© 2007 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. module 10 communication 10.0 Introduction   What is the relationship between communication skills and troubleshooting? As a computer technician, you will not only fix computers but will also interact with people. In fact, troubleshooting is as much about communicating with the customer as it is about knowing how to fix a computer. In this chapter, you will learn to use good communication skills as confidently as you use a screwdriver. After completing this chapter, you will meet these objectives: list of 4 items • Explain the relationship between communication and troubleshooting. • Describe good communication skills and professional behavior. • Explain ethics and legal aspects of working with computer technology. • Describe the call center environment and technician responsibilities. 10.1 Explain the relationship between communication and troubleshooting  Think of a time when you had to call a repair person to get something fixed. Did it feel like an emergency to you? Did you appreciate it when the repair person was sympathetic and responsive? Perhaps you had a bad experience with a repair person. Are you likely to call that same person to fix a problem again? Good communication skills will enhance a technician's troubleshooting skills. Both of these skill sets take time and experience to develop well. As your hardware, software, and OS knowledge increases, your ability to quickly determine a problem and find a solution will improve. The same principle applies to developing communication skills. The more you practice good communication skills, the more effective you will become when working with customers. A knowledgeable technician who uses good communication skills will always be in demand in the job market. To troubleshoot a computer, you will need to learn the details of the problem from the customer. Most people who need a computer problem fixed are probably feeling some stress. If you establish a good rapport with the customer, the customer may relax a bit. A relaxed customer is more likely to be able to provide the information that you need to determine the source of the problem and then fix it. Speaking directly with the customer is usually the first step in resolving the computer problem. As a technician, you will also have access to several communication and research tools. All of these resources can be used to help gather information for the troubleshooting process.  Worksheet Technician Resources Research online resources for troubleshooting computer problems Technician Resources Personal Experience Scripts Websites Search Engines Online FAQs Co-workers Support vendors Diagnostic repair tools Manufacturer manuals E-mail 10.2 Describe good communication skills and professional behavior  Whether you are talking with a customer on the phone or in person, it is important to communicate well and to represent yourself professionally. Your professionalism and good communication skills will enhance your creditability with the customer. Your body language can be seen by your customer. A customer can hear your sighs and sense that you are sneering, even over the phone. Conversely, customers can also sense that you are smiling when you are speaking with them on the phone. Many call-center technicians use a mirror at their desk to monitor their facial expressions. Successful technicians control their own reactions and emotions from one customer call to the next. A good rule for all technicians to follow is that a new customer call means a fresh start. Never carry your frustration from one call to the next. After completing this section, you will meet these objectives: list of 7 items • Determine the computer problem of the customer. • Display professional behavior with the customer. • Focus the customer on the problem during the call. • Use proper Netiquette. • Implement time and stress management techniques. • Observe service level agreements (SLAs). • Follow business policies.  10.2   Describe good communication skills and professional behavior       10.2.1   Determine the computer problem of the customer    table end One of the first tasks of the technician is to determine the type of computer problem that the customer is experiencing. Remember these three rules at the beginning of your conversation: list of 3 items • Know – Call your customer by name • Relate – Use brief communication to create a one-to-one connection between you and your customer • Understand – Determine the customer's level of knowledge about the computer to know how to effectively communicate with the customer list end To accomplish this, you should practice active listening skills. Allow the customer to tell the whole story. During the time that the customer is explaining the problem, occasionally interject some small word or phrase, such as "I understand", "Yes", "I see", or "Okay." This behavior lets the customer know that you are there and that you are listening. This is not the same as interrupting the customer to ask a question or make a statement. A technician should not interrupt the customer to ask a question or make a statement. This is rude, disrespectful, and creates tension. Many times in a conversation, you may find yourself thinking of what to say before the other person finishes talking. When you do this, you are not really listening. As practice, try listening carefully when other people speak, and let them finish their thoughts. After you have listened to the customer explain the whole problem, clarify what the customer has said. This will help convince the customer that you have heard and understand the situation. A good practice for clarification is to paraphrase the customer's explanation by beginning with the words "Let me see if I understand what you have told me…." This is a very effective tool that shows the customer that you have listened and that you are concerned with the issues. After you have assured the customer that you understand the problem, you will probably have to ask some follow-up questions. Make sure that these questions are pertinent. Do not ask questions that the customer has already answered while describing the problem. Doing this will only irritate the customer and show that you were not listening. Follow-up questions should be targeted, closed-ended questions based on the information that you have already gathered. Closed-ended questions should focus on obtaining specific information. The customer should be able to answer with a simple "yes" or "no" or with a factual response such as, "Windows XP Pro". Use all of the information that you have gathered from the customer to continue filling out the work order.  