Dealing with Technical Support - 10 Useful Tips

Most people who work in an office environment, buy computer products, or have a computer at home have had the “fun” experience of dealing with technical support. It’s not always the easiest, or most pleasant, experience but hopefully this article will help you make the best of the situation the next time you call. Below you will find a list of things to keep in mind the next time your computer breaks down.

1.Stay calm – Don’t yell at the support person on the other end of the phone. He is there only to help and the more angry you are the less help you are going to get.

2.Get to the point – Ask your question or explain your situation right away. Don't beat around the bush.

3.Don’t be arrogant – You are calling technical support because you need help. Don’t try and be a smart guy.

4.Call for yourself – Don’t call for a friend, relative, or coworker. It’s very difficult, for the person trying to help you, when you are repeating information that you got from someone else.

5.Stay at the computer – Make sure you are at the computer with the problem when you call. It’s hard for someone to help you through a problem if don’t have access to the computer.

6.Record the error – If you are calling about an error you saw, make sure you write it down. It’s hard for someone to help you if all you can say is “There was a box on my screen that had writing in it”.

7.Find out how many people are affected – The priority of your call can be greatly influenced by the amount of people it is affecting. If the problem is affecting a number of people it will probably be escalated to a higher level.

8.Be patient – By default, technical support usually has certain questions they are required to ask. These are not meant to make you angry, they help in the process of solving your problem.

9.Know what kind of support is offered – Ask around the office before calling to see what kind of support is offered. Not all technical support centers offer “How to” help. If your support group does not offer this type of support you may have to get a coworker to help.

10.*The Golden Rule*: Technical support is trying to help - The reason you called, in the first place, is because you needed help with something. Try not to make it difficult for the person on the other end to help you.

These tips aren’t just some random bunch of words I have put together. I am one of the people you get on the phone when you call technical support. I have been working in a Help Desk environment for almost two years and have heard almost every excuse, lie, and problem you can imagine. For me, it makes things much easier if the caller follows these simple rules. Technical support is made up of people too. Try and treat them as you would want to be treated and I guarantee your next experience will be much better.

Dennis d'Entremont is the operator of SaveLoad Video Game Directory and Computers-Made-Easy.com

Orange SPV M700 - Help Desk on Work - Always

Making a lot of things easier for you, present digital assistant devices are too good to be your reliable professional pals. The Orange SPV M700 is also a personal digital assistant, which comes with a balanced profile to take a very good care of your professional needs. Actually, the Orange SPV M700 is specifically designed for business professionals and busy workaholics, who do not want to waste a single second of their highly busy lives. Besides being a reliable gadget, the Orange SPV M700 also looks good in its overall profile. It has been duly finished up with various latest functionalities to enable you manage all your tasks in the easiest possible way. It comes in two simple colours with Black and White. You would find it quite easy to carry around, as it comes with a smooth and glossy surface.

The Orange SPV M700 is a consummate personal assistant, which can make a lot of things easier for you. It uses the popular Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 platform to run various sorts of computer based applications. Well, this PDA device supports the popular Tri-Band technology with HSDPA and UMTS to enable you enjoy unparalleled connectivity with high-speed Internet. Hence, you get that desired connectivity with your Orange SPV M700 – throughout the whole world.

There are other superb connectivity features with Infrared, Bluetooth which enables you to make the most with wireless data exchange. On the other hand, it also comes with USB port, which allows you to transfer all your data from your computer to the mobile handset by using a wire. Besides that, it is also conferred with Wi-Fi, which enables you to enjoy wireless Internet access. The Orange SPV M700 is endowed with two cameras, with a 2 mega pixels camera, which is used for imaging and another camera, which lets you enjoy video calling. Thus, the Orange SPV M700 provides the desired digital assistant, which you would certainly relish in your mobile phone.

