Most of the time you call your IT department because something’s gone wrong, which is never a call anyone wants to make. I’ve been helping folks with their PCs for almost 15 years, and along the way, I’ve identified four categories of people:
The screamer:
This person has usually lost something super-important, and is consumed with panic. Their natural defense mechanism is anger, typically directed toward the IT department. Their panicked state prevents them from being able to clearly communicate the problem and get help.
C-level execs:
Executives are typically very busy and have no time to call their MSP and detail the issue they’re experiencing firsthand. Instead, they’ll have their people call us for help. This presents a couple of different problems: delayed reporting of the issue, and inaccuracy caused by secondhand information.
The mouse:
This person is just flat-out scared to call in for fear of ridicule or that they’ll be blamed for the problem at hand. Remember, an MSP is not here to judge you… and they can’t fix a problem they don’t know about.
The ambusher:
This person waits until they physically see you in their line of sight to report an issue, presuming you can help them with it then and there. In order to deliver effective service, we need to know about a problem as fast as possible and prioritize it against any other issues that may have cropped up.
Help us help you
If one of the four types above sounds like you, that’s OK! You aren’t the first and certainly won’t be the last. Here are a few things to remember when you want to get the best possible service out of your IT support.
1. Stay calm
There are ways to convey the urgency of an issue without resorting to shouting. Take a breath and be ready to answer some questions about what you were doing, what went wrong and what you want the end result to look like. Focusing on the problem at hand rather than your emotions will help you get a solution faster.
2. Call directly
There is no substitute for firsthand information! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been contacted on behalf of someone else – a situation that often proves frustrating when the caller can’t answer basic questions about the issue because they did not experience it. Looping in an unrelated party only serves to lengthen the time between reporting and resolution.
3. Get over your fear
If you’re scared to call your IT department, you may have experienced bad service in the past or you’re making unfounded assumptions about the treatment you’ll receive. We’re not here to play the blame game. At MyITpros, our mission is to help and empower people. Gone are the days of Nick Burns, Your Company’s Computer Guy. We only exist to help you succeed!
4. Report ASAP
If you see me out in the wild, I’m probably helping someone else at an agreed-upon scheduled time. If I have to choose between helping someone who followed the proper process versus someone who approached me unexpectedly, I’m going to have to keep my scheduled appointment. It’s important to understand the process of engaging with your IT department, whether this takes the form of submitting a ticket, making a phone call or sending an email.
Brian Smith, Systems Administrator II
Providing great service and open communication to clients is something on which MyITpros prides itself! For more information on managed services, please feel free to contact MyITpros! You can also visit our services pages to learn more about what we do!
