Top Tips for Tech Support Success

Having Problems getting what you need from tech support? I’m sure most of you know the feeling. You dial up a number or chat on the web with someone who is either 1) too full of himself 2) bored talking to someone whom he assumes isn’t as versed in computers as he is or 3) would just rather play world of warcraft than help you out. Here are some tips from PC Magazine to get what you want from tech support:

Now we’ve compiled a list of ten tips, many of which we refer to every single time we contact a tech support flack. It doesn’t matter the reason: whether our cable Internet service is down; a hard drive won’t spin up; a laptop stops working after 20 minutes, religiously; or we need a replacement cooling fan for the one that doesn’t go anymore.

We suggest you work these tips into your own personal strategy, too.

Tip 1: Be Prepared
Before you make contact, you should know exactly what you hope to accomplish by contacting tech support. Do you need a replacement part? Do you need actual help getting something to work? Knowing what you want beforehand will make the encounter much easier.

For example, if you turned on your PC and your hard drive makes an ugly, clunking, clattering noise, you can be pretty sure it’s dead. Troubleshoot it beforehand; toss it in the freezer for a couple hours and see if that temporarily cures it. If it does, get your data off of it and wait for it to fail again before you call.

When you know what you want—say, a replacement hard drive—spend the entire encounter centering on getting what you need. Don’t allow the tech support rep to steer you off subject with questions that don’t pertain to your situation (such as, what type of optical drive you have, or whether there are any USB peripherals plugged in).

If you’re replacing a part, ask that the company cross-ship. In other words, the company might ship a replacement part to you before it receives your defective part. Sometimes they need a credit card number for “collateral” when a cross-shipment is requested. Keep an eye on that account and make sure they don’t charge it if you ship the item to them on time.

No matter what the situation, be prepared. Write down a list of questions you have for the tech support rep before you get in charge. Do Web research and see if anyone else has encountered your problem, and if there’s a known solution. Try, in essence, to know as much about the problem as you possibly can before you contact the company.

Tip 2: Decide How to Get in Touch
Sometimes, you’ll need help right away. Other times, you can wait. It’s really up to you.

Most companies provide tech support through both email and the phone. Note any charges for either method, and take into account any long distance phone fees. A third way some companies offer is Web chat; that can be useful, too.

Which is right for you depends on your situation. Obviously, if the RAID array in your small business’s only computer is dying and you’re losing virtually all of the accounts billable data, you should make a phone call. Alternately, if the power supply on the rear of the PC chassis has started to make an annoying, but rather quiet, buzzing sound, you can probably get away with an emailed request. Assess your situation and do what you need to do.