TECHNOLOGY
T
here are significant costs tied to when employ- make the right diagnosis more quickly.
ees have computer problems. From wasted
• Ask Questions and Learn – Learn from
time and diminished productivity to increased
your experience with Tech Support. Ask
employee stress levels, the sooner computer prob-
questions to learn what happened, what
lems are solved the sooner employee productiv-
they’re doing, and if you can prevent the
ity returns to normal. In order to speed up the
problem later on. If you don’t understand
process, employees should take steps to decrease
what they say, politely ask them to explain
their reliance on Tech Support. Listed below are
four suggestions on how to help Tech Support
it using terms you understand. You can’t
help you:
be expected to know someone else’s
technical jargon. Slowing down and putting
• Take the First Steps Solo – An unusually
things in layman’s terms helps most people
high percentage of requests made to
understand the problem better—which is
Tech Support could easily be avoided by
something to remember when you using
accessing help screens, reading manuals,
your own jargon with other people.
visiting product websites, etc. Department
• Document – When Tech Support comes
heads might consider having one of
by to help, be sure to document what the
their more computer savvy people take
problem is and how the problem was solved.
the lead in solving low level computer
By taking measures to avert the problem in
problems. Just be sure that you understand
the future, you’re not only becoming self-
that some of their tech responsibilities
sufficient, you’re saving Tech Support from
may take time away from their normal
repeating a task they’ve handled already.
workload. This tradeoff of responsibility
Sharing tech solutions with others helps
helps get employees up and running
Tech Support save even more time late on.
sooner and ensures that Tech Support isn’t
Adapted from Managers Intelligence Report
overburdened by very simple problems.
• Be Truthful – Tell Tech Support exactly
what happened. If you’ve done something
embarrassing, such as spilling a drink on
the keyboard, fess up and let Tech Support
know. You’ll be saving time for everyone by
telling the full story and you could avoid the
embarrassment of being caught in a white
lie later on. Think of Tech Support in terms
of being a doctor. Giving them information
about ALL the symptoms enables them to
 ThinkBusiness Click Here for Table of Contents April 2009 
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44