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7/28/2019 BTEC Nat ITPract2e Unit28
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7/28/2019 BTEC Nat ITPract2e Unit28
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2.1
IT Practitioners [3]
ThinkingpointsThisunitprovidesyou
withanintroductiontotheworldoITsupport.Youwilllearnabouttheroleohelpdesksta.Thisshouldhelpyoutounderstandwhatisexpectedothepeoplewhoprovideguidanceandsupporttouserswhoarehavingdifcultywithacomputersystem.
Helpdesksarethefrstpointocontactorauserwhoisexperiencingdifcultywithacomputersystem.Teamsosupportstaareonhand,oten24hoursadayand7daysaweek,toanswertelephonecallsandprocessthem.Howdoyouthinktheteamsaremanaged?Whattrainingwouldeachmemberothesupportteamneedtobeinapositiontoprovideuseulhelptoacaller?Howcouldthecallsbeflteredsothateachmemberothehelpdesksupportteamreceivesonlythose
callsthattheyaretrainedtohandle?Theseandotherquestionsareaddressedinthisunit.Angermanagementisatopicwhichmaybenewtoyou.Itisincludedinthisunitoragoodreason;itisnowseenasimportantormanypeople,includingITsupportworkers.However,itisasensitivetopicandonewhichmaymakeyoueeluncomortable.Thinkingaboutwhatmakesyouangrya
nduncoveringcausesoanger,ordoingactivitiestolearnhowtocopewithangryeelingsmayalarmyou.However,yourteacherwillguideyouthroughthistopicand,hopeully,itwillhelpyoutobecomemorehelpulinyourdealingswithothers.AlthoughyouwillbestudyingIT,manyotheskillsyoulearninthisunitwouldapplytocustomersupportinotherindustr
ies,suchasretailorbanking.Thisisbecausethewayyouhandlepeopleisimportant,whateverjobyoudo.
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[4] BTEC National | ICT Technical Support | Book 1
The sta in a call centre are employed to service
telephone calls rom customers, and to record the details
o all such calls on a call logging system.
Some call centres provide help desk support to IT users.
Beore the sta in the call centre can provide advice and
guidance, they need to identiy the problem. This will
involve inormation gathering rom a variety o sources.
The end user who is having the problem should prove to
be a valuable source o inormation, but help desk staalso need to consider other sources, such as a fault logor
diagnostic software, and they may need to consult some
technical documentation.
This section ocuses on a range o inormation sources
and how best to gather that inormation.
28.1.1 InformationgatheringInormation gathering requires a variety o skills, plus a
strategy or success and a method o documenting your
fndings.
Inormation can be gathered rom a number o
sources, such as direct questions to the client,
consulting a ault log or using diagnostic and
monitoring tools. Each o these requires dierent skills
on your part: communication, research and analysis.
There will be constraints on your time and pressure to
fnd a solution quickly, so you will need to identiy
priorities. Having a clear idea o what you are looking
or and where to look will help you to prioritise, so
you need a strategy or success.
Faults all into broad categories such as loss o
service or poor perormance. The ability to recognisepatterns will help you to solve problems more quickly.
So keeping accurate and detailed records orms an
essential part o inormation gathering.
Each o these aspects o inormation gathering is now
considered in turn.
28.1.1.1 Directquestioning
An end user has a problem and wants you, the support
technician, to fx it. He/she contacts you and starts to tell
you what he/she thinks is wrong. During the
conversation that ollows either ace-to-ace or on the
telephone you need to fnd out as much as possible, so
that you can start to make decisions as to where the ault
lies, and how you might resolve the problem.
However, beore you can accept the call rom the end
user, you may need to check that he/she is entitled to
your support services. This may include asking or a user
name and password, or maybe an account number and
password. This personal data may allow you access to
inormation about the end user that you can bring up
on your screen. This may include the ollowing:
What level o service is the user entitled to expectrom you? I there is a service level agreement (SLA)
you will need to make sure you meet the expectations
o the end user in ull.
