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Is your service bench static safe?
Lax precautions against electrostatic discharge can reduce the effectiveness of your support team. Here's a checklist to help you set up an ESD-safe workshop.
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System Mechanic results mixed: Boosts Internet speed
We're always looking for ways to increase our computer's performance, and here's a look at one product that might help.
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Mastering the seven phases of a service call
Fixing the problem is only one part of the support visit. Jeff Dray outlines the seven phases of a service call. Following the same method for each ticket will help you tackle each task efficiently.
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What Windows 7 means for support professionals
Does Windows 7 totally flip support upside down? Not entirely, according to IT pro Rick Vanover, who presents these Windows 7 support decision points for organizations considering an upgrade.
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Road warriors need mobile backups
Frequent travel is no excuse for risking data loss. Here is how your users can keep their files safe when they are away from the office.
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Providing home user support
Although there are a lot of similarities, supporting those in an office environment is vastly different than supporting home users. Here are some things to consider when providing support for home use...
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Beware of carefully engineered, manipulative customer service surveys
Have you ever thought that you have been manipulated into answering survey questions to reflect a predetermined outcome? Be careful how your help desk surveys are worded.
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Microsoft's new antivirus is fair game for home businesses
Many free security utilities are restricted to personal or non-commercial use. Microsoft bucks that trend by giving license to home-based enterprises.
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Remote access sites: Blessing or curse? Take the poll
We all hear them advertized, and millions of people use them. Are remote access sites a blessing or a curse to user support professionals?
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How do you keep in touch with colleagues when you work from home?
Jeff Dray addresses the challenges of returning to work after a long absence. How do you get back in the swing of things?
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Be stingy with Administrator privileges in Windows 7
If you've been too liberal in giving admin rights to XP users, the improved User Access Controls in Windows 7 should help break the habit.
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The biggest challenge in a one-person IT shop
What do you consider the biggest challenge in a small - or even one-person - IT shop, and how do you handle it?
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Users in the wild: Some new species
Jeff Dray loves to dissect the quirks and foibles of the customers he runs into during his support rounds. Here are a few "types" to add to the mix.
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Items to address with a PC tune-up
How often do you perform periodic maintenance on the PCs you support? My guess is that most answers will fall between one year and never. Nonetheless, what maintenance steps do you perform? Here's my ...
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Will Linux ever be a popular desktop system? Take the poll
Linux versus Windows has been the subject of debate for quite some time, but will it ever achieve the status of a popular desktop product that we'll have to support? Share your opinion and take the po...
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5 e-mail habits that waste time and cause problems
5 e-mail habits that waste time and cause problems
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Would you participate in focus groups and surveys - for $$$?
We've probably all been asked to participate in focus groups or to take surveys, but do you? Would you participate if they paid you?
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Captain Obvious reports, "Web apps are not foolproof."
The popularity of Internet applications means lots of businesses and individuals are storing data online, but what happens when web apps go down? While we can't keep sites from crashing, support pros ...
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Flexibility: A nuisance or key to providing good service?
We have all experienced it; we had the day’s work planned down to the last minute then something happens to turn it upside down. Do we stick to the plan or should we change them at a moment’s notice?
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Backing up users' Outlook files
For companies that don't host their own mail server, but as a matter of policy don't backup individual user's computers, the one thing that often falls through the cracks is a user's e-mail. I'll disc...
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Sensitive tech support during employee departures
Dismissals and departures can be awkward, especially when they are due to economics and not poor performance. William Jones discusses how the help desk is uniquely positioned to make or break an emplo...
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Ordering supplies: Somebody up there hates me!
Have your intentions about ordering supplies ever been misunderstood? How did you deal with the consequences of having too little or too much delivered to your work site? When your car is your workpla...
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ViewSonic customer support redeems itself -- A follow-up story
Have you ever given up on a vendor or supplier because of a bad experience with their customer support, but they later came through and redeemed themselves? Here's an instance of that very thing happe...
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Best Buy's recycling program does not accept storage media
Before the company will recycle an old computer, Best Buy's policy says that the hard drive has to be removed. While it is prudent to make sure that there is no data on a machine destined for a recycl...
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Age before beauty?
Jeff Dray considers the age divide in the workplace. Youth and vigour, as well as age and experience, have their place in support roles, and the combination of the two benefits everyone.
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What's on your go-to equipment list?
When replacing or upgrading hardware components, do you have a ready list of vendors and manufacturers that you go to or are you constantly on the lookout for a better product (or just a better deal)?...
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Customer support intentions (take the poll) and some comments on providing excellent customer support
Some readers are wondering about the motives and intentions of a customer support incident I've been writing about. Considering the history of what happened, what do you think? Take the poll - and in ...
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How do you keep in touch with colleagues when you work from home?
Jeff Dray addresses the challenges of returning to work after a long absence. How do you get back in the swing of things?
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Remote access sites: Blessing or curse? Take the poll
We all hear them advertized, and millions of people use them. Are remote access sites a blessing or a curse to user support professionals?
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Microsoft's new antivirus is fair game for home businesses
Many free security utilities are restricted to personal or non-commercial use. Microsoft bucks that trend by giving license to home-based enterprises.