If You've Ever Called For Technical Support

Readers Digest has a segment called "____ Things Your _______ Knows And Won't Tell You" How it works is they interview a bunch of people from a specific profession, such as Doctors, Pharmacists, Mechanics and Beauticians-and they ask them what they would tell their customer/patient, but can't….or sometimes they even come up with a secret that you should never know. 

I thought I would have a go at this and this is my findings:


"10 Things Your Tech Support Knows and Won't Tell You"

1. HAVE YOUR MODEL NUMBER READY BEFORE YOU CALL!!! The model number for your computer/TV/washing machine etc is almost always ON the unit. Do your homework. Look at the front cover of your owner's manual. Don't call from your car for "quick technical support" without your model number. We have sometimes HUNDREDS of very different models of our products. We're not mind readers and can't just tell you what to do to fix your problem if we don't know which one you have. If you don't have it, don't call! Period!


2. Use a cordless phone or a cell phone. More than likely, we're going to make you unplug things or try some troubleshooting techniques which are almost impossible to do efficiently if you have to keep putting the phone down to cross the room to do it. Worse yet…please don't call about your TV that is downstairs while you are upstairs on a corded phone. Quite often we have to walk you through a process and we can't do that if we can't talk to you.


3. If you have a real hard time getting around, (for example -a senior citizen or in a wheel chair) please wait to call us when you have a family member or friend to help you. This isn't meant to be mean, but we are probably going to have you crawl behind the equipment you are calling about. If you can't get up and down easily or move a big TV or a computer desk…please for your own safety, wait until you have help.


4. Most of our jobs depend on how long we are on the phone per call. So no, I don't have time to wait until you watch an entire DVD to make sure it's not skipping. I can't sit on the phone for 45 minutes while you wait until your laundry load completes. If we got your equipment back up and running, please let us go. You can always call us back if you continue having problems.


5. If your problem is involved, please expect to wait at least 24 hours before speaking with someone who is able to help you. If you request to speak with a supervisor, you will have a 50/50 chance of getting transferred to one. The other half should expect to get a call back…probably tomorrow or the next day. I'm sorry. It's not my fault. I was hired to handle customer service and simple Technical problems.


6. I didn't MAKE your TV/Computer…..I did not SELL you the unit. Yelling at me is just stupid! I'm here to HELP YOU!!! I DO understand your frustrations! You're not the only one that has paid good money and had it break down. I have…the person sitting next to me has…the person sitting next to YOU has. I don't feel sorry for you, but I am sorry this has happened to you. Don't take it out on me.


7. If you're hooking our product up to another manufacturers product (IE: My companies DVD Player to another company's TV) don't be upset if I'm not familiar with their product. I went through training for OUR products. I will do my best, but you may just have to make another phone call.


8. If you feel we should replace your TV/computer/Microwave because it's still under warranty, you have to realize that we have certain legal procedures to follow first, such as having the unit serviced or replacing the part that has gone bad. This takes time. (And yelling at me won't make that time go any faster-I promise)


9. Please don't call us for help if you're not willing to do what we suggest. There are reasons we have you do these things. I know you're frustrated, but you took the time to call me, so it doesn't make sense to not try what we're asking you to do.


10. 9 times out of 10, your problem can be located in your Owner's Manual. Also, those same 9 times out of 10, we are helping you by looking at a copy of the exact same Owner's Manual that you have.