23 Customer Support, Communication, - g · PDF fileand Professionalism A+ Exam—Key...

After studying this chapter, you will be able to:� Explain the difference between a help desk and a call center.� Describe the three levels of technical support.� Identify desirable communications skills.� Explain how body language influences customer and client perceptions.� Identify the traits that exhibit a professional image.� Identify strategies for dealing with difficult customers and clients.� Explain the importance of performing a follow-up in customer relations.

2233 Customer Support, Communication,and Professionalism

A+ Exam—Key Points

The Communication and Professionalism domain is new and is part of theCompTIA A+ 2006 exams: Essential, 220-602 (IT Tech) and 220-603 (RemoteTech). In these exams, you will most likely encounter questions related tocustomer relations, such as communicating clearly with the customer, listeningto the customer, and conveying to the customer a positive attitude.

A+

Key Words and TermsThe following words and terms will become important pieces of your

computer vocabulary. Be sure you can define them.

call center help deskcustomer support live supportdepot technician professionalismemoticons teamwork

This chapter covers the basic skills necessary to function in a customer- orclient-related environment. Not all computer jobs require you to meet and workwith customers and clients. However, most jobs do require working withcustomers and clients on a regular basis. You probably assume you alreadyknow how to deal with people. There are some specific skills required to keepcustomers and clients happy that you may not be aware of.

In this chapter, you will be introduced to specific customer- and client-support scenarios. You will learn about the forms of conduct that have beenaccepted as an industry standard. You may be the most skilled technician in thecompany, but if you do not deal with people in a professional and courteousmanner, you will most likely lose your job or be banned from dealing withcustomers and clients. You will also never be raised to a position of leadershipor management, and all other career options may become limited. The impor-tance of learning the skills in this chapter cannot be emphasized enough.Reading, understanding, and being able to put into practice the skills covered inthis chapter may determine your future in a computer-related career.

Customer SupportSimply put, customer support is the delivery of customer assistance,

customer training, and customer services. This section provides an overview ofcustomer support. In it, you are given the big picture of how the organizationmodels work together to resolve customer and client computer problems. Youwill learn how different levels of support can be distributed across these modelsand will be made aware of the level of customer interaction typical of eachmodel.

Customer Support Organization ModelsThere are several customer support organization models that are recognized

as standard. Some of these models are help desk, call center, small business,service counter, depot technician, and corporate enterprise support. The exactmodel of your company and how you fit within that model depends on threemain factors:� The number of people requiring support.� The product being supported.� The customer location (local or global).

788 Computer Service and Repair

customer supportthe delivery ofcustomer assistance,customer training,and customer services.

Some organizations are a combination of several models working togetheras a team. For example, a help desk service may be outsourced to a foreigncountry such as India. This help desk may work closely with an organization inthe USA that performs the actual physical work. In the following sections,several of the most common support organization models are presented.

Help deskA help desk is a central point of contact that provides technical support to

clients. The clients may be company employees or customers. The usual methodof contact is by telephone or e-mail. Examples of organizations that typicallyprovide help desk support are Internet Service Providers (ISPs), hardware andsoftware manufacturers, corporate businesses, and educational and governmentinstitutions.

The help desk is the first level of support used to resolve common computerhardware and software problems. In most instances, a service request and repairticket is generated from the first moment of contact with a client.

The help desk can be a dedicated, single location or part of a larger organi-zation, such as a call center, Figure 23-1. For example, a large enterprise, such asDell, could outsource their first level of support to a call center. If the call centercannot immediately resolve the problem, the support request is forwarded tothe next level of support, which may be a technician located at Dell. The techni-cian is trained to handle more difficult problems that require intervention by aperson with much more expertise.

Call centerA call center is typically a large collection of support people located in a

common facility equipped with telephones and computer network support.Many call centers provide support for more than one company or product. Thecenter may be located anywhere in the world.

Chapter 23 Customer Support, Communication, and Professionalism 789

Call center

Business 3Business 2

Call Center Model B

Help Desk Model A

Business 1

Help desk

Figure 23-1.Help desk modeland call centermodel. A⎯In thehelp desk model, thehelp desk is part ofthe company. B⎯Inthe call centermodel, the help deskis a part of a callcenter. The callcenter providessupport to manydifferent businesses.

help deska central point ofcontact that providestechnical support toclients. The clientsmay be companyemployees orcustomers.

call centera large collection ofsupport peoplelocated in a commonfacility equippedwith telephones andcomputer networksupport. A callcenter can providesupport for morethan one companyor product.


Call center employees do not necessarily have technical skills required forrepairing computer-related problems. They are more likely trained to readprepared scripts correlated to the most common general problems. If theycannot adequately fix the problem, the support request is forwarded to the nextlevel of repair technician. This repair technician is usually located at thecompany who manufactures the equipment or writes the software.

Small business service counterSmall businesses are the backbone of the American economy. Over half of all

American employment opportunities are in small businesses. You will verylikely start your career in a small business environment. You may even startyour own small business. In the small business environment, you will meet faceto face with customers on a regular basis. Good customer relation skills are akey factor to your success.