When did this user last contact the help desk? The
attitude o the user may be aected by how oten he/
she runs into difculty and how eective the support
has been previously. Oten, end users are rustrated by
problems they are experiencing and may be angry.Having as much background inormation to hand as
possible may help you to cope with their anger. This
topic is considered in greater detail on page 00.
28.1 Gathering information to provide advice andguidance
What does it mean?Acall centreisaplacewherecustomerandother
telephonecallsarehandledbyanorganisation,usually
withsomeamountocomputerautomation.
Acall logging systemisacomputerisedsystem
whichislinkedtoadatabaseocustomersdetails
andkeepsarecordoanycommunicationwiththem.
Afault logisarecordoeventsthatoccurred,and
mayincludeinormationabouthowtheaultwasfxed.
Diagnostic softwareattemptstodiagnoseaproblem;
itidentifespossibleaultsandoerssolutions.
Aservice level agreement (SLA)setsoutwhatlevel
osupportisexpectedorexample,thespeedoresponseorparticulartypesoproblem.Seealso
page00.
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Most problems relate to aults in the hardware and
sotware being used or, oten, the way in which they are
being operated by the end user.
I the problem appears to be a hardware ault, you
need to know the make and model o the hardware
(such as Hewlett-Packard printer, model PSC 1210
or a SpeedTouch modem, model 330). This may
enable you to access the relevant technicalinormation, or example, on the manuacturers
website, so that you can talk the end user through a
sequence o steps towards identiying the precise ault
and resolving the problem.
It may also be relevant to know the sotware platorm
(such as Windows XP) and/or the sotware
applications (such as Word) that they are running.
Part o your training will be to become amiliar withhow the sotware works. In act, you ought to be an
expert in using any sotware that an end user might
have installed on their computer.
28.1
Case study
Support service providers
FastHostsprovidehostingservicestoindividuals
andorganisationswhowantanInternetpresence.Theirsupporttechniciansaretrainedtoadvisethe
enduserinprocessesessentialtothemaintenance
oawebsite,suchasuploadingwebpages.Beore
oeringsupport,thesupporttechniciansat
FastHostsaskoraccountnumberandpassword.
Onlythencanaclientbegivenhelp.
1 Identiyasupportservicethatyoucancontact.
ThismightbetheITsupportteamatyourcollegeorplaceowork,oraserviceprovidersuchas
yourtelephonecompany.
2 Contactasupporthelpdeskandnotewhat
inormationisrequestedtoestablishyourrightto
assistance.Comparethiswiththechecksdone
byFastHostsandanyotherorganisationsthat
othersinyourgrouphavecontacted.
3 Iaclientcannotremembervitalinormation,such
asapassword,howcantheyprovetothesupport
teamthatyouareindeedentitledtohelp?
What action has been taken previously? Since help
desks (and call centres) are oten staed on a shit
basis, it might be rare or an end user to talk to the
same support technician two times running. The enduser would appreciate not having to start rom the
beginning each time he/she rings. It is thereore
important that records such as a ault log (see page
00) are kept o each conversation and what action
was taken.
Once you have established that the end user is entitled to
your support services, and have been inormed o what
has happened to date, you are ready to talk to the enduser. However, beore you ask, What seems to be the
problem?, there are a number o important acts that
you will need to know and record, or confrm with the
end user. As well as the name o the end user (or the
person who is reporting the ault), it is essential to
record other contact details.
Case study
Essential contact information
TheBThelpdeskorbroadbandenquiriesasksor
amobilephonenumber.Manyotheirbroadband
customershavetotelephoneromthenumberthat
wouldnormallybeusedtoconnecttotheInternet,
andthisisthenumberonwhichtherewouldappear
tobeaault.Anytestonthatlinecancausethe
connectiontoailandthecallertobecuto.For
thecustomertolocatethesamehelpdeskperson
isalmostimpossible.BTthereorehavetocontact
thecustomerithesupportistocontinueatall
orthisanothertelephonenumber,suchasamobile
number,isneeded.
