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Tech Support Getting Even Worse
ehiris writes: "Came across an article on CNN about tech support falling out of the useful category. The interesting quote: 'In part, the problem can be blamed on tech companies' attempts to cope with shrinking profit margins and a bad business environment.' Bad tech support makes life hard and new technology becomes undesirable to the general public. Which company has the best support? What are they doing well? What would you like to see improve about tech support?"
I hate all manners of tech support. They don't usually know what they are talking about and then theres crap involving restrictions and frankly, the best tech support are your geek buddies and the guy at the local computer place. They know there shit. I don't like calling my tech support company because they are in Quebec and are such assholes that they insist on french. Lousy frogs... :P
(Pirst Fost?)
Everyone who has touched a computer has a problem with Windows.
what I do whenever I have a problem that I can't fix in less thgan twenty minutes is re-install. That usually clears it right up, nut you still have that nasty Windows problem. But now it IS Microsofts fault.
Seriously, having worked tech support, there are things that will get you thrown off the line pretty immediately. That's because we could be fired for supporting an unsupported issue (and there's always the possibility my manager has tapped the call). If you're knowledgeable, I could care less if you're lying to me. As a matter of fact, it's easier for me. I can just tell you to make sure you're set for DHCP instead of leading you thru each click of the mouse. But, once you tell me (for instance) that you're running Linux, I have to let you go. Not my choice, bud.
Besides, bandwidth caps aren't a tech support question. That's a question for customer service. Tech support can't lift your bandwidth caps, nor do they care to hear you complain about them. While I'm at it, here's a few other things that should go to tech support.
If you're pissed off and angry at the company, call customer service. Not tech support. I'm paid to fix things, not listen to you complain.
If you're too busy to work with me on the phone, call a 3rd party tech, or get your secretary to call.
If you're not in front of your computer, don't bother calling me at all.
If you're too smart to listen to me and my steps, then fix it yourself.
If you're pissed because you don't get onsite tech support until I say so, call customer service. I didn't sell you the thing, nor did I promise you onsite service.
If you're missing something from your order, call customer service.
If you're just going to bitch about hold times (thereby ensuring higher hold times for everyone behind you), call at 3am.
If you're just calling to let us know a router/server/etc. is down, rest assured that as a multimillion dollar corporation, we have monitoring systems in place and someone already knows.
If you want to know about spare or replacement parts, or want to order something, call sales.
If you just want an RMA, tell me all the steps you've already tried so I can mark them off the checklist. And if you're BSing me, then you better not get caught, or else I have to make you go theough the whole damn thing again. Oh, and if you missed a step, don't be pissed when I insist you try it.
Guess that sort of turned into a rant, eh?