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Providing Excellent Customer Support in IT Technical Service

Learn to support customers, troubleshoot computer problems, and enhance interpersonal skills in the IT field. Discover strategies to exceed customer expectations, handle inquiries professionally, and use call tracking software effectively.

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Providing Excellent Customer Support in IT Technical Service

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  1. A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition Chapter 12 Supporting Customers and Troubleshooting Windows

  2. Objectives • Support customers in the non-technical ways that they want and expect, beyond your technical skills • Apply general strategies and steps to troubleshoot and solve any computer problem • Troubleshoot application problems using appropriate Windows tools A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  3. What Customers Want: Beyond the Technical Know-How • Commit to providing excellent service and to treating customers as you would want to be treated in a similar situation • Important to be prepared • Includes knowing what customers want, what they don’t like, and what they expect from an IT technician A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  4. Becoming a Competent and Helpful Support Technician • Traits of a competent and helpful technician: • Trait 1: Be dependable and reliable • Trait 2: Keep a positive and helpful attitude • Trait 3: Listening without interrupting your customer • Trait 4: Proper and polite language • Trait 5: Show sensitivity to cultural differences • Trait 6: Take ownership of the problem A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  5. Becoming a Competent and Helpful Support Technician • Traits of a competent and helpful technician (cont’d): • Trait 7: Portray credibility • Trait 8: Work with integrity and honesty • Trait 9: Know the law with respect to your work • Observe the laws concerning use of software • Trait 10: Look and behave professionally A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  6. Planning for Good Service • To provide good service there must be a plan that covers the entire service situation • From the first contact with the customer to closing the call • Most good service for customers of IT support begins with entries in call tracking software A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  7. Call Tracking Software • Call tracking software – tracks support calls and gives technicians a place to keep their call notes • Initial call for help starts the process by creating a ticket • A record of the request and what is happening to resolve it • Stays open until the issue is resolved • Support staff assigned to the ticket document progress in the call tracking system • As an open ticket ages, more attention and resources are assigned to it A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  8. Initial Contact With a Customer • Customers expect both technical and interpersonal skills • Beginning a phone call professionally • Identify yourself and your organization • Ask for and write down name and number of caller • Follow company polices to obtain further information • Be familiar with your company’s customer service policies • Open up the conversation for the caller to describe the problem A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  9. Initial Contact With a Customer • Technicians should be prepared to: • Know: • The problem to be addressed • The urgency of the situation • What computer, software, and hardware need servicing • Arrive with a complete set of equipment needed • Greet customer in a friendly manner and shake hands • Listen and ask questions A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  10. Interview the Customer • As you ask questions: • Take notes • Keep asking questions until you thoroughly understand the problems • Have customers reproduce the problem • Use diplomacy and good manners A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  11. Set and Meet Customer Expectations • Important to create an expectation of certainty with customers • Establish a timeline with your customer for completion of a project • Keep customer informed of progress • Give the customer an opportunity to make decisions about repairs • Repair or replace? • Help them decide which is to their advantage A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  12. Working With a Customer On Site • Avoid distractions • Don’t accept personal calls on your cell phone • Or use social media • Answer calls from work, but keep call to a minimum • If you must excuse yourself, explain to the customer and return as soon as possible • When working at a user’s desk: • Be as unobtrusive as possible as you work • Keep tools and papers out of customer’s way • Protect customer’s confidential materials A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  13. Working With a Customer On Site • When working at a user’s desk (cont’d): • Don’t take over the mouse or keyboard without permission • Ask permission to use the printer or other equipment • Don’t use the phone without permission • Don’t pile your tools on top of user’s papers • Accept personal inconvenience to accommodate the user’s urgent business needs • If user is present, ask before making a software or hardware change • Don’t disclose information on social media A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  14. Working With a Customer On the Phone • Requires more interaction with customers • Must be able to visualize what the customer sees • Patience is required if dealing with novice user • If call is disconnected, call back immediately • Don’t eat or drink while on the phone • If caller must be put on hold, tell them how long it will be before you get back to them • Speak clearly and slowly • Keep small talk upbeat and positive A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  15. Dealing With Difficult Customers • When trying to solve a problem over the phone and the customer is not knowledgeable: • Be specific with your instructions • Don’t ask the customer to do something that might destroy settings or files without having them back up first • Ask customer what is displayed on the screen to help track keystrokes • Follow along at your own computer • Give the customer plenty of opportunity to ask questions A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  16. Dealing With Difficult Customers • When trying to solve a problem over the phone and the customer is not knowledgeable (cont’d): • Compliment the customer whenever you can • If customer cannot help you solve the problem without a lot of coaching, tactfully request that the caller have someone with more experience call you A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  17. Dealing With Difficult Customers • When the customer is overly confident: • Compliment the customer’s knowledge, experience, or insight • Slow the conversation down • Don’t back off from using problem solving skills • Be careful not to