The customer may be at the counter to make a purchase, request assistancein a purchase, or solicit technical support for an item purchased at the vendorlocation. In the small business environment, a service technician will most likelyfulfill multiple roles for their employer. They may be responsible for sellingcomputer hardware and software and related materials. They may also beresponsible for technical support and for answering customer questions inperson, by telephone, or through e-mail. They may be dispatched to a customerlocation to install or troubleshoot computer equipment or provide training.

Depot technicianThe main job of a depot technician is to perform repair work usually

covered by warranty. The depot technician receives the hardware item after theclient has contacted customer support through a call center or help desk or ifthe problem is not immediately resolved by the first contact. Once the equip-ment arrives at the depot, it is assigned to a technician for inspection and forrepair or replacement. A depot technician has very limited customer contact orno customer contact at all.

Corporate enterprise supportIn the large corporate environment, technical support services can be

composed of many people working as a team. Typically, an employee contacts a help desk. The help desk technician generates a repair or incident ticket,Figure 23-2. If the help desk technician fails to assist the fellow employee tomake the necessary adjustments to the item, the ticket is then assigned to a tech-nician who will report to the employee’s location.

At the location, the technician will either repair or replace the piece of equip-ment in question. This organizational model is found where there are sufficientnumbers of computers and related equipment to justify the cost of a full-timestaff dedicated to this function.

Support SoftwareThere are many different software packages designed to keep track of

service requests and the final results. This is typically how service is organizedand tracked. For example, when a customer or client first contacts the help desk

depot techniciana technician thatperforms repairwork, usuallycovered by warranty,and has very limitedcustomer contact orno customer contactat all.


Repair Ticket

Job Request Number:

Contact Information

Name:

Department:

Equipment information

Brand:

Equipment description (CPU, amount of RAM, etc.):

Operating system (if applicable):

Problem description:

Repair Information

Service date:

Diagnosis:

Actions taken:

Parts used:

Date repair completed:

Contact signature:

Technician signature:

Initial contact date:

Phone number:

Model:

Service technician:

SN:

Date:

Date:

Figure 23-2.Example of a repairticket for the corpo-rate environment.


with a service request, the call is logged, Figure 23-3. This includes adding thedate and time and a description of the problem. The software will typicallygenerate a repair ticket.

The help desk technician may resolve the problem immediately or maydispatch a technician to the client’s location. The copy of the repair ticket isdistributed to the technician who will report to the physical location of theproblem.

On resolving the problem, the technician completes the ticket by adding theprocedure used to resolve the problem. Any hardware or software that needs tobe provided or has been provided to remedy the problem is also listed. Afollow-up of the incident can be reviewed at the end of the day to ensure allproblems have been resolved and that no incident has been left unresolved.

Levels of SupportThere are typically three levels of support within an organization, Figure 23-4.

Level-one support is the initial technical support contact. This is typically madewith technical support from a help desk, Web site, or call center. Most problemscan be corrected at this level.

Level-two support is when the problem is elevated to a person with moreexperience or expertise than the first person contacted. While level-one supporthandles most problems, the person at level one typically answers technicalsupport questions from queue cards or a software program that has answersavailable for the most common customer problems and questions. Level-two

Figure 23-3.HelpStar servicerequest. (Help DeskTechnologyInternationalCorporation)

support is provided for problems that are much less commonly encountered ormore unique in nature. For example, a new software application that has justbeen released to the public may be conflicting with another software applica-tion. The problem is so new that there is no or very limited information. Thelevel-two support technician works closely with the customer to solve theproblem. The technician may need to recreate the problem before being able tofind a procedure for correcting the problem.

Level-three support is typically provided outside the immediate technicalsupport location. For example, a third-party company, such as Microsoft andIBM, provides level-three support when a problem cannot be solved locally bylevel-one or level-two support. This is often a combined effort to solve acustomer problem and is coordinated by the original support team memberwho is a level-two member at the home company. Level-three support mayinvolve software programmers and engineers. Consumers are generally neverinvolved with level-three support personnel.

Most level-one technical support is free, at least for a limited time. Thehighest level of support is typically not free and is set up on a cost per incidentbasis or through a service contract. It may also be based on a specific number ofincidents or minutes of live support. Live support is when you actually talk tosupport personnel rather than using e-mail as a means of technical support.

OutsourcingCustomer support is often outsourced to a company that specializes in tech-

nical support. The outsource company may reside in the United States or belocated overseas. The main reason for outsourcing is cost of the support service,of which the major cost is employee wages. It is often less expensive for acompany to use a call center located in a foreign country because the wagesmay be far less than if the same service was provided locally.

A software or hardware company may find it more cost effective tooutsource level-one support and opt to provide level-two support on a localbasis. All common or routine problems encountered by customers or clients canbe answered by the outsource service. Problems requiring a level-two technicianare reserved for the company at the local location or authorized service centersscattered across the United States and world.

