People frequently ask me which Brand name system I prefer. I typically mention that brand name systems are no more reliable than clones, and that typically the best way to judge a corporate brand is to look at how they take care of their products and their customers. Good support groups acknowledge that not all people have the skills required to install or operate their designs, and that their Support line is essentially PR for their products. Prior to 2005, Dell had THE premier support group, with the best all-American support available. Now corporate greed has taken over and sent these valuable jobs overseas. My primary criteria for choosing Dell as still the best is due to the fact that their online resources are by far the most complete and least confusing available on the web and even their overseas technicians are respectful and knowledgeable. Problems still exist, even in the best of support organizations.

Calling the Manufacturer

To maximize your results when calling Tech Support, be sure to ALWAYS:

• Get the name of the Individual you're relying on. (and USE it, "John, I've tried to remove....")
• Be in front of the computer you're experiencing difficulty with.
• Listen to the tech, and answer his/her questions as 'to the point' as possible.
• Let the tech know if you are having trouble understanding them (accent or noise).
• Try to stay focused on the problem you called about, don't let him wander. (try not to wander.)
• Try not to get ahead of (or behind) the tech who is helping you.
• If you suspect incompetence, or bad chemistry, you can always call back.
• Each call generates a set of notes and a Case Number and this number should always be collected at the end of the call. It will come in handy, should the problem persist or recur.

Preliminary Self-Diagnosis

If you get crashes or strange behavior, turn off all unnecessary peripherals and see if the problem persists. If it goes away, then the problem is not with the crashing product, but its interaction with something else. This is useful info for tech support. The more work you can do to isolate the problem, the less time it will take to devise a solution.

Making the Call

When you call a company for support, you can ask the tech straight out, "Do you work for the company that makes (this product), or do you work for a support company?" This is the only circumstance under which their employees may admit the truth without risk of termination. Immediately tell your support person your level of expertise and the steps you have already taken to resolve your problem. This may help the employee get past the stock questions s/he is required to ask/give you and get down to giving you the help you really need.

Are you getting real help?

Pay close attention to every question or suggestion given, looking for a temp or untrained newbie. If you are suspicious, ask them how long s/he has been supporting this particular product. If you determine that you are more knowledgeable than the support tech, we suggest simply calling back until you get someone who seems knowledgeable.

Overcoming Time Constraints

Ask your support tech if s/he is under time constraints or can take the time to help you now. This will generally let them off the hook if the call is recorded and later reviewed and s/he has to explain why it took 20 minutes instead of the three they are normally allotted.

Other Methods of Contact

• Email - Email should be used when the issue is hard to understand, or the company is particularly non-responsive.
• Chat - For quick issues, especially involving online transactions, or downloads, chat is indespensible, because your support rep will provide links to click on to expedite the support process. Of course, having someone handle your question in real time beats waiting for an email reply.

American REMOTE Support through EXPERTEK

Expertek offers Remote Support at the same rate as the carry-in, without the trip, or having to disconnect it or carry it. (One limitation with remote support, we can't help you this way if your internet connection is down. The connection is required.) But, for minor spyware issues, help with installing or removing programs, or changing settings, Remote Support is really the best option, in terms of saving time, money and gas.