In dealing with tech support people, I frequently find myself frustrated with their questions. I always find myself answering questions and doing things that I KNOW are not relevant to the issue. For example, I'm trying to solve a problem with an internet filter and I emailed their support team yesterday. Not only did I describe what was happening, I explained that I had tested the issue and provided proof that their software was the problem. I then told them, based on previous experiences with their software, what was happening and why. This morning I get an email: "Clear your cache and cookies on whatever browser you are using and then once you finish doing that, synchronize with our servers three times." I explained what was broken yesterday. Apparently they didn't actually read my email.
Anyways, I repeatedly find myself being asked to do things I am sure will not solve the problem or that I have already done (i.e. Power Cycle the router). My guess is a lot of you have experienced this same thing. What do you do when you find yourself talking to someone who knows less about the issue than you do? How do you get past the guy whose job is to tell people to turn it on? That kind of question can be helpful when you are talking to someone who actually doesn't know what they are doing.
Spoiler:
Funny story with little relevance to my actual question: I set up a sound system for a community event, and there's a person using a microphone.
Her: Hey, it's not working.
Me: Did you turn it on?
Her: Haha, got you! You thought I was serious.
Later...
Her: It really isn't working now.
Me: (glancing at power switch) You have to turn it on.
Her: Wait, there's actually a power switch?
Me: (turning on the microphone) Try it now.
Her: (tests mic) Oh.
In fact, "Did you turn it on?" is my default question whenever someone is having tech problems (followed by "Did you turn it up?" if it's a speaker system or "Is it plugged in?" if it is something else). However, I don't usually contact tech support until I have researched the issue and am sure it is a problem on their end. What is the best way to get to someone who is willing to listen to your explanation? Any pointers, or is what I've described just the way it is?
I'm usually on the side of tech support, actually, since it's often not their fault--they're given a list of default questions to ask, as well as a set "path" to follow. To be even more fair, "did you turn it on" often solves the problem.
Also consider it from their side; all day, every day, they have to deal with people who bite their heads off for insinuating that "I'm an idiot" because "I didn't turn it on", only to find it it's either not turned on, or not plugged in.
I never really call tech support. I've done it two or three times in my tech solving lifetime. Both times I remember were fine.
Brozon is right on. They have to ask these questions from the script, and to their credit, it's usually a good idea, even if people are dealing on a higher technical level. When troubleshooting with QA or other engineers, sometimes it's important to ask if they cleared their cache because it gets overlooked. That's not even playing to your example. It happens a lot, with some very smart people.
In all fairness to the cache, it's usually the cache. They say there are only 2 hard things in Computer Science: Naming things, Cache Invalidation, and Off-by-One errors.
Also, if they have changed or reset something on their servers, there's a chance you'll have to refresh the cache to get it.
It does suck, though, to be treated as a noob by a Tech when you very well might know more about the subject material than they do. They can't know we're technically competant, and they probably dealt with a lot of people who talk big, but know little. I usually just do the rounds, and who knows, I might have forgotten a step.
My brother and sister inlaw both work in Apple tech support. They've told me crazy stories like people who have called and said "I dropped my phone in a wood chipper, I dug it out, and now my phone won't turn on. Is there some way to make it turn on, or will I have to send my phone in for repairs? btw, I don't have a warranty."
my brother: "..."
Also, a word of advice to all you peeps out there. Something else my bro told me, if you call any business, and they put you on hold, and you are hearing the most obnoxious "jazz" music in existence, THE PEOPLE ON THE OTHER END CAN STILL HEAR YOU. The calls are always recorded, including the time you are on hold. So whether you're calling while on the toilet, or yelling at your kid, they hear and record EVERYTHING.
In my own experience, most computer problems can be solved in three steps.
1) Is the device plugged in?
2) Is the device turned on?
3) Did you try rebooting?
If none of those three work, then it's time to step in for some more testing (that's usually when I have to go over to visit a friend's house, or tinker with a machine in the office, or what have you). But, surprisingly, a lot of the problems can be solved in those three steps.
Also surprising, most people don't think of those three steps when they're having computer issues. It's not working? Just call the computer tech, and they'll solve it....
Incidentally, this site has kept me busy for hours....
I understand that tech support has to do it by script. So the simplest and most obvious questions are first. And sometimes, people have a brain fart and ignore them. A couple months ago this happened to me when I called Comcast because I couldn't get cable TV to work:
Me: Hi, my cable isn't working. I've tried rebooting the box but on the screen it keeps displaying, "No signal."
Tech support: Unplug the power, wait 1 minute and try it again.
Me: Still doesn't work. I stream everything so I don't watch much TV. But this is annoying.
Tech support: I'll do a check on my end ... Yes, everything is working.
Me: I don't get it.
Tech support: Make sure the TV is set to channel 3.
Me: Um, it was set to channel 1. It works now. Thanks!
