If you have ever used the phrase, “To err is human, but to really foul things up you need a computer,” you know that no truer words have ever been spoken. For many who work with technology in their industry but whose specialty is far from the tech area, managing a technical difficulty with a computer or device can be frustrating and downright debilitating. From the loss of internet connection to printer problems, and from forgotten passwords to accidentally deleting important files, the list can be long of ways to really foul things up with a computer. The good news is that many businesses enlist the help of an IT support company or sign up for IT Support services to help in just these types of situations. Let’s examine how IT Support calls work, what you can do to prepare yourself for a help desk call, and how Spectra Networks can help your company with this type of valued service.
What Are IT Support Calls?
IT Support, sometimes referred to as the “Help Desk,” is usually an individual or, in our case, a business that has been hired to handle IT issues for our clients. The mission of an IT support service is to troubleshoot current technology issues for clients. These issues could include small problems with printers or passwords, but can also assist with larger, more complex issues such as backups and disaster recovery protocols, employee training, network security, workstation upgrades, hardware and software upgrades, cloud services, and relocation servers to name just a few of the long list of IT Support Services that we handle here at Spectra. The ultimate goal is to handle both the day-to-day operational challenges as well as be proactive in helping with the future needs of the business. Our experienced technicians take the frustration out of calling a help desk and make it more personalized, where we know and understand your organization and can either talk you through an issue or remotely access your workstation and handle the problem in that manner.
Tips for Making IT Support Calls
Inevitably, in every office, technology will glitch or even fail. That’s the nature of the beast and why IT Support is so critical to businesses that need to avoid downtime and issues that could hamper relationships with their customers. Our clients sometimes ask what they can do to make those calls more efficient, coherent, and less painful for all involved. In fact, there are a few steps that technology users can take before even enlisting the help of the IT Support service. First, check our blog to see if there are helpful troubleshooting tips that could assist you troubleshoot the issue on your own. Our menu bar can provide a quick search for issues such as password troubles, lost files, or printer errors. Many times a reminder to check connections and how to reset a password can save you time and energy that would otherwise be wasted. Second, consider these tips that could help us help you faster and more efficiently.
Know What You Are Asking Help With
While it may be tempting to throw your hands up and enlist our services with a cry for help saying “My computer isn’t working,” try to avoid generalizations. For example, have details that will help us diagnose the issue. Be able to tell us some of the following information…
What is the error message?
What is the screen telling you?
When did the problem begin happening?
What have you already tried to troubleshoot the problem with? (This will help us move to more advanced solutions faster.)
Did any other issues arise at the same time such as a loss of power, a virus warning, or maybe an upgrade that wasn’t installed?
Has the issue evolved or changed since you first noticed it happening?
Is the issue occurring across your organization or only at your workstation?
Has the issue occurred before?
Be Thorough in Your Description of the Issue
Saying that your tech isn’t working is a start, but the more thorough you can be in your description of what is going on the better we can help you. For instance, instead of saying my computer quit, give details such as how long it had been on, what the battery life was measuring at if it was a device, what you were working on when it quit, and what steps you took to attempt to turn it back on.
Communicate Clearly
The first thing that many people do when there is a technology problem is panic and begin to try just about anything that has worked in the past to make things right. Communicate with our technicians in a quiet area, if possible. Include information such as what the issue is, and let your support technician know when it started, what you were doing prior, and what symptoms happened. Be able to give basic information about the device you are using and the operating system that you currently have running. This can help in innumerable ways.
Avoid Emotion
We know firsthand how frustrating technology issues can be. Avoid getting emotional because if you can’t clearly tell us what is going on we may end up taking unnecessary steps that could have been avoided.
How Spectra Can Help
As a seasoned IT company, we are able to anticipate and troubleshoot many problems for our clients. Our proactive services can help cut these issues off at the pass. Although many tech issues are inevitable sometimes, we will take the time to talk you through the issues so that they can be resolved in a timely manner. We also have the capability to remotely access your workstations and solve the problem from our computer. Check out our list of services including IT Support that can help keep your business running even as technology continues to evolve.