10.2   Describe good communication skills and professional behavior       10.2.2   Display professional behavior with the customer    table end When dealing with customers, it is necessary to be professional in all aspects of your role. You must handle customers with respect and prompt attention. When on a telephone, make sure that you know how to place a customer on hold, as well as how to transfer a customer without losing the call. It is important how you conduct the call, and your job is to help the customer focus on and communicate the problem so that you can solve it. Be positive when communicating with the customer. Tell the customer what you can do. Do not focus on what you cannot do. Be prepared to explain alternative ways that you can help them, such as e-mailing information, faxing step-by-step instructions, or using remote control software to solve the problem. Customers will quickly sense whether you are interested in helping them. Figure 1 outlines the process to follow before you put a customer on hold. First, let the customer finish speaking. Then, explain that you have to put the customer on hold, and ask the customer for permission to do so. When the customer agrees to be put on hold, thank the customer. Tell your customer that you will be away only a few minutes and explain what you will be doing during that time. Figure 2 outlines the process for transferring a call. Follow the same process for a call transfer as you would when placing a customer on hold. Let the customer finish talking and then explain that you have to transfer the call. When the customer agrees to be transferred, tell the customer the phone number that you are transferring the customer to. You should also tell the new technician your name, the name of the customer that you are transferring, and the related ticket number. When dealing with customers, it is sometimes easier to explain what you should not do. Observe the following list of things that you should not do when communicating with a customer: list of 9 items • Avoid minimizing customer problems • Avoid using jargon, abbreviations, and acronyms • Avoid a negative attitude or tone of voice • Avoid arguing with customers or becoming defensive • Avoid being judgmental, insulting, or calling the customer names • Avoid distractions or interruptions when talking with customers • Avoid unnecessary holds and abrupt holds • Avoid transfers without explaining the purpose of the transfer and getting customer consent • Avoid negative remarks about other technicians to the customer list end   Activity Class Discussion Demonstrate or discuss positive ways to say negative things Putting a Customer on Hold Do: Do Not: Let the customer finish talking. Interrupt. Explain that you will have to put the customer on hold and why. Abruptly put the customer on hold. Ask if it is all right to put the customer on hold. Put on hold without an explanation and the customer's consent. Once given consent, tell the customer you will be just a minute.  10.2   Describe good communication skills and professional behavior       10.2.3   Focus the customer on the problem during the call    table end Part of your job is to focus the customer during the phone call. When you focus the customer on the problem, it allows you to control the call. This will make the best use of your time and the customer's time on troubleshooting the problem. Do not take any comments personally and do not retaliate with any comments or criticism. If you stay calm with the customer, finding a solution to the problem will remain the focal point of the call. Just as there are many different computer problems, there are many different types of customers, as shown in Figure 1. The list of problem-customer types below is not comprehensive and often a customer can display a combination of traits. You will need to recognize which traits your customer exhibits. Recognizing these traits will help you to manage the call accordingly. Talkative Customer A talkative customer discusses everything except the problem on the call. The customer often uses the call as an opportunity to socialize. It can be difficult to get a talkative customer to focus on the problem. Rude Customer A rude customer complains during the call and often makes negative comments about the product, the service, and the technician. This type of customer is sometimes abusive and uncooperative and get aggravated very easily. Angry Customer An angry customer talks loudly during the call and often tries to speak when the technician is talking. Angry customers are usually frustrated that they have a problem and upset that they have to call somebody to fix it. Knowledgeable Customer A knowledgeable customer wants to speak with a technician that is equally experienced in computers. This type of customer usually tries to control the call and does not want to speak with a level-one technician. Inexperienced Customer An inexperienced customer has difficulty describing the problem. These customers are usually not able to follow directions correctly and not able to communicate the errors that they encounter.  