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I’ve been working with a software vendor on the same support case for 15 days now, and it’s driving me crazy. It would be unprofessional to rag on the vendor here, but I will share a few thoughts on what I want from tech support that I consistently don’t get.
By the time I open a support case, I have usually done my homework and have a pretty good idea of what the problem is. Or if not that, then I can at least give a clear description of the incorrect behavior. Don’t assume you know what the problems is—even if you’re right, skipping the listening stage is terrible customer service.
Treat me like a partner and don’t worry about blame. We have a shared problem, and we need to work together to fix it. I don’t care where the root cause is hiding—work with me and follow the evidence where it leads. If it’s in my server/network/whatever, I’ll gladly fix it. I expect the same of you, if the problem is on the vendor side.
Your internal turf wars are not my problem. If the evidence leads to a bug in the code that Support can’t fix, then bring in a developer. Don’t waste my time by piling on workarounds to try to mask the problem. Find the root cause and get it fixed. If you have to escalate the issue internally to senior management to get the resources you need, then do it.
Whatever you do, don’t treat customers like this:
