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Live Technical Support Can Save A Customer

May 30, 2006
by Martin A. David
martin.david@technology-schools.com
Technology Schools Columnist

As technology and technological products become more complex, the technical support engineer's job becomes more important. When a customer runs into problems with a product, the online help desk or the live technical support person on the telephone represents the company that made or sold the product. A confused customer can become a lost customer. If the technical support person can't do the job of helping the customer solve the problem, the customer will never trust that company again.

Technical Training Combined with Customer Service Training

The technical support person's job is to take the technological information about the problem the customer may be having and to translate the solution into terms that the customer can understand. That means that the online or telephone help desk person must have customer service training as well as technical training. The customer that calls for live technical support is usually frustrated, so having good interpersonal skills over the phone is a must.

What the Live Technical Support Technician Does

Most companies offer live technical support by telephone as well as through an online help desk. A technical support person usually handles both jobs. The first thing a technical support person does on a new job is to learn the product or products sold by the company. You'll need to know everything there is to know about the product and where to find the information you don't know.

When you answer the support line phone or answer an online help desk message you have to learn everything you can about the customer and his or her problem in the first few minutes. For instance, what level of technical knowledge does the customer have? Are you talking to an expert or a beginner? Is the customer calm or agitated? All of these issues will be part of your customer service training.

Your technical support job will always have a slightly new problem to challenge you. With the right customer service or technical training, you could save customers--and revenue--for your company.

About the Author
Martin A. David is a published author and translator. He is also a technical writer in the Silicon Valley. He currently manages the Technical Publications department of a thriving high technology firm.