Tech Support has changed a lot in the last 10 years. There are so many applications that all have their own tech support lines. One of the worst things to happen is the externality of tech support to massive tech corporations and call centres. As efficient as call centres are, they can be just as frustrating to handle as the problem itself. There are even large corporations that go out of their way to make it impossible to contact them. Just a simple answer can take up to half an hour just get, and that may not even be from a human being. Tech support is failing users, and providing frustrating experiences instead of enriching a person’s use of their technology. Here are three reasons why Corporate Tech Support is failing and how local IT support is a better choice.
Tech Agents do not know your technology
Large tech supports firms split their workers into departments based on their role. The sales team is different from the developer team which is different from the support team. This can get very frustrating when something was not built/billed correctly and the tech support agent is only willing to consider user error. Tech support agents do not know the intricacies of your technology infrastructure because they did not build it. Issues take hours to solve when you have to be transferred constantly to managers or other departments until someone knows something about your account.
Local IT administrators know how to support your technology because they helped build it. They have the knowledge to look at the issue and realize that a setting was missed on your build or that a module wasn’t installed properly. Good tech support starts when the developer of your technology is also your primary support for the application.
Tech Agents do not know your history
Imagine a scenario where every time you visited your family clinic, you had a different doctor. These doctors were given a script of how to deal with every symptom. You go in for a headache the doctor prescribes simple pain killers and send you on your way. Fixes the problem right? The headaches continue and the doctors continue to treat the symptom and not the cause. A local family doctors knows your medical history, and will notice underlying issues. This provides more accurate support to the health issues you are facing.
We have all been there. We have all called tech support for the hundredth time, and the call centre on the other line will give you the same responses as last time. You just want the problem fixed and it takes precious time to convince an agent that the simple fix is not actually fixing the problem. Local IT support and account managers know your history, because they have supported it every step of the way.
Tech Agents do not know you
One main difficulty of IT is when it does not work how it is expected to work. Calling a stranger to express your frustration is not a good way to deescalate and solve a situation. Usually the situation is made worse with transferred calls, being put on hold, and “Yes I have tried turning my computer off and on again”. The last thing anyone wants is to get angry at someone who does not deserve the emotion. Real tech support needs to have relationship.
Working with a smaller firm or independent builds relationship between the employees and tech support. Working with the same person on a tech issue is much more reassuring to the client, and much more empathetic for the supporter. Local support cares about your experience with technology, while agents care about getting you off the phone as soon as possible.
All about relationship
Relationship is so important when dealing with emotionless beings of efficiency known as computers. Employees will not embrace new technologies if they do not trust the computer itself and the support structures put in place to help them succeed. Knowing that there is someone they respect to contact in case of emergency (whether legitimate or panicked user error) will always yield in happier and more efficient technology use. Local IT support is faster, more efficient, and much friendlier.
Find local assistance in your area, whether it is an independent or small firm. It will make turning your computer off and on again a much less ripping-your-hair-out experience.