Activity Class Discussion Identify and discuss managing difficult customers Five Types of Difficult Customers Talkative Customer Do: Allow the customer to talk for one minute. Do: Gather as much information about the problem as possible. Do: Politely step in to refocus the customer. This is the exception to the rule of never interrupting a customer. Do: Ask as many closed-ended questions as you need to once you have regained control of the call. Do Not: Encourage non-problem related conversation by asking social questions such as "How are you today?". Rude Customer Angry Customer Knowledgeable Customer Inexperienced Customer  10.2   Describe good communication skills and professional behavior       10.2.4   Use proper netiquette    table end Have you read a blog where two or three members have stopped discussing the issue and are simply insulting each other? These are called "flame wars" and they occur in blogs and e-mail threads. Have you ever wondered if they would actually say those things to each other in person? Perhaps you have received an e-mail that had no greeting or was written entirely in capital letters. How did this make you feel while you were reading it? As a technician, you should be professional in all communications with customers. For e-mail and text communications, there is a set of personal and business etiquette rules called Netiquette. In addition to the e-mail and text Netiquette, there are general rules that apply to all of your online interactions with customers and coworkers: list of 8 items • Remember that you are dealing with people. • Adhere to the same standards of behavior that you follow in real life. • Know where you are in cyberspace. • Respect other people's time and bandwidth. • Share expert knowledge. • Do not engage in "flame wars" online. • Respect other people's privacy. • Be forgiving of other people's mistakes. list end The list above is not comprehensive. What other general rules about online communications can you think of? Basic Netiquette • Be pleasant and polite. • Begin each e-mail, even within a thread, with an appropriate greeting. • Never send chain letters via e-mail. • Do not send or reply to "flames". • Use mixed case. UPPER CASE IS CONSIDERED SHOUTING. • Check grammar and spelling before you post. • Be ethical. • Never mail or post anything you would not say to someone's face.  10.2   Describe good communication skills and professional behavior       10.2.5   Implement time and stress management techniques    table end As a technician, you are a very busy person. It is important for your own well-being to use proper time and stress management techniques. Workstation Ergonomics The ergonomics of your work area can help you do your job or make it more difficult. Because you may spend a major portion of your day at your workstation, make sure that the desk layout works well, as shown in Figure 1. Have your headset and phone in a position that is both easy to reach and easy to use. Your chair should be adjusted to a height that is comfortable. Adjust your computer screen to a comfortable angle so that you do not have to tilt your head up or down to see it. Make sure your keyboard and mouse are also in a position that is comfortable for you. You should not have to bend your wrist in order to type. If possible, try to minimize external distractions such as noise. Time Management For time management, it is important to prioritize your activities. Make sure that you carefully follow the business policy of your company. The company policy may state that you must take "down" calls first, even though they may be harder to solve. A "down" call usually means that a server is not working and the entire office or company is waiting for the problem to be resolved in order to resume business. If you have to call back a customer, make sure that you do it as close to the callback time as possible. Keep a list of callback customers and check them off one at a time as you complete these calls. Doing this will ensure that you do not forget a customer. When working with many customers, do not give favorite customers faster or better service. When reviewing the call boards, do not take only the easy customer calls. See Figure 2 for a sample customer call board. Do not take the call of another technician unless you have permission to do so. Stress Management For stress management, take a moment to compose yourself between customer calls. Every call should be independent of each other, and you should not carry any frustrations from one call to the next. You may have to do some physical activity to relieve stress. You should stand up and take a short walk. Do a few simple stretch movements or squeeze a tension ball. Take a break if you can, and try to relax. You will then be ready to answer the next customer call effectively. Figure 3 shows ways to relax. Can you think of any other appropriate activities that might relieve stress at work?  10.2   Describe good communication skills and professional behavior       10.2.6   Observe Service Level Agreements (SLAs)    table end When dealing with customers, it is important to adhere to that customer's service level agreement (SLA). An SLA is a contract that defines expectations between an organization and the service vendor to provide an agreed upon level of support. As an employee of the service company, your job is to honor the SLA that you have with the customer. Take a closer look at some of the standard sections found in an SLA by clicking inside the circles in Figure 1. An SLA is typically a legal agreement that contains the responsibilities and liabilities of all parties involved. Some of the contents of an SLA usually include the following: list of 8 items • Response time guarantees (often based on type of call and level of service agreement) • Equipment and/or software that will be supported • Where service will be provided • Preventive maintenance • Diagnostics • Part availability (equivalent parts) • Cost and penalties • Time of service availability (for example, 24X7; Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm EST; and so on) list end There may be exceptions to the SLA. Make sure to follow your company business rules in detail. Some of the exceptions may include the ability of the customer to upgrade level of service, or the ability to escalate to management for review. Escalation to management should be reserved for special situations. For example, a long-standing customer or a customer from a very large company may have a problem that falls outside the parameters stated in their SLA with your service company. In these cases, your management may choose to support the customer for customer-relation reasons. Can you think of any other circumstances in which it might be a good idea to escalate a call to management?  