Microsoft have recently tried to improve the support they offer users of their software. Attempting to make it easier for them to solves the problems they find. It actually sounds like a good idea, I mean who better to help you with your problems with Windows than Mircosoft themselves! Continue reading »
Software support is one the major aspects of my work. Out side of installing new systems I spend a lot of time dealing with customer queries over the phone and via email. I am sure it is the same for most people who deal with software support. One thing that is noticable after a short while spent dealing with support is how important a role the help documentation for the software can drastically reduce the amount of support calls. If you are supporting a software with very little documentation for end users you will find that the majority of the calls you deal with are related to the basic operation of your software and a lot of them may even be repeat calls from the same customer asking the same question over and over again. No matter how good the software trainers are (if you have them) there will always be things that people do not take in.
Good documentation will not only make it easier for your clients to use the software, it will also free up the time of your support team. Allowing them more time to concentrate on the more important support problems that come in that really require the attention of a trained support person. There are a few things that is useful to keep in mind when creating help documentation:
Continue reading »
As the Net Generation begins to flex it’s wings and make it’s presence felt in the work place, multitasking is becoming more and more common. People are finding that they prefer to switch between tasks rather than concentrate on one for long periods of time. The technology in use today is only going to encourage this trend more. I am a multitasker, it is very rare that I will be working on only one project at once. As I write this post I am switching between IM windows, moving to a remote desktop to my PC at work and surfing a could of news websites. The use of PC’s is making it easier for people to multitask, with virtual desktops enabled I can have different windows open on different screens and switch between them.
Multitasking is also something I have found useful in my support work. By cultivating this skill I can hold a conversation on the phone supporting a clients problem while simultaneously working on a setup for another client on my pc. In order to be able to multitask effectively there are some habits you need to develop. Be warned thought, multitasking is not guaranteed to work for everyone. In fact in most cases it is likely that it will be more of a detriment than an advantage. Continue reading »
Yesterday I posted about how to deal with the IT support department. Well as you may have noticed, I try to be fair and look at both sides of things. So I’ve decided to follow that up with some helpful hints for the person at the other end of the phone to make their life a little smoother hopefully, and perhaps help the person calling them not to get too stressed! Hopefully these hints will be useful for anyone considering a career in a helpdesk role as well. Continue reading »
There are very few jobs around now where you don’t have some contac with a computer. Some aspect of your job will probably require you to deal with a piece to accomplish it and at some point in time you have in all likely hood had to call the tech guys. Be you a shop assistant having problems with a sales till, or an accountant having trouble with a piece of accounts software you will still at some point end up calling the guys with the advanced knowledge to solve your problems for you. A lot of people dislike dealing with technical support, seeing them as hard to talk, sometime brash or rude. Seeming like they have no patience for a user with out as much technical grasp as they have.
In truth most support staff are no more brash/rude than anyone else, the thing that a lot of people forget about support staff is that they spend a lot of time dealing with people who have no patience with them and after a while it tends to rub off on you now matter how nice a person you are. We tend to get people who just expect us to drop everything the instant they call and in straight away know the cause and the cure of their unique problem. It doesn’t work like that though, would you expect a mechanic to be able to diagnose a fault and fix it with in a moment of seeing your car? So as someone who deals with giving support and receiving support on almost a daily basis I thought I would offer my advice on how to make things go easier when dealing with technical support Continue reading »