For example, the ABC Laptop manufacturer has all client and customersupport requests directed to a 1-800-number or to e-mail support. The first levelof support is provided by the outsource company XYZ Corporation located inBombay, India but authorized to represent the ABC Laptop manufacturercompany in the United States. The XYZ Corporation handles all routine calls


live supportsupport in which acustomer or clienttalks directly tosupport personnelrather than using e-mail or FAQs.

Level one

Level two

Level three

Help desk, Web site, or call center.

Supervisor over the level-one response team.

Supervisor (level two) working with third-party support from a larger company.

Support Level Description Figure 23-4.The levels ofsupport throughwhich a problem canflow.

and provides help to customers. They cover the basic problems that may beencountered and talk customers through such items as verifying the following:� Power LEDs are lit.� All cables are connected.� Memory has been reset.

They may also talk the customer through the procedures for using thesupport CD to reinstall the operating system and through other basic tasks. Ifthe problem cannot be resolved, the outsource support company forwards theproblem to the ABC Laptop manufacturer. This is when more sophisticatedtroubleshooting diagnostics are required or the actual physical replacement ofhardware items. The customer is provided an address to send the laptop to or apickup ticket for FedEx, UPS, or similar service. The laptop is then sent to theABC Laptop manufacturer for diagnostics and repair.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)Most businesses have a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section posted

on their Web site. The FAQ section is designed as the name implies, to answerthe most commonly asked customer questions and inquiries. This is a very valu-able tool that can help save many hours of customer support. It is especiallyvaluable if the company or business does not have a technical staff available24/7. Large companies typically have a very extensive FAQ section on their Website. One such company is Dell.

Dell has set up a comprehensive customer support Web page using the mostcommonly asked customer support questions, Figure 23-5. The major FAQ topicareas are customer support questions, technical support questions, and myaccount questions. Figure 23-6 shows the Dell Web page for the most frequently


Figure 23-5.Dell provides ontheir Web site(www.dell.com) aFAQ for customerservice questions,technical supportquestions, andaccount questions.

asked topics concerning Internet security. After selecting a topic, such as,“HowDo I Clear My Temporary Internet Files, Cookies, and History in InternetExplorer?”, step-by-step instructions appear similar to those in Figure 23-7.


Figure 23-6.This Dell TechSupport FAQ liststhe top Internetsecurity topics.

Figure 23-7.Dell provides proce-dures for “How doI” type questions.

Dell saves thousands of dollars in manpower by posting answers to themost commonly asked customer questions. They also satisfy customer needs allaround the globe by providing customer support 24/7. It is interesting to notethat Dell provides the very same information that could be found on theMicrosoft Technical Support Web site; however, Dell has personalized the infor-mation for their customers.

Communication SkillsCommunication skills are an area of customer support in which computer

technicians will most likely have the greatest room for improvement.Communication with a customer is not limited to just the actual conversation. Itincludes other aspects, such as body language and attitude. Although both ofthese communication skills are unspoken, they present a clear message to thecustomer about your level of willingness and concern for fixing their problem.This section discusses various aspects of communication⎯specifically verbalcommunication, body language, attitude, listening skills, telephone skills,writing skills, and e-mail.

Verbal CommunicationThe secret to a successful business is repeat customers. The secret to having

repeat customers is customer satisfaction. Customers are satisfied when you arehelpful, courteous, and express a genuine sincerity when dealing with theirproblems and complaints. This may sound like a simple task, but one slip ofyour tongue while you are frustrated could mean the difference betweensuccess and failure in customer relations.

When communicating with customers and clients, always speak clearly andconcisely. Never use computer and network jargon and acronyms if you canavoid it. You may think that using such language makes you sound smarter ormore knowledgeable. In reality, it makes the customer or client “feel” less valu-able and stupid. It breaks down their confidence even further than it alreadymust be. The customer or client should feel comfortable while engaged in aconversation with you.

Always begin your conversation with a warm greeting. For example, “Goodmorning, what can I do to be of service to you?” While engaged in conversationwith a customer or client, use positive words to establish a “Can do!” attitude.Use reinforcing statements, such as, “Don’t worry, I’ll have this fixed in notime,” or “This is a very common problem. Lots of people have trouble at first.”Do whatever you can to build their self-esteem and their confidence in you andin your company. The following are some good and bad examples of statementsused when communicating with a customer or client:

Good examples:“Yes, we can fix that.”“No problem, we can handle that.”“Yes, we fix that type of problem all the time.”“If you have any more problems, don’t hesitate to call.”“You are no bother. This is what I am here for.”


Bad examples:“I hope we can help you.”“I’ve never fixed that type of problem before.”“I don’t know, but I’ll try.”“I’ll be busy later, so lets get this finished now.”

Body LanguageBody language and mannerisms can say more than the spoken word and

reveal your true feelings. For example, as an employee you may say, “How mayI help you?” However, if you continue to work on a customer’s computer andavoid eye contact with the customer, you are sending the nonverbal message, “Iam very busy right now and really do not have time for your problem.” If yougreet a person with open arms or hands, you warmly say nonverbally, “I amopen to your problem.” On the other hand, if you greet the customer with armsfolded across your chest and a scowl on your face, you are sending the non-verbal message, “Keep out.” The following are some body language key pointsto keep in mind:� Smile.� Maintain eye contact with the customer while listening, Figure 23-8.� Face the customer squarely.� Never look away from the customer or stare off at a distant point while

conversing.� Do not fold your arms across your chest or take a defensive posture.