10.2   Describe good communication skills and professional behavior       10.2.7   Follow business policies    table end As a technician, you should be aware of all business policies related to customer calls. You would not want to make a promise to a customer that you cannot keep. You should also have a good understanding of all rules governing employees. Customer Call Rules The following rules are examples of the specific rules a call center may have to handle customer calls: list of 6 items • Maximum time on call (Example: 15 minutes) • Maximum call time in queue (Example: three minutes) • Number of calls per day (Example: Minimum of 30) • Rules on passing calls on to other technicians (Example: Only when absolutely necessary and not without that technician's permission) • Rules on what you can and cannot promise to the customer (See that customer's SLA for details) • When to follow SLA and when to escalate to management list end Call Center Employee Rules There are also other rules to cover general daily activities of employees: list of 10 items • Arrive at your workstation early enough to become prepared, usually about 15 to 20 minutes before the first call. • Do not exceed the allowed number and length of breaks. • Do not take a break or go to lunch if there is a call on the board. • Do not take a break or go to lunch at the same time as other technicians (stagger breaks among technicians). • Do not leave an ongoing call to take a break or go to lunch. • Make sure that another technician is available if you have to leave. • If no other technician is available, check with the customer to see if you can call back later, possibly in the morning. • Do not show favoritism to certain customers. • Do not take another technician's calls without permission. • Do not talk negatively about the capabilities of another technician. list end Can you think of any other rules that might apply in a call center? 10.3 Explain ethics and legal aspects of working with computer technology  When you are working with customers and their equipment, there are some general ethical customs and legal rules that you should observe. Often, these customs and rules overlap. Ethical Customs You should always have respect for your customers, as well as for their property. Property includes any information or data that may be accessible. Such information or data would include any of the following items: list of 4 items • E-mails • Phone lists • Records or data on the computer • Hard copies of files, information, or data left on desk list end Before accessing a computer account, including the administrator account, you should get the permission of the customer. From the troubleshooting process, you may have gathered some private information, such as usernames and passwords. If you document this type of private information, you must keep it confidential. Divulging any customer information to anyone else is not only unethical, but may be illegal. Legal details of customer information are usually covered under the SLA. Do not send unsolicited messages to a customer. Do not send unsolicited mass mailings or chain letters to customers. Never send forged or anonymous e-mails. All of these activities are considered unethical and in certain circumstances, may be considered illegal. Legal Rules There are several computer-related activities that are not only unethical, but are definitely illegal. Be aware that this is not an exhaustive list: list of 7 items • Do not make any changes to system software or hardware configurations without customer permission. • Do not access a customer's or co-worker's accounts, private files, or e-mail messages without permission. • Do not install, copy, or share digital content (including software, music, text, images, and video) in violation of copyright and/or software agreements or applicable federal and state law. • Do not use a customer's company IT resources for commercial purposes. • Do not make a customer's IT resources available to unauthorized users. • Keep sensitive customer information confidential. • Do not knowingly use a customer's company resources for illegal activities. Criminal or illegal use may include obscenity, child pornography, threats, harassment, copyright infringement, university trademark infringement, defamation, theft, identity theft, and unauthorized access. list end Do you know the copyright and trademark laws in your state or country?  Activity Class Discussion Discuss privacy issues 10.4 Describe call center environment and technician responsibilities   A call center environment is usually very professional and fast-paced. It is a help desk system where customers call in and are placed on a callboard. Available technicians take the customer calls. A technician must supply the level of support that is outlined in the customer's SLA. After completing this section, you will meet these objectives: list of 3 items • Describe the call center environment. • Describe level-one technician responsibilities. • Describe level-two technician responsibilities.  10.4   Describe call-center environment and technician responsibilities        10.4.1   Describe the call center environment    table end A call center may exist within a company and offer service to the employees of that company as well as to the customers of that company's products. Alternatively, a call center may be an independent business that sells computer support as a service to outside customers. In either case, a call center will be a busy, fast-paced work environment, often operating 24 hours a day. Call centers tend to have a large number of cubicles. As shown in Figure 1, each cubicle has a chair, at least one computer, a phone, and a headset. The technicians working at these cubicles will have varied levels of experience in computers, and some will have specialties in certain types of computers, software, or operating systems. All of the computers in a call center will have help desk software. The technicians use this software to manage many of their job functions. Although it is not a complete list of most features of help desk software, Figure 2 provides more detail. Your call center will have its own business policies regarding call priority. Figure 3 provides a sample chart of how calls may be named, defined, and prioritized.  