleshooting, the support tech is going to ask you to. Try reconnecting to the internet, or restarting the program. Try rebooting the computer or waiting a few minutes to see if the problem goes away on its own. List what you’ve tried when you reach out—it shortens the loop and shows it isn’t only a simple issue.

Work with the tech

If you start with a story, you share the most important information the support person needs to begin troubleshooting. Here are a few tips to help them solve the problem.

Stay calm

Your work is important to you, and we understand that. We also know how frustrating computer issues can be. Time spent arguing with a tech about the problem is time spent not solving the problem. It’s fine to start with a short vent—then focus on working the problem together.

Be ready for remote access

One of the best ways to solve a problem is to watch the client run into it, so be ready to allow remote access when it’s appropriate:

• Have the remote access program ready before you contact support, and state consent in your first message
• Save your work, close what you can, and clear clutter from the screen
• With two monitors, put the error on the primary display
• Stay available for credentials and to repeat a step if asked

Play-by-play

Whether you’re on the phone, by email, or in chat, say what you’re doing out loud. Sometimes the only issue is a missed step, or one person is moving too fast. Step-by-step is often faster with less frustration.

Prepare to learn

It is almost impossible to work without some level of computer use, and we believe every person can learn a bit more about the systems they use. Take every interaction with tech support as a chance to learn—the best way to need less support is to solve more yourself. Search engines are a great help for error messages and how-tos (we use them too). We at Capslock IT Solutions want to help you build your skills and are happy to teach how to solve problems, not only fix them for you.

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more on how tech support works. Next: Tech support: the process.