Always face people directly and squarely. Do not turn away whileaddressing a person or engage in other activities when you should be givingyour complete attention to the customer. If you are alone in a shop and mustanswer a phone, always apologize and ask if you can return their call at a better


Figure 23-8.By maintaining eyecontact with thecustomer whilelistening, you tellthat customer youare truly interestedin helping him orher with theirproblem.

time. All customers appreciate that they are being given fair attention. If you doask to return a call at a better time because you are helping another customer,return the call.

AttitudeAttitude is easily perceived by a customer but is very hard to define in

objective terms. Everyone knows a “good” attitude or a “bad” attitude whenthey experience it. It is critical to your success to always maintain a positive atti-tude while working with people. Without it, you may not have a job. It doesn’ttake long to earn a reputation for your attitude⎯good or bad.

For this chapter, the best definition of attitude is a subjective judgment ofcharacter made by the customer based on the perception of how the technicianpresents himself or herself and meets the customers’ needs.

Show the customer that their problem is your main concern. You do this byasking probing questions such as, “How long have you had this problem?”Never be judgmental or indicate that the customer caused the problem, even ifthey did. You will use training techniques and suggestions to help them avoidthe problem in the future.

Avoid distractions. A customer or fellow worker will feel you are not inter-ested if you do not give them your full attention. For example, when workingon a project, always stop your work to talk to a customer. This will give thecustomer a feeling of importance and show that you care about their problem. Itwill also keep you from making an error on your project because you aredistracted. In making a customer feel important, you will gain their confidence.

Listening SkillsListening skills are the most important trait listed by employers in recent

surveys conducted to identify the trait most desired in customer support. Theyall agree that employees who work with clients and customers must have excel-lent listening skills. It seems like listening is such a simple task. So why do notall people have good listening skills? Many people, especially the type ofpersonalities that gravitate toward the computer field, are often bright and artic-ulate and may already be thinking ahead of the customer. Avoiding this habitwill keep your customers from feeling “small” and inadequate. The followingare a list of guidelines to put into practice:� Always maintain eye contact while listening.� Avoid distractions while listening. Do not try to perform other tasks while

the customer or client is talking to you. Focus on the speaker.� Never eat or drink while talking with a customer.� Always allow the customer or client to complete his or her sentence. Never

cut off or interrupt them, anticipating what they are going to say.� Restate the problem to the customer or client. This will ensure that you

know what they are saying or describing to you as the problem.Check out www.listen.org, a Web site dedicated to listening skills. There you

will find many interesting facts, such as only 7% of the meaning in a conversa-tion is transmitted by actual words.


Telephone SkillsMany of the same skills used in face-to-face communication also apply to

telephone support. Always speak clearly and concisely and avoid trade jargon,slang, and acronyms.

Never engage in other activities while talking to the customer or client. Aperson can always tell when someone is not focused on his or her conversation.When you are engaged in another activity, like working on a computer whiletalking to the customer on the telephone, the customer will be able to tell youare not fully engaged with their conversation. This will generate a feeling thatyou are not truly concerned with their problem or need and will probably irri-tate the customer.

Always avoid talking on a speakerphone, as this only confirms that you arenot paying attention to the caller. You are a technician. If you must be “handsfree,” get a headset. At least this way, the customer will feel that they are thefocus of your conversation. Unless it is necessary to use the keyboard orremotely access the customer’s computer, keep your hands off the keyboard.Customers can hear that you are using the keyboard and will nearly alwaysconclude that it does not have to do with their problem.

Smile while on the phone, Figure 23-9. It might sound crazy, but it actuallyworks. A person on the other end of the telephone conversation can actuallyperceive when a person is happy on the telephone. This is interpreted as afeeling that the support person is pleased to hear from the customer and wantsto help them. A good idea is to hang a mirror near the telephone with a signthat says “Smile!”


Figure 23-9.Smiling while on thetelephone can helpyou convey that youare pleased to hearfrom the customerand want to helpthem.

Again, do not use acronyms, jargon, or sophisticated technical terminology.Customers are not typically sophisticated computer users and are frequentlyintimidated by your conversation. Always use language that anyone can under-stand, no matter what his or her technical background. You do not impresscustomers with technical terms. If you want to impress a customer, use termsthat express your sincere desire to help them with their problem.

Writing SkillsWriting is a part of all customer support technician duties. As a customer

support person, you will either write by hand on repair tickets or enter into acomputer the specifics about a repair. Content typically consists of a descriptionof the problem and the repair procedure used to fix the problem. Often, yourwriting and documentation of specific problems and the method used to fix theproblem will become valuable company information for problems encounteredin the future.

When creating written communications, always use appropriate grammarand correct spelling. All word processing packages and software programs thatrequire written responses have spell checkers and usually grammar checkers.Use them! Do not disable them or ignore them. When writing, use sentenceslimited to 15 to 20 words. Avoid long, run-on sentences.