accuse the customer of making a mistake • Even though the customer might be using technical jargon, do not use jargon back to the customer A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  18. Dealing With Difficult Customers • When the customer complains: • Be an active listener, and let customers know they are not being ignored • Give the customer a little time to vent, and apologize when you can • Start conversation over from beginning • Don’t be defensive • Know how your employer wants you to handle a situation where you were verbally abused A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  19. Dealing With Difficult Customers • When the customer complains (cont’d): • If the customer is complaining about a product or service that is not from you company, don’t say “That’s not our problem” • If the complaint is against you or your product, identify the underlying problem if you can • Sometimes simply making progress or reducing the problem to a manageable state reduces the customer’s anxiety • Point out ways you think communication could be improved A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  20. The Customer Decides When the Work Is Done • When you think a problem is solved, allow customer to decide when the service is finished • Complete these tasks before closing the call: • Reboot computer to make sure you have not caused a problem with the boot • Allow the customer enough time to be fully satisfied that all is working • Ask user to verify any restored data • Review service call with the customer • Explain preventative maintenance to the customer A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  21. Sometimes You Must Escalate a Problem • Every technician does not know how to solve every problem with a computer • Sometimes, a problem needs to be assigned to someone higher in the support chain • If that happens, follow through to make sure the customer and new support person have made contact A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  22. Working With Co-Workers • Put business matters above personal matters • Do not be personally offended when someone lets you down or does not please you • Keep negative opinions to yourself • Practice good organization skills • Know your limitations and be willing to admit when you can’t do something A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  23. Strategies To Troubleshoot Any Computer Problem • Should first approach the problem as an investigator • Be careful not to compound the problem through actions before discovering as much as you can about the problem • Ask questions until you understand the source of the problem • A systematic method used by most expert troubleshooters is introduced in this chapter • Refer to the diagram on the next slide A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  24. Strategies To Troubleshoot Any Computer Problem Figure 12-10 General approach to problem solving A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  25. Strategies To Troubleshoot Any Computer Problem • There are 13 rules introduced throughout the chapter that might be useful when troubleshooting • Here is TroubleshootingRule #1: Approach the Problem Systematically • Start at the beginning and walk through it carefully • If you find more than one problem on the same computer, work on only one problem at a time • Trying to solve more than one at a time can get very confusing A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  26. Step 1: Interview the User and Back Up Data • Some possible questions to ask: • Please describe the problem. What error messages, unusual displays, or failures did you see? • When did the problem start? • What was the situation when the problem occurred? • What programs or software were you using? • What changes have recently been made to the system? • Has there been a recent thunderstorm or electrical problem? A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  27. Step 1: Interview the User and Back Up Data • Some possible questions to ask (cont’d): • Have you made any hardware, software, or configuration changes? • Has someone else used your computer recently? • Is there some valuable data on your system that is not backed up that I should know about before I start working on the problem? • Can you show me how to reproduce the problem? A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  28. Step 1: Interview the User and Back Up Data • Troubleshooting Rule #2: Establish Your Priorities • Decide what your first priority is • When practical, ask user for help deciding priorities • Troubleshooting Rule #3: Beware of User Error • If you suspect this, ask user to show you the problem and watch what the user is doing • Troubleshooting Rule #4: Keep Your Cool and Don’t Rush • A wrong move can be costly – carefully plan your moves and research the problem A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  29. Step 1: Interview the User and Back Up Data • Back up any important data that is not currently backed up before you begin working • If computer won’t boot to Windows desktop, use File/Windows Explorer to copy files to a flash drive • If File/Windows Explorer can’t be used • Remove the hard drive and connect to a USB port on another computer • Copy the data to the other computer A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  30. Step 2: Examine The System and Make Your Best Guess • Troubleshooting Rule #5: Make No Assumptions • Hardest rule to follow • Do your own investigating after the user tells you about the problem • Troubleshooting Rule #6: Try the Simple Things First • Most problem are easy to fix • Check simple things first • Example: if USB drive is not working, verify the drive works on another computer before verifying drivers A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  31. Step 2: Examine The System and Make Your Best Guess • Follow this process to form best theory and test: • Reproduce the problem and observe for yourself what the user described • Decide if the problem is hardware or software related • Make your best guess as to the source of the problem • Example: if video does not work, a best guess is the monitor cables are loose or the monitor is turned off • Troubleshooting Rule #7: Become a Researcher • Search the web, ask questions, read documentation, make phone calls A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  32. Step 2: Examine The System and Make Your Best Guess Figure 12-11 Search the manufacturer web sites for help with a hardware or software product A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  33. Step 3: Test Your Theory • Example of a test: • Video does not work and you suspect loose cables • Check the connection and discover that it is loose • Connect it securely and problem is solved • Example that includes testing an incorrect guess: • DVD drive won’t read a DVD, suspect a scratched DVD • DVD looks fine, no scratch • Next guess, DVD drive is not recognized by Windows • Check Device Manager and it reports errors • Next guess, drivers are corrupted A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  