Tech vs. User: The debate is SOLVED!
Jun. 25th, 2003 08:23 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
daerlyn.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
techrecoveryI'm sick and tired of the back-and-forth between tech-support/customer service reps and the people who call them. After watching the debate from both sides, and experiencing it from both sides, I have discovered the truth of the matter:
We're all morons.
What follows is a list of things to know if you're calling tech-support/customer service. And then a list of things to know if you're providing said service.
For customers:
1. Please know at least one of the following, though all three is preferable:
Your account number (and yes, this is a number, surprisingly enough, with few exceptions).
Your username/email address, if applicable.
The name your account is under. This should be your name, but a lot of people seem to have a problem with this concept.
2. Please do not start the call with "I just called and it's still not working/ I did everything you told me and it didn't work" or a bad pun on the company name. The person you reach on the second try is probably not the same person you talked to before unless you're extremely lucky, and even if it is, they probably talked to several people before and after your first call. They'll need a little more information to figure out exactly who you are and what the problem is/was.
3. Please don't rant at the poor CSR/Tech. They aren't being deliberately obtuse (OTOH, see below), and though they'll try to fix your problem, being rude isn't going to make them want to give their all.
4. If you are calling tech support, do not, in your snarkiest tone, tell them that they don't know what they're doing, or disregard everything they ask you to do. If you know better, go fix the problem yourself.
5. Ignorance is okay. We accept the fact that the reason you are calling us is because you don't know how to set up the system or repair the problem. But please, for the love of Og, try to remember what we tell you for future reference. And in this case, I don't mean server names or configurations; I mean terms like 'right-click' and 'reboot'.
6. Don't get mad because we made the mistake of assuming you weren't a complete idiot. Foolish of us, we know, but hope springs eternal.
For techs/customer service
1. Keep in mind that, to the average user, your level of knowledge borders on the supernatural. Be patient. Be pleasant. Please don't sigh loudly (or at least use your mute button).
2. Don't bump calls. There is nothing more irritating than hearing the phone ring, getting your hopes up, then hearing the damn hold Muzak again.
3. If you tell me you're going to have someone look at it, then do so. I can't recall the number of times I've gotten calls from clients with simple issues that aren't fixed yet because the last person they spoke to was a lazy piece of shit.
4. If you can't fix it, tell me. Don't fool around with my system until it's broken, then refer me to a tech. Thanks. Now my computer store guy will have even more work to do.
5. Don't treat me like an idiot, and I'll do my level best not to act like one.
6. If you don't like your job anymore, to the point where you find it impossible to be even close to polite, or are giving into the temptation to play with accounts and server settings, QUIT. Do not take it out on your clients.
Feel free to add on to this. These are just the things that bug me most.
We're all morons.
What follows is a list of things to know if you're calling tech-support/customer service. And then a list of things to know if you're providing said service.
For customers:
1. Please know at least one of the following, though all three is preferable:
Your account number (and yes, this is a number, surprisingly enough, with few exceptions).
Your username/email address, if applicable.
The name your account is under. This should be your name, but a lot of people seem to have a problem with this concept.
2. Please do not start the call with "I just called and it's still not working/ I did everything you told me and it didn't work" or a bad pun on the company name. The person you reach on the second try is probably not the same person you talked to before unless you're extremely lucky, and even if it is, they probably talked to several people before and after your first call. They'll need a little more information to figure out exactly who you are and what the problem is/was.
3. Please don't rant at the poor CSR/Tech. They aren't being deliberately obtuse (OTOH, see below), and though they'll try to fix your problem, being rude isn't going to make them want to give their all.
4. If you are calling tech support, do not, in your snarkiest tone, tell them that they don't know what they're doing, or disregard everything they ask you to do. If you know better, go fix the problem yourself.
5. Ignorance is okay. We accept the fact that the reason you are calling us is because you don't know how to set up the system or repair the problem. But please, for the love of Og, try to remember what we tell you for future reference. And in this case, I don't mean server names or configurations; I mean terms like 'right-click' and 'reboot'.
6. Don't get mad because we made the mistake of assuming you weren't a complete idiot. Foolish of us, we know, but hope springs eternal.
For techs/customer service
1. Keep in mind that, to the average user, your level of knowledge borders on the supernatural. Be patient. Be pleasant. Please don't sigh loudly (or at least use your mute button).
2. Don't bump calls. There is nothing more irritating than hearing the phone ring, getting your hopes up, then hearing the damn hold Muzak again.
3. If you tell me you're going to have someone look at it, then do so. I can't recall the number of times I've gotten calls from clients with simple issues that aren't fixed yet because the last person they spoke to was a lazy piece of shit.
4. If you can't fix it, tell me. Don't fool around with my system until it's broken, then refer me to a tech. Thanks. Now my computer store guy will have even more work to do.
5. Don't treat me like an idiot, and I'll do my level best not to act like one.
6. If you don't like your job anymore, to the point where you find it impossible to be even close to polite, or are giving into the temptation to play with accounts and server settings, QUIT. Do not take it out on your clients.
Feel free to add on to this. These are just the things that bug me most.
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