Calling tech support help doesn’t have to ruin your day. Follow these tips to get the help you need the first time you call
If you are like most people, calling tech support is about as enjoyable as having a root canal, but making the call for a computer problem doesn’t actually have to ruin your day. The key is to help tech support help you, and the trick is to be prepared, communicate clearly and be specific without getting emotional.?
Be Prepared?
Don’t pick up the phone until you can really explain your problem. The information needed will vary depending on your specific issue, but tech support will most likely ask you the following questions:
- When did the problem start happening??
- Is there an error message? What does it say??
- What exactly is your computer doing? (Simply saying ?it doesn’t work? is not helpful).?
- Did anything else occur when the problem started, like a virus warning, blue screen of death or smoke coming from the computer??
- What have you already done to try to fix the problem? ?
- Are there any changes in the problem since it first began??
Write down all this information and any other relevant details before you call tech support.?
Communicate Clearly?
Getting help from tech support is all about communication. Speak clearly, listen to their questions and call from a quiet area. The person you are calling may be in a help center on the other side of the world, so enunciate and don’t hesitate to ask for clarification.?
Be Specific?
As mentioned above, saying ?it doesn’t work? is not going to get you anywhere with tech support. If your computer worked, you wouldn’t be calling for help. There are a million different reasons why a computer may not be working, so include as many details as you can.?
Don’t Get Emotional?
Computer problems are a pain, yes, but getting frustrated and emotional will not help fix them. It will, however, lengthen the amount of time you have to spend talking to tech support. Remember that the person trying to help you didn’t design the program or hardware that is causing problems. Their job is to help, but they cannot do that if you get angry.?
Do you have a secret for getting tech support help? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.