34. Step 3: Test Your Theory • Troubleshooting Rule #8: Divide and Conquer • Isolate the problem – Remove one hardware or software component after another until the problem is isolated • Try the following: • In Windows, perform a clean boot to eliminate all nonessential startup programs and services • Boot from a bootable DVD or flash drive to eliminate OS and startup files on the hard drive A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  35. Step 3: Test Your Theory • Troubleshooting Rule #9: Write Things Down • Take notes, draw diagrams, make lists • Troubleshooting Rule #10: Don’t Assume the Worst • When working with a hard drive that is not working, don’t assume that data is lost • Troubleshooting Rule #11: Reboot and Start Over • Take a break, walk away from the problem • Come back and begin again A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  36. Step 4: Plan Your Solution and Then Fix the Problem • Troubleshooting Rule #12: Use the Least Invasive Solution First • Fix the problem so that they system returns to normal working condition with the least amount of effort • Troubleshooting Rule #13: Know Your Starting Point • Find out what works and doesn’t work before you take anything apart A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  37. Step 4: Plan Your Solution and Then Fix the Problem • Plan your solution and fix the problem: • Consider different solutions and select the least invasive one • Before applying your solution, determine what works and what doesn’t work • Fix the problem A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  38. Step 5: Verify the Fix and Take Preventative Action • After problem is fixed: • Reboot the system and verify all is well • Have the user check everything and verify also • Ask yourself this question: Could this problem have been prevented? • If so, instruct the user on what to do, set Widows to automatically install updates, etc… A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  39. Step 6: Document What Happened • Reasons to document: • Help when troubleshooting the next situation • Train others • Develop effective preventative maintenance plans • Satisfy any audits or employer queries about your work • Many companies use Help Desk Software to record this information A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  40. Troubleshooting Applications • Problems with an application might be caused by: • The application • Hardware • The operating system • Data • Other applications in conflict with the application • User A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  41. General Steps For Solving Application Errors • Step 1: Interview the User and Back Up Data • Ask the user to reproduce the problem while you watch • Try a reboot • Step 2: Error Messages, the Web, Co-Workers, and Logs Might Help • Error messages and the Action Center • Use Event Viewer and Reliability Monitor to look for clues • Find and ask for help A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  42. General Steps For Solving Application Errors • Step 3: Consider the Data or the Application is Corrupted • Consider data corruption • Application settings might be wrong • The application might be corrupted • Uninstall and reinstall the application A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  43. General Steps For Solving Application Errors • Step 4: Consider Outside Interference • Suspect a virus • System resources might be low • A service may have failed to start • Bad memory • Corrupted hard drive • A background program might be conflicting with the application A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  44. General Steps For Solving Application Errors • Step 5: Consider Windows Might Be the Problem • A problem with an application might be solved by updating or restoring Windows system files • Download Windows updates • Use System File Checker to verify and replace system files • Boot Windows in Safe Mode • Use System Restore A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  45. Memory Diagnostics • Identifies problem with memory • Eliminates memory as problem source • Use one of these methods to start the utility • Command Prompt window command: mdsched.exe • If you cannot boot from the hard drive, boot from the Windows setup DVD, click Repair your computer • For Windows 8, click Troubleshoot and then Advanced options, click Command Prompt, enter mdsched.exe • For Windows 7, select the Windows installation to repair, on the System Recovery Options screen, click Windows Memory Diagnostic A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  46. System File Checker • System file checker (SFC) • SFC protects system files and keeps cache current • Can refresh a damaged file • Run SFC in elevated command prompt window: sfc /scannow • If corrupted system files are found, might need the Windows setup DVD to restore files • If SFC won’t run using the above command, try the command sfc /scanonce • Will scan files immediately after the next reboot A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  47. Responding To Specific Error Messages • When An Application Hangs: • Use Task Manager to end it • If Task Manager can’t end it, use the Tasklist and Taskkill commands • Tasklist command returns the process identify (PID) • Taskkill command uses the process ID to kill the process • Example: • use taskkill | more to list running processes • Note the PID of the process you want to end (ex. 7132) • Enter taskkill /f /pid:7132 to forcefully kill the process A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  48. Responding To Specific Error Messages • When a File Fails to Open • Windows depends on the file extension to associate a data file with an application used to open it • Called a file association • A program associated with a file extension is called a default program • When Windows doesn’t know which application to call on to open a file, it displays an error message • Solution: change the file association for the data file’s file extension A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  49. Responding To Specific Error Messages • When a Service Fails to Start • Can be caused by a corrupted or missing service program • Or the service might not be configured to launch at startup • Check the Services console to make sure the service is set to start automatically • Use the service’s Properties box to find the path and filename to the executable program • Next, use Explorer to make sure the program file is not missing A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

  50. Responding To Specific Error Messages • When A DLL Is Missing or a Component Is Not Registered • Most applications have many small programs called components that serve the main program • These small component services often have a .DLL extension (Dynamic Link Library) • When an error message appear about a missing DLL • Reinstall the application • Recover it from backup or from the application installation files A+ Guide to IT Technical Support, 9th Edition

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