Always be polite in your correspondence, and never use sarcasm. Sarcasm isalways inappropriate because the customer or client may very well misinterpretyour intent. Sarcasm is based on familiar personalities, and you are not familiarwith all who might read your correspondence.

Many help desk support software packages contain sections to support e-mail directly from within the software package. You will need to respond tocustomer and client e-mails. E-mail correspondence is covered in the nextsection.

Another function of customer support may involve writing training manualsor a set of procedures for a company. Often, part of a contract of installingcomputer equipment and software involves training the customers on how touse the equipment. Many times technical support personnel must write trainingpackages to support the customer. You may very well find yourself responsiblefor part of the written package.

E-MailCustomer support may require a great deal of time answering e-mails from

customers and clients. When writing e-mails to customers and clients, avoidcomputer jargon, acronyms, and abbreviations, just as you would in spokenlanguage. Communicating in writing with other technicians is not the same ascommunicating in writing with customers and clients. While it might beperfectly all right to use an acronym or abbreviation on a customer repair ticket,you should avoid acronyms and abbreviations when communicating withcustomers.

E-mail auto respondersUsing an e-mail auto responder can show a customer or client that you care

about them and their problem. E-mail auto responders are e-mail programs


provided by e-mail service providers that create an automatic response to areceived e-mail. The auto responder gives the illusion that someone has justread the e-mail sent by the customer or client and that they will be answeringthe request very soon. The auto responder allows for an instant reply 24 hours aday, seven days a week. An auto responder can also be used to notify customersthat you are out of the office for a brief time. Some mail client software, such asMicrosoft Outlook, will allow you to set up an auto response, Figure 23-10.

E-mail acronyms and emoticonsE-mail acronyms are very popular with all of the electronic communications

devices, but they are never to be used in customer support e-mail. E-mailacronyms became especially popular when phone text messaging startedbecause they save a lot of keystrokes. You may receive e-mail acronyms oremoticons from customers, but you should never respond in these terms. Thefollowing are some e-mail acronyms:� LOL: Laugh out loud.� BTW: By the way.� TIA: Thanks in advance.� IOW: In other words.

Emoticons are cartoon face characters made from keyboard symbols toexpress emotions in e-mails, letters, and text messaging. The following tablelists some common emoticons.

Emoticon Emotion: ) Smile or happy.

: o Shock.

: ( Frown.

; ) Wink.

If you have trouble communicating with customers using e-mail, practiceregularly in a business format. Try sending a few e-mails every day to friendsand relatives. Writing e-mail messages daily will sharpen your skills. Use theprinciples previously mentioned. The following is a list of key points you


Figure 23-10.Microsoft Outlookhas a tool called theOut of OfficeAssistant, which isused to send an autoreply to senders.

emoticonscartoon face charac-ters made fromkeyboard symbols toexpress emotions ine-mails, letters, andtext messaging.

should always remember when communicating through e-mail with customersand clients:� Check your e-mail regularly.� Keep the e-mail brief.� Do not use e-mail emoticons.� Limit the size of file attachments. This is especially true if the customer is

using a 56 k telephone modem.� Never use all capital letters in an e-mail to emphasize a word or phrase. If

you must emphasize a word or phrase, use italics or an asterisk, forexample, *this is very important.* Do not use bold or underline. This can bemisinterpreted as a link.

� Never ever send sensitive or inappropriate information in e-mail.� Do not send personal greetings, jokes, or other materials that are not suitable

for the work environment.

ProfessionalismProfessionalism is a businesslike characteristic reflected in a person and

work environment. In relation to a person, it is identified in a person’s attitudeand dress. In the work environment, it is identified in its décor and generalatmosphere. This section explores various aspects of professionalism in anemployee and work environment.

Professional ImageBusinesses and their employees are often judged by a customer’s or client’s

first impression of them. For example, if a technician looks professional, thecustomer feels confident in them. If the technician looks sloppy, dirty, unkempt,or bizarre, the customer or client might have a less than confident feeling aboutthe technician.

Dressing appropriately means dressing professionally. In the work environ-ment, there are two distinct types of acceptable dress: formal business and busi-ness casual. Formal business typically means a suit coat or sport coat with acollared shirt and tie (or just a collared shirt and tie) and a pair of dress slacksand leather shoes, Figure 23-11. Business casual generally means a polo shirt(often with a company logo) or collared shirt with no tie, dress or casual slacks,leather shoes, and in rare cases, tennis shoes, Figure 23-12. Some computer tech-nicians believe that they are entitled to wear torn or tattered blue jeans, T-shirts,tennis shoes, flip-flops, or sandals. These are never acceptable forms of businessattire. Remember that your casual attire may reflect a casual attitude and notone that is serious about getting the job done. You are a trained professional;dress like one.

Many businesses provide shirts for their support staff. When shirts areprovided, the dress code is clearly stated to the employees. If the dress code isnot clearly stated, then it is assumed. When working in the area of customersupport, a polo shirt is most appropriate, but be aware that some companiesrequire a dress shirt and tie to be worn when dealing with customers and clientsat their locations.


professionalisma businesslike char-acteristic reflected ina person and workenvironment.


