Tiger Weekly - Serving Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Get the most out of a tech support call

Tech Talk

By Philip DiStefano

At some point, even the best of us have to call tech support. When that time comes, there are some simple guidelines you can follow to make your call the most productive and efficient that it can possibly be.

First and foremost, always treat the technician kindly and with respect. As much as you might hate that something of yours isn't working properly, it's likely not the tech's fault. Even if you aren't getting treated with the same respect, keep a cool head. Getting angry won't get your problem resolved.

When explaining your problem, be thorough, yet concise. Remember that the tech can't see what you're seeing. Also, don't conveniently leave information out that could potentially help the tech in diagnosing the problem just because you think it's not important or because you're scared they will think you're stupid.

If a tech asks you to do something that you've already done, just do it again. There are certain troubleshooting steps that they have to follow, and sometimes even if you thought you did something, you may not have done it 100 percent correctly. For example, if a tech asks you if your computer is unplugged, don't just assume it's plugged in. There's still a chance that a wire is loose, even if it looks like it's plugged in properly.

Don't try to get something out of a tech that you don't deserve, and on the same token, don't settle for less than you deserve. If a tech comes to the conclusion that your hard drive is dead, don't expect an entirely new computer out of them. If you're experiencing the same complicated issue for about the fifth time, then maybe it's about time to ask for a replacement rather than a fix. Also, if you feel like the tech is inadequate at troubleshooting your problem, you can always kindly ask to speak to the next tier of support.

Finally, ask appropriate questions. Oftentimes, users will ask tech support what was wrong, which could then lead to a very technical and jargon-filled explanation that only an advanced user would understand. Sometimes there's just no easy way for the tech to put it in layman's terms. Alternatively, a more appropriate question could be to ask if there's a way to prevent the issue from happening again. Don't be offended if you put a tech in a position where their only option is to make you feel stupid.

Originally Published: July 28, 2010

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