Carly Charu is an expert author and the webmaster of Mobile Phone deals. The website having details of Contract Phones and Sim Free Mobile Phones

How to Select Help Desk Software for Superior Service and Efficiency

The ability to provide the highest level of customer service with the greatest levels of efficiency is paramount for companies in the market for web based help desk software. With this in mind, there are a few key features managers should look for during the evaluation process.

Complete email integration. This is a feature in just about all help desk software, however as your evaluating make sure there is complete email integration that can support multiple mailboxes (if needed), a variety of mail server configurations, as well as key email features such as conversation threading and cc'ing.

Interaction Log. To prevent staff from having to sift through emails and note pads to recall the last interaction with a customer, all good help desk software will automatically log all interactions, those with the customer as well as those between staff members, related to a customer inquiry. If this is done in a logical, easy to use manner, it will allow any staff member (with the appropriate access) to get quickly up-to-speed when necessary.

Flexible categorization capability. To optimize the efficiency of your help desk operation you'll want the ability to categorize each customer inquiry for later aggregate reporting where trends can be spotted and addressed in a more proactive manner.

For example, appropriate categorization and reporting could uncover a large number of requests around a refund/exchange process. In an attempt to reduce staff time spent on this type of common inquiry, you could use tools with your customer portal (outlined below), such as knowledge base or forums, to outline a process for quick referral.

Self-service customer portal. Your customer-facing help desk site should contain the following components:

1. Customizable web submission form. Make sure you can collect the information you need, in the format you need it in.
2. Request status checker. This should include not only the most current update but all other interactions staff have had with the customer.
3. Easy to use knowledge base--more on the importance of this below.
4. Customer forums for collaborative problem solving. In some situations, your customers can be the best resource for other customers with questions. Foster a collaborative community around your product/service with a managed forum.

These features should be bundled in a template-driven portal that allows for customization with the components you want in the same, familiar, look-and-feel of your site.

A user-friendly knowledge base. While many web based help desk software packages include some form of knowledge base--be aware that not all are created equal. To ensure this is a tool your customers and staff will be confident in using, look for a knowledge base that has a logical layout; avoid overly complex, deeply nested knowledge bases.

Jamie Landsman is a Product Director at UserScape Inc., which is focused on building user-center software. Their primary product, HelpSpot, is a web based help desk software package offering a robust feature set with an easy to use interface. To learn more about HelpSpot, visit us at www.userscape.com/products/helpspot/

Back Hair Laser Removal

Are you a victim of back hair? Does your wife or girlfriend cringe when you take off your shirt? There may be help for you with laser back hair removal.

Laser hair removal is a trend that is sweeping the country. With improvements in laser technology, these procedures are safer and less expensive than ever, and the results are longlasting. Most treatments use a very low level laser that is targets the affected area. The energy of the laser enters the pigment in the hair and causes the shaft to heat up, killing the hair. The follicle is also rendered ineffective, stunting new hair growth. Although the hair follicle deactivated, the surrounding skin is unharmed by the procedure.

Of course, this treatment has many applications for men and women, but one of the most popular is back hair laser removal. Previously, men had to undergo painful waxing, smelly dilapitory chemicals or shaving their backs to eliminate the hair that so many women find distasteful.

Of course, the type and amount of hair will determine how much your procedure costs. Darker or olive skinned patients will require more treatments than natural blondes, and hair thickness and density varies widely. Different lasers are even used to treat different skin color groups, so be sure to ask if your treatment center can handle your needs. Prices typically start at about $200-225, but back hair laser removal can run much higher, due to the larger area being treated. You should also expect to return for several treatments, as hair is removed in certain parts of the growth cycle only.

Although it may seem initially expensive, back hair removal using laser treatments is actually cost effective in the long run. Typically the hair does not regrow, and most centers offer touch ups for the few that do, as part of the package. If your back hair is an embarrassing problem, invest in yourself and try hair laser removal for your back!Kathlene Capelle is a writer for beauty tips and advice. Her site has information on laser hair removal, permanent hair removal, waxing and other hair removal methods. Please visit http://www.Hair-Removal-Central.com.