1 Compilealistodetailsthatyoumightcollect
romtheenduser,sothatyoucouldcontactthem
againineedbe.
2 Compareyourlistwithothersinyourgroupand,
betweenyou,deviseaormtorecordthis
inormation.
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Table 28.1 lists the questions that need to be answered
and recorded at some point during the processing o a
ault.
Table 28.2 shows the data felds that might be needed torecord the inormation so that it can be analysed. The
items in the frst three rows o Tables 28.1 and 28.2 are
relevant or this unit. The data in the remaining rows is
essential or a complete picture o the incident and how
it was resolved, but relates more to the content oUnit29: IT Systems Troubleshooting and Repair.
Question Whatneedstoberecorded
Who reported the ault? Name and contact details
When was it reported? The exact time as well as the date
Has someone been assigned to deal with this problem? Who was assigned, and at what time it happened
Has anyone decided on a course o action? What action was decided upon, when this took place and who made the decisionWhat was the actual problem? Categorise as: End user error / Faulty hardware / Faulty sotware, etc.
Has the problem been fxed? How it was fxed
How much did it cost to repair? Time spent doing the repair, cost o replacement parts
Table28.1 Questionsthatacallloggingsystemshouldanswer
Datafeld Notes
Call ID A unique reerence number to identiy this particular call and all subsequent action taken to resolve the ault.
Date and time o initial It is important to record the time as well as the date. Some aults will be reported and solved within the space
call o a couple o hours. Others may take longer.
Who initiated the call? The person who called may be noted by their name and department, or maybe an employee ID code, linked
to other databases held by the company. This may allow the HR (human resources) department to identiy
employees who regularly call or IT support, and may need to be given extra training.
Technician allocated to The help desk assistant will need to make an initial decision as to who best can help the caller. This will be
supervise the solution based on inormation given by the caller, and the call assistant may have a questionnaire to complete which
also helps to decide whether the ault is mostly hardware related or mostly sotware related.
Data and time o passing A delay in passing details o the problem on to a technician will mean the end user might be waiting longer
inormation to technician than he or she needs to.
Keeping track o this data will ensure more efcient processing by the help desk assistant.
Report rom technician(s) This may include inormation such as what equipment was repaired on-site, what equipment was removed
or repair, what loan equipment was given to the user as a temporary fx or what replacement equipment was
given to the user as a permanent fx.
Each event needs a date and time o action so that progress can be monitored.
Error diagnosis Details o exactly what went wrong and how it was fxed will help i other users call in with similar problems.
Costs (money) Equipment that is supplied to replace aulty equipment can be charged to a particular reported ault.
Costs (time) Time spent repairing equipment or just on-site with an end user, trying to diagnose the problem, needs to be
accounted or, and charged against each call.
Recommendations Lessons learnt in solving a problem should be recorded and considered when making decisions about stafng
levels within the support team, the equipment that is to be purchased in uture and training needs o support
sta and end users.
Table28.2 Datastoredinacallloggingsystem
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Sometimes, lack o knowledge on the part o the end
user is the root cause o the problem, and it may prove
necessary to recommend training or individuals.
I several end users ask the same questions, one solution(that may save on time spent providing one-to-one
support) is to set up a web page (on the Internet or
within a companys intranet) listing FAQs and their
answers see page 00.How you communicate with the end user your manner
and attitude toward the caller and how to extract
relevant inormation, are covered in more detail in
section 28.2.2 (see page 00). But at this stage o the call
you simply have to collect acts and your direct
questioning needs to be done courteously and efciently,
using a manner and tone that will not inflame an end
user who may already be angry.
You may be provided with a script to help you through
this initial stage, so that you do not orget to ask or
particular inormation. When reading rom a script, it
is easy to sound bored because your conversationsbecome very repetitive. The end user quickly realises
you are using a script and might view this negatively.