10.4   Describe call-center environment and technician responsibilities        10.4.2   Describe level-one technician responsibilities    table end Call centers sometimes have different names for level-one technicians. These technicians may be known as level-one analysts, dispatchers, or incident screeners. Regardless of the title, the level-one technician's responsibilities are fairly similar from one call center to the next. The primary responsibility of a level-one technician is to gather pertinent information from the customer. The technician has to document all information in the ticket or work order. The information the level-one technician must obtain is shown in Figure 1. Some problems are very simple to resolve and a level-one technician can usually take care of these without escalating the work order to a level-two technician. Often, a problem requires the expertise of a level-two technician. In these cases, the level-one technician must be able to translate a customer's problem description into a succinct sentence or two that is entered into the work order. This translation is important so that other technicians can quickly understand the situation without having to ask the customer the same questions again. Figure 2 shows how a customer might describe some of the most common problems and how a technician should document those problems. Information Checklist Contact information What is the manufacturer and model of computer? What OS is the computer using? Is the computer using AC or DC power? Is the computer on a network? If so, is it a wired or wireless connection? Was any specific application being used when the problem occurred? Have any new drivers or updates been installed recently? If so, what are they? Description of the problem Priority of problem  10.4   Describe call-center environment and technician responsibilities        10.4.3   Describe level-two technician responsibilities    table end As with level-one technicians, call centers sometimes have different names for level-two technicians. These technicians may be known as product specialists or technical-support personnel. The level-two technician's responsibilities are generally the same from one call center to the next. The level-two technician is usually more knowledgeable than the level-one technician about technology, or has been working for the company for a longer period of time. When a problem cannot be resolved within ten minutes, the level-one technician prepares an escalated work order, as shown in Figure 1. The level-two technician receives the escalated work order with the description of the problem. They then call the customer back to ask any additional questions and resolve the problem. The following list of guidelines details when to escalate a problem to a more experienced technician. These are generic guidelines; you should follow your company's business policy for problem escalation. list of 4 items • Escalate problems that require opening the computer case. • Escalate problems that require installation of applications, operating systems, or drivers. • Escalate problems that will take a long time to walk a customer through - like CMOS changes. • Escalate down calls. The entire network is down, and a more experienced tech may be able to resolve the issue faster. list end Problems that require opening up the computer will need a level-two technician. Level-two technicians can also use remote diagnostic software to connect to the customer's computer in order to update drivers and software, access the operating system, check BIOS, and gather other diagnostic information to solve the problem. 10.5 Summary  In this chapter, you learned about the relationship between communication skills and troubleshooting skills. You have learned that these two skills need to be combined to make you a successful technician. You also learned about the legal aspects and ethics of dealing with computer technology and the property of the customer. The following concepts from this chapter are important to remember: list of 10 items • To be a successful technician, you will need to practice good communication skills with customers and co-workers. These skills are as important as technical expertise. • You should always conduct yourself in a professional manner with your customers and co-workers. Professional behavior increases customer confidence and enhances your credibility. You should also learn to recognize the classic signs of a difficult customer and learn what to do and what not to do when you are on a call with this customer. • There are a few techniques that you can use keep a difficult customer focused on the problem during a call. Primarily, you must remain calm and ask pertinent questions in an appropriate fashion. These techniques keep you in control of the call. • There is a right way and a wrong way to put a customer on hold, or transfer a customer to another technician. Learn and use the right way every time. Doing either of these operations incorrectly can cause serious damage to your company's relationship with its customers. • Netiquette is a list of rules to use whenever you communicate through e-mail, text messaging, instant messaging, or blogs. This is another area where doing things the wrong way can cause damage to your company's relationship with its customers. • You must understand and comply with your customer's service level agreement (SLA). If the problem falls outside the parameters of the SLA, you need to find positive ways of telling the customer what you can do to help, and not what you cannot do. In special circumstances, you may decide to escalate the work order to management. • In addition to the SLA, you must follow the business policies of the company. These policies will include how your company prioritizes calls, how and when to escalate a call to management, and when you are allowed to take breaks and lunch. • A computer technician's job is stressful. You will rarely get to meet a customer who is having a good day. You can alleviate some of the stress by setting up your workstation in the most ergonomically beneficial way possible. You should practice time and stress management techniques every day. • There are ethical and legal aspects of working in computer technology. You should be aware of your company's policies and practices. In addition, you may need to familiarize yourself with your state or country's trademark and copyright laws. • The call center is a fast-paced environment. Level-one technicians and level-two technicians each have specific responsibilities. These responsibilities may vary slightly from one call center to another.