Comprehensive Guide to Problem Solving in Customer Service

1. Chapter 6:Solving and Preventing Problems A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Help Desk Professional Second Edition

2. Objectives • Use proven techniques to methodically solve problems • Learn how to take ownership of ongoing problems and keep customers and management informed about the status of problem resolution activities • Learn ways to manage your workload and maintain a positive working relationship with other support groups • Understand the importance of focusing on problem prevention

3. How to Solve Problems Methodically • A high percentage of problems are recurring • Plenty of information is available for finding solutions to problems • As a help desk analyst, you can: • Draw from your experience • Access available knowledge bases • Use tools • Engage other analysts or level two service providers

4. Solving and Preventing Problems • Problem - An event that disrupts service or prevents access to products • Common problems include a broken device, an error message, a system outage • Solving problems efficiently and effectively requires a methodical approach, or process • Problem solving is a skill that you can improve with practice

5. The Problem Management Process • Process - A collection of interrelated work activities - or tasks - that take a set of specific inputs and produce a set of specific outputs • Procedure - A step-by-step, detailed set of instructions that describes how to perform the tasks in a process • Flow chart - A diagram that shows the sequence of tasks that occur in a process

6. The Problem Management Process (continued)

7. The Problem Management Process (continued) • Problem management - The process of tracking and resolving problems • Symptom - A sign or indication that a problem has occurred • Probable source - The system, network, or product that is most likely causing the problem • Root cause - The most basic reason for an undesirable condition or problem, which, if eliminated or corrected, would prevent the problem from existing or occurring

8. The Problem Management Process (continued)

9. The Problem Management Process (continued) • Problem management (also called incident management) includes answering questions and inquiries • Problems, questions, and inquiries represent varying degrees of impact and speak differently to product and company performance • Distinguishing between them enables companies to: • Determine which types of contacts are most common • Put in place processes and technologies for resolving each type of contact in the most efficient, cost-effective way possible

10. The Problem Management Process (continued) • Request - A customer order to obtain a new product or service, or an enhancement to an existing product or service • Trend analysis - A methodical way of determining and, when possible, forecasting, service trends • Root cause analysis - A methodical way of determining the root cause of problems

11. The Problem Management Process (continued) • The problem management process describes the overall approach to be used when handling problems within a company • Analysts need problem-solving skills to handle each problem • Basic step to follow when solving problems: • 1. Gather all available data and create information • 2. Diagnose the problem • 3. Develop a course of action

12. Step 1: Gather All Data Needed to Create Information • Data must be logged accurately and completely • Data is used by managers, other help desk analysts, level two service providers, and customers • Data is used to: • Create the information needed to justify resources • Increase customer satisfaction • Enhance productivity • Improve the quality of products and services • Deliver services more efficiently and effectively • Create new products and services

13. Step 1: Gather All Data Needed to Create Information (continued) • Customer data - Identifying details about a customer, including name, telephone number, department or company name, address or location, customer number, and employee number or user ID • Customer record - All of the data and text fields that describe a single customer • Record - A collection of related fields • Problem data - The details of a single problem • Problem record - All of the fields that describe a single problem

14. Step 1: Gather All Data Needed to Create Information (continued) • Customer records are linked to problem records by a unique key field, such as customer name • Many help desks capture two types of problem descriptions • Short problem description – A succinct description of the actual results a customer is experiencing (sometimes called a problem statement) • Detailed problem description – A comprehensive accounting of the problem and the circumstances surrounding its occurrence

15. Step 1: Gather All Data Needed to Create Information (continued) The detail problem description includes: • The result the customer expects • The actual result the customer is experiencing • Steps the customer took to get the results • The history or pattern of the problem • Does the problem occur every time the customer performs this step? • Does the problem only occur in certain circumstances? What are those circumstances? • Does the problem only occur intermittently? Under what conditions? • Whether the problem is part of a larger problem

16. Step 2: Diagnose the Problem • When diagnosing a problem, you are trying to determine: • The probable source of the problem • Ultimately, its root cause • Determining the probable source can be difficult when dealing with complex technology

17. Step 2: Diagnose the Problem (continued)

18. Asking Questions • Techniques that are used to diagnose problems include: • Asking questions • Simulating the customer’s actions • Using diagnostic tools • When asking questions: • Listen actively • Make sure your questions are appropriate to the customer’s communication style

19. Asking Questions (continued) • Condition your mind to run through problem-solving questions as the customer is relaying information • Basic questions can help you isolate the probable source