Figure 23-11.This IT person iswearing formalattire.

Figure 23-12.This IT person iswearing casual business attire.

As a computer technician, you will likely be crawling on the floor orreaching behind desks. Unisex (the same for both men and women) dress istypically the best and safest choice. Women should never wear short dresses orrevealing clothing if they have to work in this environment. The following aresome well-thought-out tips that should become a part of your own professionalimage:� Dress professionally. Clean, neat slacks and a shirt with a collar is much

more appropriate than a T-shirt with a slogan. This is especially true if the T-shirt has a controversial slogan or image printed on it.

� Hair should be neat and clean. Hair with spikes or wild colors might be coolto you, but it is entirely unprofessional in the workplace.

� Speak to customers in a professional manner. Never use curse words orinappropriate language or terms, even as a way to emphasize certain points.

� Do not eat, drink, or smoke while dealing with a customer.Many students feel that if they have exceptional technical skills, they will

never be fired. Nothing could be further from the truth. More employees havelost their jobs because of their unprofessional manner than from technicalincompetence. An employer will tolerate an employee with average technicalskills, but will not tolerate an employee who conducts himself or herself in anunprofessional manner. When employers contact other professionals for hiringrecommendations, they typically request someone who can work well withpeople rather than request the “smartest” or most technically able person. Themost important thing to the employer is an employee’s image and personality.Employers rarely, if ever, call a second time if a nonprofessional person comes infor an interview.

Work EnvironmentThe store or work location image is also critical, and is often a direct result

of the employees’ efforts to maintain a professional image. The work environ-ment must represent a professional atmosphere. If the work environment is tobe visited by customers and other employees, it should be maintained so as notto be offensive to others. For example, you may enjoy a particular style of musicwhile you are working; however, it may not be the choice of many customers.The customer should not be offended by loud music of any generation. Youshould avoid music in the work environment where customers may be present,except for soft, neutral background music.

Also, be aware that listening to an MP3 player or other device throughearphones is offensive to many people. You should be concentrating on thecustomer or client. This also applies to working at a client’s workstation and inthe corporate environment as a whole. The following are some tips to help youmaintain a professional environment in your workplace:� Keep your location and workstation clean and well organized.� Never keep food containers, cups, and general trash on counters or work

areas.� Do not play music that is not in the mainstream or blast music of any kind.� Do not let friends “hang out” around the store or workspace. The workplace

is not a social club.


� Do not display inappropriate posters, pictures, or signs. You may think theyare fun or entertaining, but not all customers share your view.

Handling Difficult SituationsWhen a client is angry and upset, they will vent their emotions toward the

person who represents the company or problem. Dealing with difficult peoplerequires patience and composure. Do not take complaints personally. Neverreact to a difficult customer, but rather listen and respond with empathy.Empathy means that you show by your words that you understand the otherperson’s feelings and their situation. There is likely always a situation thatwould warrant a statement like, “I can understand how this problem is frus-trating you.”

A coworker or other customer might normally be very pleasant and fun tobe around until a situation causes them to be very angry. While in an angrystate, they say things that they normally would never say to another person.Arguing back at an upset person will only make things worse.

Your job is to defuse the situation by letting the client vent. Whenresponding to the client, use a calm assuring voice. What you want thecustomer to do is stop yelling at you and begin to talk with you. At an oppor-tune time, simply say, “Let’s see what I can do to resolve this problem.” Whenyou start to work on the problem, or to tell them what you are planning to do,check if it is all right with them.

If the customer continues to vent, find out what will make them happy. Forexample, a customer may have brought their computer to the shop several timesfor the same problem. It may or may not be the same problem, but that is theirperception. Find out what will make them happy by asking, “What do youthink it will take to make you satisfied?”

They may want their bill adjusted or to not be charged for the present repair.If you are not authorized to waive the costs, simply say, “I’ll see what we can dofor you,” and then check with your supervisor. If a person is upset, it will onlybecome worse if they think that they are not being taken seriously.

Is the Customer Always Right?There is a very old business saying: “The customer is always right.” Well,

this is true most of the time, but there are times when this motto just doesn’tapply. When the customer or client wishes you to do something unethical orillegal, they are wrong. For example, a customer may request you write a receiptfor more value than the actual cost of the repair. Or, a customer may ask you toviolate some copyright law. Do not do it.

How about when a customer uses foul language in a loud tone andthreatens you? Can you really make that person happy? You never need to fearfor your life or bodily harm. If the customer threatens you, you should politelyask the person to leave, and if they will not, call the police or security. What ifthe customer is intoxicated and becomes abusive? Again, this customer shouldbe asked to leave, and if they refuse, call the police. An intoxicated or violentcustomer is not only a threat to you and the business, they are also a threat toany other people who enter or are present at the business.


Follow-UpA follow-up helps to build a good relationship with the customer or client.

Perform a follow-up after you have had a break in contact with the customer orcontact. For example, after a customer’s problem has been fixed, follow up afew days after completing the repair to see if they are satisfied and all wentwell. This technique improves service and builds a client’s trust. Customers andclients love the fact that someone is checking if their problem was handled in atimely fashion and that they were dealt with professionally.