Thereore, it helps i you can develop some personality
to your voice so that your end user eels better served by
you.
What does it mean?FAQstandsorrequentlyaskedquestions.
ISPstandsorInternetserviceprovider.
Case study
FAQs
FastHostsFAQsanswerthequestionsthatare
otenasked,suchasWhatisbroadband?,How
canIcheckthatbroadbandisavailableinmyarea?
andWhatspecPCdoIneedtorunbroadband?
1 Visitthesiteooneoyourserviceprovidersand
readtheFAQs.
2 CompilealistofveFAQsthatanoviceusero
oneparticularsotwarepackageoroneitemo
hardwaremightask.Swapthesewithapartner
andprovidetheanswersoryourpartnersFAQs.
Data collection forms
1 Anovicecomputeruseristryingtoconnecttothe
Internet,withoutsuccess.Listthedetailsyouwould
expectthisusertoprovidewhencallingtheISPs
helpdesk.
2 Anexperiencedwebdesigneristryingtouploada
newpageromDreamweaver,andishaving
problems.Listthedetailsyouwouldexpectthis
usertoprovidetothehostcompanyshelpdesk.
3 Designaormtocollectrelevantdatawhenrecordingonecalltoahelpdesk.
Assessment activity 28.1
28.1
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[8] BTEC National | ICT Technical Support | Book 1
28.1.1.2 Faultlog
A log should be maintained or each computer system:
when the equipment was obtained, and when sotware
was installed, what settings have been used and so on. I
the system breaks down, this inormation may be
needed. When the system breaks down, the same log
may be used to record what went wrong and how it wasfxed, or a separate ault log may be set up just to record
the problems and how they were overcome.
A ault log may be kept manually, or it may be created
automatically by sotware. The ault log can prove useul
i a problem keeps happening, and the cause is
unknown. Noting the date and circumstances each time
something goes wrong may throw light on the source o
the problem.Electronically generated ault logs may be created by
sotware tools such as Dumprep.exe. I a serious error
occurs, this Windows XP ault-logging program writes the
error details to a text fle. The user is then prompted to
send the error inormation to Microsot (see Figure 28.1).
The sotware manuacturer can then collate inormation
about problems that users are experiencing and use thisdata to help them to track down the cause o the ault.
Unit 29: IT Systems Troubleshooting and Repairalso
considers ault logs; see page 00.
28.1.1.3 Diagnosticsandmonitoringtools
As each new operating system is introduced, so too arediagnostic and monitoring tools aimed to help the user
and support technicians track down aults and
improve the running o the computer system.
When you turn on a computer, the POST checks the
hardware to make sure everything is unctioning
correctly beore the operating system is loaded and
run.
I there are problems and these are ound beore the
screen is operational, a sequence o beeps is used to
indicate the nature o the ault. Once the screen is
operational, instead, an error code is given on-screen
showing which device is not unctioning properly.
Unit 29: IT Systems Troubleshooting and Repairlooks
at the value o the POST diagnostic inormation
(see page 00).Once the computer is up and running satisactorily, in a
Windows environment, the Control Panel oers the
Systems Properties route to inormation about how the
computer is unctioning; see page 00.
Remember!
Afault logisarecordoeventsthatoccurred,and
mayincludeinormationabouthowtheaultwas
fxed.
Help desk scripts
1 Callahelpdeskandnotepreciselytheconversation
thattookplace.Couldyoutellthatascriptwas
beingused?
2 Comparetheconversationsthatyouandothers
haverecorded.Checkhowsimilarthequestions
were,andtheorderinwhichtheywereasked.From
this,devisethescriptthatmighthavebeenused.
3 Workinginpairs,role-playtheprocessocallinga
helpdesk,usingyourscript.Asthehelpdesk
technicianexperimentswithwaysomakingtheend
usereelmorelikeanindividualreceivingthelevel
oattentionhe/shemightexpect.