20. Asking Questions (continued) • Problem-solving checklists may provide questions more specific to the actual problem • Simple questions often reap the most information

21. Simulating the Customer’s Actions • Some help desks: • Provide analysts access to the systems or software packages that customers are using • Have lab areas where analysts can access systems that match customers’ hardware and software configurations • Analysts use these systems to simulate a customer’s actions • The usefulness of this technique depends on: • The access that analysts have • The policies of the company

22. Simulating the Customer’s Actions (continued) • Some companies have strict standards that determine what technologies customers use • The help desk is often involved in developing technology standards • Without standards, customers may install equipment or software without the help desk’s knowledge • As a result, the help desk cannot simulate problems • When technology standards exist, whether and how strictly those standards are enforced will vary from one company to the next

23. Simulating the Customer’s Actions (continued) Benefits of establishing standards include: • A less complex environment • Improved ability to share data and exchange information • Effective training programs can be developed • Proactive support can be provided • Costs are controlled • The company is positioned to take advantage of state-of-the-art technology

24. Using Diagnostic Tools • Remote control system - A technology that enables an analyst to take over a customer’s keyboard, screen, mouse, or other connected device in order to troubleshoot problems • Newer hardware and software systems have built-in diagnostic tools • Using these tools may not always be an option • Take the time needed to fully diagnose the problem and identify the correct probable source • When an incorrect probable source is identified, you can waste time developing a course of action that will not permanently solve the problem

25. Step 3: Develop a Course of Action To develop a course of action: • Consult printed resources, online resources, coworkers, subject matter experts, or the team leader • Determine if a workaround is available • Escalate the problem to the correct level two service provider or subject matter expert • Search a knowledge base • Search the incident tracking or problem management system • Use personal knowledge • Use tools

26. Step 3: Develop a Course of Action (continued) • Review the course of action with the customer • Ensure the customer understands it and the time frame within which it will be executed • Let the customer know if the course of action or the time frame is dictated by an SLA • If the customer is dissatisfied, determine the customer’s preference and, if possible, accommodate that preference • Or, determine if there is an alternate course of action that will satisfy the customer’s immediate need • Record the customer’s preference in the ticket and when necessary, bring the problem to management’s attention

27. Knowing When to Engage Additional Resources • Most help desks strive to solve as many problems as possible at level one • First, use resources such as online help, product and procedure manuals, or a knowledge base • If unsuccessful, turn to a coworker or level two service provider for help • Target escalation time - A time constraint placed on each level that ensures problem resolution activities are proceeding at an appropriate pace

28. Knowing When to Engage Additional Resources (continued) Consider the following as the target escalation time approaches: • Do I have sufficient information to clearly state the problem? • Have I determined the probable source of the problem? • Have I gathered the information that is required by level two? • What is the problem severity?

29. Taking Ownership • When a problem cannot be solved immediately, customers expect someone to take responsibility for ensuring it is resolved in the time frame promised • Problem owner - An employee of the support organization who acts as a customer advocate and ensures a problem is resolved to the customer’s satisfaction • The customer shouldn’t have to initiate another call • In many companies, the person who initially logs the problem is the owner

30. Taking Ownership (continued)

31. Problem Owner Responsibilities • Tracks the current status of the problem • Proactively provides the customer regular and timely status updates • When possible, identifies related problems • Ensures that problems are assigned correctly • Ensures that appropriate notification activities occur • Ensures that all problem-solving activities are documented and the customer is satisfied with resolution • Closes the problem ticket

32. Problem Owner Responsibilities (continued) • Analysts sometimes share ownership by: • Helping other owners when they can • Updating a ticket if a customer contacts the help desk to provide additional information • Updating a ticket if a customer contacts the help desk for an up-to-date status • Negotiating a transfer of ownership for any outstanding tickets if the analyst is going to be out of the office for an extended time

33. Providing Status Updates to Customers and Management • Notification – An activity that informs all of the stakeholders in the problem management process about the status of outstanding problems • Notification can occur when: • A problem is reported or escalated • A problem has exceeded a predefined threshold • A problem is resolved

34. Providing Status Updates to Customers and Management (continued) • Management notification is appropriate when: • The problem is extremely severe • The target resolution time has been or is about to be reached • Required resources are not available to determine or implement a solution • The customer expresses dissatisfaction

