Have you ever had to wait on the phone for an hour just to talk to a tech support representative.  Maybe you've sent emails to technical support only to have them disappear.  Here are 5 tips that should make you next technical support incident easier and more productive.

 

1.  Before you buy a product check into the company's customer service record.

 

This is especially important with big ticket items, since you are much more likely to need support for an expensive item than you are for a relatively cheap one.  A quick search on the internet can usually give you a pretty good feeling for companies that take care of their customers and those who do not.  Companies with bad customer service records will usually have their name smeared in mud all over the web.  The first step towards making sure that you have a good experience is making sure that you're working with good people.

 

2.  Don't call when everyone else is calling.

 

If you call when everyone else does, your wait will just be that much longer.  Most customer service calls come in either right away in the morning (8am-9am) or at the tail end of the day (4pm-6pm).  Avoid calling during these times if at all possible.  Also keep the time zone of the company's call center and customer base in mind when trying to time technical support calls.

 

3. If possible, try fixing the problem yourself first.

 

Don't start taking things apart and putting them back together every time you have a problem, but it is definitely advisable to take basic troubleshooting steps before contacting support.  If whatever you're trying to fix has an on/off button restart it.  If the directions to a product just don't seem to be working for you, go over them one more time, slowly.  Always check the website of the company you're working with for a frequently asked questions section.  More times than not someone will have had the exact same problem that you are having and there will be an easy solution on the site. 

 

Even though you'll have to spend a little bit of time trying to figure things out on your own, it will usually save you time in the long run.  The things that you will be doing are probably things that the tech would have you do anyway. At the least, you will save yourself time by not making them walk you through it.

 

4.  Use the best method to contact support.

 

There are usually several avenues that you can use to contact the technical support group of an organization.  The most commonly used method is to just call them up.  Many people like to use this method because you get instant gratification.  Although they may have to wait on the phone for 30 minutes before talking to anyone, at least they will know the second someone starts working on their issue. 

 

Calling technical support is great when you have a problem that needs to get fixed right now, but it's often not the best use of your time.  Most technical support organizations also have a web page that you can use to notify support of problems that you may be having.  By using this method to notify support of your issue, you can avoid waiting for a representative on the phone, you can also be sure that your issue will get routed to the appropriate department right away, instead of you having to be transferred several times.

 

5.  Don't be afraid to ask for a new tech.

 

All techs are not created equal.  There can be huge differences in both technical and customer service skills among members of a technical support team.  In many organizations there are levels of technical support personnel.  The people at the bottom have often only been in the industry for a couple years, while the people a couple of levels up are often seasoned pros.  If the person that you are working with is not getting the job done, don't be afraid to ask for someone else.

 

Remember, the people on the other end of the phone want to get your issue resolved as much as you do.  By keeping these 5 tips in mind the next time you are getting ready to contact customer support, you should be able to save yourself both time and frustration.