Assessment activity 28.2
Figure28.1 Theprompttosenddetailsoaaultto
Microsot
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[10] BTEC National | ICT Technical Support | Book 1
28.1.1.5 Faulttype
Although the root cause o a problem might be
hardware or sotware or inefcient use o the
computer by the end user the ault, as perceived by the
user, is either loss o service or poor perormance.
Loss of service includes:
a crash when the whole system goes down
the system has hung up moving the mouse no
longer results in a movement o the cursor and there
is no response to a key being pressed a peripheral that no longer works: e.g. the printer or
the screen or the hard drive
ailure to connect to the Internet an error message
reports that there is a ault: no dial tone, or ailure to
connect at the server end.
Poor performance relates to the slowing down o the
system. It may take a long time or a web page to load,
or or material to be sent to the printer. Either way,the system is not operating in a way that is satisactory
or the end user and he/she puts in a call to the help
desk.
This unit ocuses on the role o the help desk sta in
felding complaints. Tracking down what is causing a
problem is the subject oUnit 29: IT Systems Trouble
Shooting and Repair(page 00).
28.1.2 Validation ofinformationSome sources o inormation are more reliable than
others. So, in the process o gathering detailed
inormation, you need to make sure that the inormationis valid. Invalid inormation will get in the way o you
arriving at a speedy solution to the problem.
28.1.2.1 Cross referencecheckswithuser
While talking to an end user about the problem, you
may be able to call up data on your computer system,including the current confguration o the end users
computer. However, this inormation may be out o
date; the end user may have upgraded the equipment or
Case study
Service levels
BThasatwo-tiersystemosupport:residential
customersversusbusinesscustomers.Business
customerspaymoreortelephoneconnectionsthan
residentialcustomersandareentitledto
compensationiBTailtoprovidetheservicethat
hasbeenpromised.Becausetheserviceiscostlyto
BTithereisaproblem,businesscustomers
thereorereceiveaspeediersupportresponse.And
sincetheresourcesavailabletoBTarelimited,this
canmeanthatresidentialcustomershavetowait
longertohavetheirproblemsresolved.
1 Foraserviceprovider,establishhowthecallsare
prioritised.Isthesystemair?
2 Findoutthedetailsoaservicelevelagreementthathasbeensetupwithaserviceproviderat
yourcollegeorplaceowork.
How critical is the problem to the continued
operation of the business? Who is experiencing
problems and how essential to his/her job unction is
his/her access to IT services? Some sta can continue
with other work, so fxing their IT problem is not as
crucial as or sta who spend all their working time at
the computer.
How severe is the fault? Will it cause more problems
i it is not fxed immediately? For example, a problem
that involves a aulty hard drive may well corrupt
data. Even i the end user did not have a high priority,
this type o ault may warrant speedier treatment. When was the request for support made? How long
is toolong or any end user to wait or a problem to be
resolved? Even users with the least important
problems deserve to be paid attention. I it seems to
take orever to receive support, this reflects badly on
the help desk team so all requests ought to be
processed within a reasonable time.
One way o deciding what is and what is not acceptable
is to draw up a service level agreement (SLA); this is
discussed in more detail on page 00.
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IT Practitioners [11]
installed a more modern operating system. So, it makes
sense to confrm this inormation with the user during
the initial conversation.
Simple direct questioning will ensure you are basingyour judgements on correct inormation.
Which operating system are you using? Windows?
Which version?
Which make o printer is it? Hewlett-Packard? Which
model?
Which modem are you using? The internal one or an
external modem? An external one? How is it
connected to your PC? What sotware are you using? Word processing?
Which package? Which version o that sotware are
you using?
Some users may not be able to answer these questions
and you may have to direct them to how they can fnd
out.
For example, to discover which operating system is being
used, you may need to guide the end user to press Start,
click on Control Panel and select System. The General
tab window will then reveal the inormation you need to
confrm (see Figure 28.4).