35. Providing Status Updates to Customers and Management (continued) • Management notification ensures that: • Management knows the current status of problems that are in an exception state • Management has the information needed to oversee problems that involve multiple support groups • Management has sufficient information to make decisions, follow up with the customer, or call in other management • Management actions are recorded in the problem record so that everyone affected knows what decisions management has made or what steps they have taken

36. Providing Status Updates to Customers and Management (continued) • Customer notification is appropriate when: • The analyst has told the customer they will provide a status at a given time, even if there has been no change in the problem’s status • The target resolution time will not be met • Customer resources are required to implement a solution • The problem has a high severity and justifies frequent status updates • The customer was dissatisfied with earlier solutions

37. Providing Status Updates to Customers and Management (continued) • Customer notification ensures that: • The customer knows the current status of the problem • Customer comments or concerns are recorded in the problem record and addressed

38. Providing Status Updates to Customers and Management (continued) • Help desks add value by: (1) Making it easy for customers to report problems (2) Delivering solutions (3) Taking ownership and ensuring that problems that cannot be resolved immediately are addressed in the required time frame • Even bad news is better than no news

39. Providing Status Updates to Customers and Management (continued) • The help desk can notify management, customers, and others by: • Telephone, in person, with an e-mail or instant message • Through a paging device, automatically via the incident tracking and problem management system • How notification occurs and who is notified varies based on conditions such as: • The severity of the problem • Who is affected by the problem • When the problem occurs

40. Providing Status Updates to Customers and Management (continued) Closeup - Levels of learning: • Unconscious incompetence • Customers typically cannot articulate their problem • Conscious incompetence • Customers know what they don’t know • Conscious competence • Customers use correct terminology and clearly and correctly articulate the problem • Unconscious competence • Known as “power users.” Customers feel they know more than analysts and resent being asked “basic” questions

41. Building Good Relationships With Other Support Groups • Level one analysts must: • Strive to continuously increase their knowledge and the efficiency and effectiveness of their problem-solving skills • Ensure that all available information has been gathered and logged • Ensure that all checklists have been completed and logged before a problem is escalated • Seek assistance only after using all other available resources • Level two service providers must: • Respect the help desk’s role as a front-line service provider • Acknowledge that the help desk’s efforts are freeing them from the need to answer the same questions or solve the same problems over and over again • Be willing to impart their knowledge to the help desk

42. Building Good Relationships With Other Support Groups (continued) • Review and understand your company’s SLAs • Provide mutual feedback • Job shadowing • Review incident tracking system information • Communicate • Give praise

43. Focusing on Prevention • Once a solution has been identified and implemented, there are still questions that need to be asked and answered: • Did the resolution solve the problem? • Is the customer satisfied? • Has the root cause been identified? • Was the corrective action permanent? • If the answer to any of these questions is “No” the problem cannot be considered resolved

44. Focusing on Prevention (continued) • If all of the answers are “Yes” the problem can be closed once all pertinent data is captured • Without data, trend and root cause analysis cannot be performed • Any or all members of the help desk team can: • Identify and analyze trends • Suggest ways that problems can be eliminated • Go beyond the quick fix and take the time to resolve problems correctly the first time • Engage the resources needed to determine and eliminate the root cause

45. Chapter Summary • Help desk analysts must be able to solve problems efficiently and effectively • Most help desks develop processes and procedures in an effort to ensure that problems are handled quickly, correctly, and consistently • The goal of problem management is to minimize the impact of problems that affect a company’s systems, networks, and products

46. Chapter Summary (continued) • Analysts use their problem-solving skills to handle each problem • The best problem solvers condition themselves to: • Gather all available data • Create information • Methodically diagnose the problem before developing a course of action • Effective diagnostic techniques include: • Asking questions • Simulating the customer’s actions • Using diagnostic tools

47. Chapter Summary (continued) • Customers expect someone to take responsibility for ensuring the problem is resolved in the time frame promised • The problem owner assumes that responsibility • Ownership ensures that everyone involved in the problem management process stays focused on the customer’s need to: • Have the problem solved in a timely fashion • Be informed when the problem requires more than the expected time • Ownership is critical to the problem management process • Without it, problems can slip through the cracks and customer dissatisfaction invariably occurs

48. Chapter Summary (continued) • Do not hesitate to suggest ways that problems can be eliminated and prevented • Be persistent and act on your hunches • An understanding of your company’s problem management process and strong problem-solving skills are essential to your success • These processes ensure that problems are handled efficiently and effectively • Ultimately, however, customers prefer that problems be prevented