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