Michael McDonnell Winterstorm Solutions [email protected]http://winterstorm.ca Technical Support Simple Rules for Getting the Help You Need Every Single Time These slides can be distributed and modified under the terms of a Creative Commons License. You are free to share and remix but you must provide attribution and you must share alike.
Obtaining good technical support can be difficult. This presentation outlines how you can control the "helpdesk" process as a customer, manage your communications, and ensure you get the best help, from your helpdesk, every single time.
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These slides can be distributed and modified under the terms of a Creative Commons License. You are free to share and remix but you must provide attribution and you must share alike.
Why learn how to “get technical support”?Why learn how to “get technical support”?
Source: Limoncelli, T. 1999. Deconstructing user requests and the nine step model. Proceedings of LISA ’99: 13th Systems Administration Conference. Seattle, Washington, USA, November 7-12, 1999.
Problem Identification LoopsProblem Identification Loops
Classification Statement VerificationLater
Phases
1 2 3
Phase 2: Problem Identification
Loops Between PhasesLoops Between Phases
Phase 2:Identification
Phase 3:Planning &Execution
Phase 4:Verification
1 2 3
ConsequencesConsequences
Classification Statement VerificationLater
Phases
1 2 3
Feeling Ignored? Helpless?Getting the “runaround”?Frustration growing?
6. [ Why are you contacting this person specifically? ]
Worst Case ScenarioWorst Case Scenario
Getting Help from TELUS Advanced Communications
Key to Solution: Writing and Effective Request
• I failed to describe the problem (only the solution)• Staff responded with few details• Staff did NOT want to help me• Staff wanted to go home• Staff had procedures that supported NOT helping
Problems accessing files and printers. Please advise.
Example: URGENTExample: URGENT
From: Iva Gott-problems <[email protected]>To: [email protected]: [URGENT] The whole office cannot access networkHi,Starting about an hour ago, everyone in the office is unable to
access the network: we cannot access the fileserver, printers, email, or the web.
All of the PCs can boot up and we can run most programs without a problem (e.g. Microsoft Word and Excel run just fine), but anything that needs to interact with a server or the Internet is having a problem.
Can you investigate this as soon as possible. Our department has a deadline Tuesday, and we need to access files on the fileserver and the printers at the bare minimum….
Example: SimpleExample: Simple
From: Iva Gott-problems <[email protected]>To: [email protected]: Cannot view webpages with Internet ExplorerHi, I’m writing to you because, as of this morning, I cannot
view any webpages using Internet Explorer.After restarting my computer and logging in, I double-
click the I.E. icon on my desktop. IE starts up normally, but no matter what address I type in I get an error (“Server is Unreachable”). I have tried the following URLs…
Subject: Many Shaw customers unable to view our homepage
Hi,
I’m writing to you because some of users, those who use your cable-model service, cannot reach our homepage. I am writing to your email address because it appears on the Shaw support site at http://support.shaw.ca/ and the users reporting this problem are Shaw customers….
Example: Verification InfoExample: Verification Info
We haven’t been able reproduce the problem you are reporting with Internet Explorer, but our network specialist suggests that you install Firefox because it has fewer problems of this type….
Who, What, WhenWho, What, When
Information Required for Better Decisions
• Who will take the next action?– What does it entail?– What is it supposed to accomplish?
• When will you know that they are done?
• Who will contact you when it is done?
General Questions, Specific AnswersGeneral Questions, Specific Answers