28.1.2.2 Problemreproduction
So ar, the conversation with the end user has related to
simple direct questioning to establish who the end user
is, how you might contact them, and what confguration
they are working on. Now you need to fnd out exactly
what is wrong and what needs to be done to fx the
ault. However, the end user may jump to conclusions
and suggest things that are wrong with the PC, rather
than just giving you the acts.
As part o your problem-solving strategy, encourage the
user to describe the problem as they see it, but ignore or
at least set aside the interpretation that they give as towhat is causing the problem. Problem reproduction is a
useul strategy asking the end user to talk you through
what went wrong. This can reveal important inormation
that the user might not otherwise have told you.
One important act is the date when the problem was
frst noticed. I new hardware or sotware was installed
immediately beore the ault appeared, this might be to
blame. Take the end user back to a time when the PC
was working this will help him/her to think through
the events that led up to the problem, in the right order
and exactly as it happened. This may reveal vital clues,
but it will still be important to keep an open mind and
to consider alternative sources o the problem.
The goal o problem reproduction is that, i you can
recreate the same situation, you could be halway tosolving it.
Figure28.4SystemProperties:Generaltab
28.1
Questions, questions, questions
1 Compileaseriesoquestionsthatyoucouldaskto
confrmdetailsabouttheendusersPCorexample,
theconfgurationotheirPC.
2 Workinginpairs,tryoutyourquestionsonyourpartner.
Discusstheanswersandrefneyourquestionssothat
anoviceusercouldanswerthem.
Assessment activity 28.3
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[12] BTEC National | ICT Technical Support | Book 1
28.1.2.3 Reliabilityofdifferenttypesof
information
Having gathered as much inormation as possible rom
the end user, you can start to orm a picture as to what
might be the cause o the end users problem.
You may also fnd some other sources o inormation
helpul.
Manuacturers websites are a valuable source o
inormation (see Figure 28.5). I an application ails
to work, you can search the manuacturers websiteor the latest inormation about known bugs in the
system.
Open user orums (see Figure 28.6) can also prove
useul, although the advice given may not be tried
and tested, so you ought to be cautious beore
ollowing it.
Figure28.5 Asamplemanuacturerswebsite:
Hewlett-Packard
Figure28.6 Asampleopen
userorumsite:Tiscali
Open forum sites are moderated, i.e. someonehas the job of checking every posting to make
sure the site rules are followed. On this forum,
Chris is the moderator.
Each posting on aforum is called a tile.
A string of tiles is
called a thread.
28 1
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IT Practitioners [13]
You might also consult with colleagues. They may have
met a similar problem beore and be able to advise you.
I good records have been kept o previously reported
problems and the ways in which they were solved, this
too can prove to be an invaluable source o inormation.
Both o these sources are considered next.
28.1.3 TechnicalknowledgeBeore you can hope to solve a problem which involvesthe breakdown o hardware or sotware, you need to
have a good understanding o how the system works
normally, and the kinds o problems that can occur.
This technical knowledge includes lots o acts and
fgures and knowledge and experience can be built
up over a period o time.
However, to share this expertise and help people with
less experience, written records such as product
specifcations, manuals and ault records are provided
as a reliable source o documentation. Colleagues
can also prove to be a useul resource, as well as
sotware-oriented sources such as knowledge bases
and those ound on the Internet.
28.1.3.1 Productspecificationsandmanuals
The product specification is written by the
manuacturer o the product. It contains details o
the technical aspects o a product, or example: its
dimensions, the correct voltage to use and details o
any consumables that are recommended. Failure to
comply with the recommendations in the product
specifcation may result in the product not working
as intended.
For example, some PCs have a voltage switch (see
Figure 28.7) so that they may be used in more than one
location. In the UK, the normal mains power supply is
240 volts; elsewhere, it may only be 110 volts. The switch
needs to be set or the correct voltage. Otherwise, thepower supply unit may not be ed sufcient power to
operate the equipment. This may result in the screen not
unctioning, or example.
