We all have to do it sooner or later. Either you can’t get online or some aspect of your service just isn’t working, but whatever it might be you’re going to have to pick up the phone and speak to the Helpdesk. Since you have to do it, it’s best to make the whole thing as simple as possible. But how?
The Basics.
Call when you have the problem, not days later when you’re frustrated and angry, or (worse) when it seems to be working. When you call, make sure you have at least fifteen minutes to spend with the technician. If you have an urgent appointment to attend, don’t call.
Before you call, make sure you can see all the equipment. Be somewhere that you can see your computer, router (of you have one) and cable or DSL modem. Most of those types of equipment have lights on them somewhere, and it will help if you can see them.
Don’t Panic.
No technician is ever going to ask you to do anything difficult, technical or impossible. At most, you may be guided to some settings in your computer or be asked to unplug and reconnect equipment. If the instructions are clear and concise, follow them. If you have trouble understanding the technician, you can always ask to speak to a senior technician or a supervisor. Remember, the people you are speaking to want to get you back online and working.
Work With The Technician.
Any helpdesk call is a partnership. You become the technician’s eyes, ears and hands; unless they have a way of connecting to your computer, they need you to do the actual work. Therefore, if you don’t understand something or if what they describe doesn’t match what you can see, let them know. A decent technician will change the way they describe things, work through steps several times or, if all else fails, find someone else to work with you. The other side to this is: don’t do anything unless you’re told to, even if you think you know what they’re about to say.
Helpdesk Scripts.
The unfortunate truth is, most helpdesk technicians are required to work to a script. This means the steps they take you through are the ones that should fix your problem. Quite a lot depends on the technician you get, but most of them actually enjoy the scripted element of their job about as much as you do. Their job requires that they work through the troubleshooting steps before they can make their own suggestions. Stick with it, and do as you are asked. The reason for this is that the technician needs you to tell him what happens as it happens. These things can be more revealing than you might suspect.
The Scope of Support.
Helpdesks all have one and it refers to how much help they can give you in any particular area, how far they are allowed to go and what they are allowed to suggest over the phone. You can tell when you’ve reached the limit because they will attempt to refer you out to another company or team. There are legal and technical reasons for having a Scope of Support; generally, it protects the helpdesk technician from giving you advice that might be difficult to follow or that only “might” work. If you’ve got to this stage, accept the referral. There’s nothing more the technician can do for you over the phone and your problem will require a visit from a technician or , if the problem lies with your computer, taking it out to be repaired.
Be Nice.
It sounds simple, but sometimes the best wa y to get great service is to be a great customer. The keys to this are all about manners, honesty and following instructions. A good technician values callers like this because they can be rare . If you are a good customer, you'll get the best effort from your technician.
David Webb - I have rattled around. It's the sort of phrase you read in books and aren't really sure what it means until you suddenly look back over ...
