A few simple rules to get the most out of a technical support operator.
1. Do not start with an accusation.
When asking technical support for help, do not start with an accusation, simply state what your problem is, starting by asking if I am doing something with the server and therefore implying that your problems accessing Facebook are a result of me doing “something” to the “server” is going to put me on the defensive.
2. Check and double check
Before you tell me I’ve imported the data wrong, maybe you should check the spreadsheet you sent me actually contains the data you wanted, even better you could check that it contains the data you need before sending it to me to import and saving us both some aggravation.
3. Explain, in detail.
Imagine I’m in an other office, in a remote location,and I have no idea what you are currently doing, or even if you know how to do it, now try explaining what you wanted to do and why you cant do it.
Telling me you were trying to email a client but the email keeps coming back to you is helpful, telling me the server is down, when I know there are 4 servers in your office and you shouldn’t be using any of them is not.
4. Ask once and then wait
If you send me an email, please give me time to reply, you are not my only client, in fact I deal with 20 people in your company alone, and your company is not the only one I deal with.
Rewording the question and sending it to me again an hour later will not get you a reply to either email any sooner.
5. Ignorance is nothing to be ashamed of.
There is nothing wrong with not knowing what things are called, you are not employed to know what things are called, you are employed to use the things and leave the knowing of their names to me.
Referring to everything from the Internet to a stapler as “the server” does not make you look clever, just because you heard the word on an episode of the IT Crowd does not mean you know what it means, if you don’t know what it is, just describe it, i wont laugh, I promise.