Can You Help Me With My Help Button? — Customer Support Hacks
There is no doubt about it, technology is great when it works. But what happens when it doesn’t?
When technology has “technical difficulties,” we generally reach out to tech support. Customer Service Advocates and Product Support Specialists like myself are invaluable resources, and we are happy to help; however, sometimes you may need help outside of office hours. In this case, most software systems will have a knowledge base that clients can use to troubleshoot, which can certainly get you out of a late-night bind.
But if you find yourself on the phone with the Help Desk or Support Team regularly, you might also benefit from a few ‘tech-hacks’ that I compiled from my time spent providing support. These are common solutions to common problems many of our clients encounter.
Know What You Are Using
I spend a good portion of my day supporting clients that use our cloud-based HR and pre-employment screening software. Since these programs work right from the client’s web browser, it should be no surprise that I regularly ask clients what browser and version they use. Often I get the response of “Dell” or “Windows 8”… not browsers. To make it easy for our clients to find this out, I direct them to https://whatbrowser.org/. Now I have the important information I need to begin solving their problem.
Clearing Your Cache & Cookies
Often times, the technical difficulties my clients encounter are caused by the cache or cookies. But what are these things, and how do they work? Here are some supporting details for these two culprits:
Cache
The cache is a term that refers to a place on your hard drive where the browser stores website data in case it’s needed again. The cache prevents your computer from downloading the same things over and over again–this lets your computer run faster. When the cache is full, the things you haven’t used in a while will be deleted–similar to when your DVR becomes full. Sometimes cloud-based programs don’t work correctly or appear garbled because your cache is full. Examples include: partially loaded or badly formatted web pages, incomplete pictures, or– in some cases–the wrong picture in the wrong place. The cache isn’t always the issue, but it is definitely worth clearing first before diving in to investigate with your hair on fire!
Cookies
A cookie is a small file containing a string of characters that is sent to your computer when you visit a website. Each website uses their own cookies, it is whatever specific data (cookie) that particular website wants to remember about your visits. The user experience is better when cookies are enabled because your computer will remember information about your visit and your preferences. If you clear your cookies, sites may take longer to load and your usernames or other preferences will be erased. If you disable cookies completely, you will find that most websites won’t work properly and the internet will be quite inconvenient. So enable them, please.
User Error
Maybe it isn’t nice for tech people to make up jokes about I-D-10-T errors, but they are real. You really should check your cord connections, pop-up blockers, software updates, and if all else fails… take a 5 minute break and revisit your frustration with fresh eyes. Of course, it’s always okay to ask for help, but don’t be that person asking “Where is the ‘any’ key?”
ExactHire provides technology for hiring, backed by unmatched excellence in customer support. To learn how our SaaS solutions can help your organization find, hire, and keep top talent, contact us today!