Your WordOne of the most important assets you have is your word, and it costs you

nothing. Your word or promise can make or break your client relationship. Be aperson of your word. Your word should be your bond. Suppose you tell acustomer you will contact them with a repair estimate the next day, but you runinto a problem with a vendor. The vendor does not respond to your inquiry, so,in turn, you do not have the customer estimate ready. If you told the customeryou would call the next morning, do so, even if it is to say you do not have theestimate yet. It is important that you be a person of your word.

Keep your promises. If you say you will be there in the morning, be there.The client may have rearranged their schedule to accommodate you. If you havea problem, call ahead, and always apologize. How often have you been given adate and been required to sit home all day to have a service done. Do not allowthis type of behavior to become your business signature.

ContractsIf a company is large, it may be necessary to create a written document or

contract to be sure everyone has the same expectations. The contract shouldcontain a description of the work to be performed, the estimated or actual cost,and other terms agreed on. By having a customer signature prior to work, youalways protect yourself against a misinterpretation of expectations. A client orcustomer should always receive exactly what they agreed to⎯maybe more, butnever less.

TeamworkTeamwork is two or more people working toward a common goal. For

example, the goal of customer support is customer satisfaction. When you workas part of a team, you place the common goal of the team “customer satisfac-tion” above your own individual goals(s), such as recognition and promotion.Teamwork is an essential component of a successful business.

As a team member, you must be willing to help other team members and toshare your own expertise and knowledge with others. For example, a customercalls and asks about the status of their computer. If the person assigned to repairthe computer is out of work that day, you should check the job ticket to reviewthe status of the repair. It could be ready for pickup or awaiting parts. Youshould try to help the customer even if it is not your assigned repair. Make anote of the customer call and record your actions. For example, you might writea note on the ticket such as “Customer called and asked the status of the repair.


teamworktwo or more peopleworking toward acommon goal.

I informed him it was awaiting parts and should be ready in a day or two.”Then, sign the note.

When working as a member of a team, you should be willing to share yourknowledge with other team members. Knowledge is not just limited to technicalissues. It also covers company procedures or any other bit of knowledge thatmight help another team member perform their duties.

Job protection attitudeA common, yet unattractive trait in the business world occurs when a

person will not share their individual knowledge with another team member.The concept is referred to as “job protection.” This happens, for example, if oneperson is the only person that knows how to perform specific tasks and they arenot willing to share this information or train another person. They feel they aresecure in their position with the company if they are the only person whoknows how to perform that task.

In reality, this type of person is actually jeopardizing their position with thecompany. The company management or owner will not like the fact that anemployee is not willing to share their knowledge for the good of the company. Ifthe person is unwilling to share their knowledge or to help other teammembers, they will most likely find themselves looking for other employment.Remember that working as a team requires supporting other team members,especially by sharing knowledge and reinforcing good work products. If you arenot willing to function as a team member, then you will most likely not be amember of the team very long.

Helping team membersYou must be willing to do more than just what you have been assigned. For

example, a collection of repair tickets might be divided between team members.Each member is assigned four tickets each. If you finish your repairs beforeanyone else, you should not assume that you are done for that day. You shouldsee if you could help someone else with his or her assigned work.

Employers do not like to see employees that are doing just enough to get byor wasting company time. Employers love to see employees going above andbeyond their assigned duties. When you finish your assigned tasks, you shouldimmediately inform your supervisor and volunteer to help other team memberswith their assigned duties. This will impress your employer and also be appreci-ated by fellow team members. Remember, the company goal is to repair all thecustomers’ computers, not just the ones assigned to you that particular day.

Summary� A help desk or call center is usually the first contact point for service.� A help desk can belong to a single company or be part of a call center.� A call center typically provides support for more than one company or

product.� Level-one support is the initial contact with technical support.� Level-two support is support provided by a person with more expertise

than someone in level one.



� Level-three support is typically provided by a company outside the level-one and level-two location.

� Avoid using computer jargon or computer acronyms when talking tocustomers.

� Body language says more to a customer than the actual spoken words.� Smile when dealing with customers, even when on the phone.� Always maintain good eye contact with a customer and avoid distractions.� A customer makes an attitude judgment of your character based on their

perception of how you meet their needs.� Listening is the most important communication skill listed by employers.� Sarcasm is never appropriate when working with customers.� Keep e-mail messages short and to the point.� Never send inappropriate material in e-mail.� Avoid large e-mail attachments.� Keep the work environment professional.� When handling angry customers, allow them to vent.� Respond to angry customers with a calm, reassuring voice.

Suggested Laboratory ActivitiesDo not attempt any suggested laboratory activities without your instructor’s

permission. Certain activities can render the PC operating system inoperable.

