hey pw,
i'd like to add to your commentary on "What makes good technical support?". your points are all very valid and i agree with them. an often overlooked area that greatly influences the quality of support we receive is attitude. and i'm talking here of our own attitude.
being respectful and courteous when we reach tech support personnel always seems to reap high rewards. the mind set stems from the acknowledgement that we are asking for help. this is easier for some than for others. the old adage, "you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar" definitely applies here! if you keep in mind that these folks are constantly fielding calls from angry, frustrated, and sometimes abusive people, it makes it that much easier to see how a pleasant, calm demeanor can get you everywhere!
one other point along these lines... take control. yes, you are calling and asking for help. but usually know one knows better than you what you require. by this i mean, do not allow the tech to take you off into an area that has not produced results previously. stop them if they seem to be misdirected and get them back on course. it's entirely possible to be forceful and polite at the same time. tell them the things you've tried, why you've tried them, and what happened. being succinct is a plus!
being in control also involves asking the tech to back up and explain something a second time. this is critical. there are all sorts of little things that we are embarrassed not to know because we think that we should know them. a good example of this for me is front slash and back slash. who doesn't know the difference between those!?! me, sometimes. i keep getting them confused. so i might ask the tech, "you mean the key above the enter key, correct?", just to be certain. <g3>
whatever you do, never lose your temper with a tech. if you find that you have, or that you are about to, i'd say it's time to hang up and take a breather. recently someone here on this thread mentioned taking his dog for a walk. i agree. we all know how smart our dogs are. maybe they really do hold the key to all of our problems!
:)
mark
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