Libertie
07-19-2012, 09:08 AM
Anyone ever work in tech support? I do support for a college campus, which means all students, faculty, and staff call three people (myself included) during the day for help with their computer problems. Just now, a student couldn't access part of the website - last time, having her clear her browser temp files fixed the problem. This time:
Student: I can't log in to parts of your website.
Me: Which parts, specifically?
Student: The homepage. It gives me a server error.
Me: Okay.. last time, clearing your cookies/cache worked, correct?
Student: Yes but I don't remember how to do that.
Me: Okay.. which browser are you using right now?
Student: Fox fire.
Me: Alright, to clear your temporary files in firefox, go up to tools then options..
Student: Wait.. tools? Where? I don't see that..
Me: Should be at the top of your window.
Student: Okay not happening.. let me try something else.. Okay now I'm in Google.
Me: You're in Google Chrome?
Student: No I don't have that. I'm just in Google.
Me: So you're on the Google website?
Student: Uh.. what?
Me: Okay, here's what you should do.. since you have Google open.. in whatever.. capacity.. type the following into Google: "clear cookies firefox" and hit enter. Tell me what you get.
Student: I get a bunch of web pages that popped up.. *starts reading them off to me*
Me: Alright now pick one that has really good pictures and follow the instructions. Can you do that? (I swear this part didn't sound near this condescending on the phone)
Student: Oh.. yeah this is very helpful. Okay. I'll try this.
Me: Maybe write that down so you can do that again next time you need to do this? Call me if you're still having trouble.
90% of the job is taking a wild guess at what people mean when they say things like "I'm in Google", "my computer won't turn on" (half the time it's only one component that won't turn on and not the actual computer), "my screen is acting up", "I can't get this to open", etc.
Student: I can't log in to parts of your website.
Me: Which parts, specifically?
Student: The homepage. It gives me a server error.
Me: Okay.. last time, clearing your cookies/cache worked, correct?
Student: Yes but I don't remember how to do that.
Me: Okay.. which browser are you using right now?
Student: Fox fire.
Me: Alright, to clear your temporary files in firefox, go up to tools then options..
Student: Wait.. tools? Where? I don't see that..
Me: Should be at the top of your window.
Student: Okay not happening.. let me try something else.. Okay now I'm in Google.
Me: You're in Google Chrome?
Student: No I don't have that. I'm just in Google.
Me: So you're on the Google website?
Student: Uh.. what?
Me: Okay, here's what you should do.. since you have Google open.. in whatever.. capacity.. type the following into Google: "clear cookies firefox" and hit enter. Tell me what you get.
Student: I get a bunch of web pages that popped up.. *starts reading them off to me*
Me: Alright now pick one that has really good pictures and follow the instructions. Can you do that? (I swear this part didn't sound near this condescending on the phone)
Student: Oh.. yeah this is very helpful. Okay. I'll try this.
Me: Maybe write that down so you can do that again next time you need to do this? Call me if you're still having trouble.
90% of the job is taking a wild guess at what people mean when they say things like "I'm in Google", "my computer won't turn on" (half the time it's only one component that won't turn on and not the actual computer), "my screen is acting up", "I can't get this to open", etc.