1. Check out the FAQ sections of the Dell, IBM, and Sony Web sites.

2. Write a step-by-step procedure for checking the IP address of a Windows2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista computer. This step-by-step proce-dure would be used for customer support when, for example, a customercalls an ISP for a connection problem. Through the procedure, the customershould be able to check if they have an appropriate IP address assignment,not one such as 0.0.0.0 or 169.254.12.34. (IP address 0.0.0.0 means that aconnection has not been established. IP address 169.254.xxx.xxx means thatthe Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) feature has assigned the IPaddress, instead of a DHCP server.) Make the procedure as clear as possible.

3. Write the step-by-step procedure to have a customer ping a server locatedat www.helpdesk1.com. Include what to do next if the ping is successfulping or unsuccessful.

4. Write a step-by-step procedure for using System Restore on a Windows XPand Windows Vista computer.

Interesting Web Sites for More Informationhttp://oneorzero.comhttp://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspxwww.helpstar.comwww.microsoft.com/smallbusiness/resources/management/customer.mspxwww.troubleticketexpress.com/open-source-software.htmlwww.unbf.ca/its/faculty/help/level1.htm

Review QuestionsAnswer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper. Please do not

write in this book.

1. What is customer support?

2. Explain the difference between the help desk model and call center model.

3. Which level of support is provided when the problem is elevated to personwith more experience or expertise than the first person contacted?

4. Is it permissible to use acronyms when communicating with customers?

5. What is attitude?

6. What are the key points of body language you should use?

7. Why is sarcasm inappropriate in communications?

8. What are emoticons?

9. What are the key points in writing an effective e-mail message?

10. What two elements are required to deal with difficult people?

11. Why is it important to perform a follow-up?

12. What is the goal of the customer support team?

Sample A+ Exam QuestionsAnswer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper. Please do not

write in this book.

1. Which is an example of level-one support?a. A software engineer at Microsoft.b. A hardware engineer at Apple.c. The FAQ section of a customer support Web site.d. A live conversation with a level-one supervisor.

2. It is 9:00 AM and you are repairing a customer’s computer that must beready by 3:00 PM because it was promised to the customer. The phonesuddenly rings, and you answer to find that it is a new customer callingabout a problem with their computer. Which is the best way to deal withcustomer support on the telephone?a. Do nothing except focus on the customer and their problem. You should

write down key points during the conversation, starting with their name.b. You should continue to work on the computer repair while listening to

the customer. This is the most efficient use of time and your supervisor will be pleased.

c. Have the customer call back later after another employee comes into the shop.

d. Tell the customer you are in the middle of an important repair and that you will return their call later in the day. Take down their name and telephone number.


3. Which is the most expensive element of customer service?a. Employee wages.b. Support software.c. Support hardware.d. Technical support articles and Web site access.

4. The company you work for performs computer system repairs in additionto selling new computers and hardware. A repair ticket is completed at thetime of repair. The status of the repair is also recorded on the ticket. Someitems that may be recorded on the ticket are when the repair was completedor when parts were ordered for the repair. Mr. Smith dropped his computeroff at your company computer shop three days ago. The repair wasassigned to Joe and he is not in at the moment. You answer the phone andfind Mr. Smith is calling to find out the status of the repair of his computer.What is the most appropriate response to Mr. Smith’s inquiry?a. Tell Mr. Smith that his computer is being worked on by Joe who is not in

today and that Joe will call him back when he returns.b. Tell Mr. Smith to hold for a minute while you check the status of the

repair ticket.c. Tell Mr. Smith that you are not the one that has been assigned to his

repair and to call back later.d. Tell Mr. Smith to come by the shop and pick up the computer. The com-

puter is most likely repaired, but if it isn’t, you can have it repaired before he gets there.

5. Match the body language image with the conveyed meaning.

a. It’s really good to hear from you!b. How may I help you?c. I don’t have time for your problem.d. I’m open to your problem.


6. When is it proper to use all uppercase letters in an e-mail?a. When emphasizing an important point.b. When making a list of steps in sequential order.c. When listing parts in an e-mail.d. Uppercase is never appropriate in an e-mail.

7. A customer calls and starts yelling about how she brought her computerhome to find it has the same problem it had before she brought it in forrepair. What is the first thing you should do?a. Smile so that the customer will sense your willingness to help her.b. Let the customer finish speaking and venting her anger.c. Interrupt her by asking her what it will take to make her satisfied.d. Hang up, and hope she will call back when she is in a better mood.

8. A customer brings into the shop a computer exhibiting a problem you havenever encountered before. Which of the following responses would beappropriate?a. Yes, we can fix that.b. Yes, we fix that type of problem all the time.c. I’ve never fixed that type of problem before.d. I don’t know if I can fix it, but I’ll try.

9. You need to explain the cause of a boot failure to a customer. Which of thefollowing explanations would build the customer’s confidence in yourcompany?a. A virus corrupted the MBR.b. A virus corrupted the master boot record.c. A virus corrupted the boot sector, which stores partition information.d. A virus corrupted an area of the hard drive that is required for startup.

10. A customer uses foul language because you will not write a receipt for morevalue than the actual cost of the repair. You can tell that the customer isintoxicated. What is the first thing you should do?a. Write the receipt for the amount he specifies.b. Politely ask him to leave.c. Call the police.d. Respond with empathy.


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