The DO'S and DON'TS of Calling Tech Support

by Damien Allen

Sometimes, despite your troubleshooting efforts, a call into tech support is needed. Struggling with the problem for days can be a waste of time. Your efforts may be in vain, since the issue may be due to an unknown software bug that no amount of troubleshooting will resolve. So, if you must call tech support, here are a few do’s and don’ts that may help make your tech experience faster and smoother.

DO...

Make sure the equipment in question is plugged in and receiving power. I know this may seem elementary, but I get at least 2-3 calls a month from people whose equipment is simply not plugged in or not receiving power. Before picking up the phone, be sure to plug the unit into another power source to make sure that it’s not just a power outlet that is giving you the problem. Also, make sure all the equipment needed is powered up. For example, I once received a tech call from a person who was unable to input MIDI information into his sequencer. He thought he turned on an input filter in the software and didn’t know how to turn it off. After a few questions, I realized that he did not have his MIDI interface powered up.

Let the technician “tech” the problem. Case and point - once, instead of telling me the symptom he was experiencing, a caller instead began by asking me how to solve an issue he thought he had. The caller believed his issue was a result of enabling an input filter within the software program, but it turned out to be a completely different issue, so I was led in the wrong direction, making the call a lot longer and more frustrating than it should have been.

Take notes. Let's say you call tech support because you are unable to launch a specific software. You are instructed to trash your preferences in the system folder, allowing a new set of preferences to be built when the program is launched. When you are given instructions like this, you should always write them down. That way, if the issue pops up again, you won’t need to waste more time (or in some cases, money) calling tech support.

Read the owner’s guide or manual. Half of the questions I get asked are also included in manuals. While some may feel that paying for a product entitles them to be lazy, I think that paying all that money should encourage consumers to know as much about a product’s features as they can so that they can use the product to its full potential. If that doesn’t sit with you, think about it this way - support phone lines are often flooded with people asking questions that can be found in their manuals, while others with serious issues (maybe even you) are waiting on hold or can’t get through.

Have your system powered up and ready to recreate the issue when you call. It doesn't matter how well you know your system, not having it ready to go at the time of your call is a waste of your time. In order to diagnose a problem, a tech needs to ask questions and will almost always ask you to inspect different aspects of the system while on the phone.

Know your system. You should always know what version of software you are running and what operating system it’s running on. For hardware, be sure to know some of the basic functions and features.

DON’T...

Feel that because you have a studio full of gear you deserve more attention and support than someone with a modest home studio set-up. Most techs are the hardworking, everyday, keep your nose to the grind musician with a modest home studio set-up. A have-it-all attitude will never impress them, but will often offend them.

Name drop and expect to get a little extra handholding. Again, this creates a bad vibe. It's truly not impressive. Most techs will instead be thinking, “if you are so great, why can't you operate your own equipment.”

Waste time debating the lack of a feature in a product. The tech is there to provide support for the features that the software or hardware has and does not have power to change the product.

Lie. If you are untruthful with the answers you give the tech, it makes it all that much harder to find the problem. The tech does not care if you are running a bunch of pirated software. As long as you have an authorized version of the software you are trying to obtain support on, they don't care what else you are running. Their job is to find the root of your problem, fix it and move to the next call, whether it be a legitimate issue with the actual product or the fact that you’re running bugged software with it. Again, as long as they are able to determine the problem quickly, they don’t much care what it is.

In short, tech support is there for you when you need it, and most techs enjoy helping people out. These few suggestions will allow you to get the most out of the calls you make. The vibe and temperament of a technical support call is always key. By being patient and asking the right questions, I have formed great relationships both with support specialists I have called personally and with users who have called me for support. And anyone who is serious about digital recording knows that tech support professionals are very valuable people to have on your side.