A manual explains how to make the best use o a
hardware or sotware product. It is also usually written
by the manuacturer, but is addressed more to the end
user rather than to a technician. Unit 29: IT Systems
Troubleshooting and Repair(see page 00) explains how
these manuals might be used to assist a user who is
having problems, e.g. to create a particular eect with
a sotware package. Some eects are more complicated
to achieve, and greater experience in using the sotware
is needed. Some manuacturers provide tutorials to
introduce the end user to a particular concept
(see Figure 28.8).
28.1
Safety warning
notice
On/off switch
Voltage switch
CAUTION!
To avoid electrical shock
unplug the power cable
before opening
the computer.
Figure28.7 VoltageswitchonPC
Figure28.8 TutorialinDreamweaver
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[14] BTEC National | ICT Technical Support | Book 1
Some users need to be led through tutorials and wouldbeneft rom one-to-one tuition. These users are likely to
call the help desk to ask or support. However, while you
may have the skills to help these end users, it may not be
the most efcient use o your time, so the organisations
policy may be to reer the end user or extra training
elsewhere; see page 00.
28.1.3.2 Colleagueswithspecialistexpertise
Technical inormation can oten be gleaned rom the
people around you. Colleagues at work, and riends
outside work, can oer their experience in solving
problems that you have just encountered. Knowing the
right person to ask is the key to success. Sometimes, you
may need to call on specialists: someone who is
technically competent at a higher level. Such specialists
may work within your organisation or you might be able
to contact them via a telephone help line.
28.1.3.3 Knowledgebases
Expert systems rely on knowledge bases. Support
technicians can draw on a knowledge base to help them
to decide on a course o action.
The Microsot Ofce Online knowledge base underpins
the help options oered on all Microsot applications
(see Figure 28.10).
Using a knowledge base like this one involves searching
or inormation that is relevant to the problem you are
trying to solve. Unit 29: IT Systems Troubleshooting and
Repairexplores this aspect o using a knowledge base;
see page 000.
Figure28.9
IthinkIllphone
ariend.
50/50
What does it mean?Aknowledge baseisadatabaseokeyacts.
2 1
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IT Practitioners [15]
and you are given
the option to searchthe knowledge base.
Having entered a key term and
clicked on the green arrow, theSearch Results are listed
Or, you can go to Microsoft
Office Online from the dropdown Help menu.
Pressing F1 (or selecting Help/
Microsoft Office Word Help) opens
a Search panel.
Figure28.10Accessingthe
MicrosotOfceOnline
knowledgebase
Knowledge bases
1 BobistryingtoprintanExcelworksheetoran
importantmeeting.Heneedstopresentaone-page
report,butthelastcolumnohisspreadsheetgoeson
toasecondpage.Bobringsthehelpdeskandasks:
Isthereawaytoftallthedataononepage?Access
theMicrosotOfceOnlineknowledgebasetolocate
inormationthatyoucouldusetohelpBob.Andfnda
tutorialonprintingtechniquesorBobtowatch.
2 Bobdoesnothavetimetolearnhowtosolvehis
printingproblems.Suggestotherwaysthathecould
presenthisinormationtothemeeting.Whatother
communicationroutescouldheuse?Comparethese
optionswiththeoriginalplantopresentaworksheet.
3 SearchtheInternetormoreexamplesoknowledgebases.Poolyourfndingswithothersinyourgroup.
Assessment activity 28.4
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Remember!
FAQsstandsorrequentlyaskedquestions.
28.1.3.4 Faultrecordsshowingpreviously
foundsolutions
A ault log is most useul when it lists not only the
problems that were encountered but also the way in
which they were solved. There is no point in trying to
reinvent the wheel reerring to these records can save a
lot o time and energy. A ault log that includes the name
o the technician who solved a particular ault will allow
you to contact him/her i you have encountered a similar
ault and need specialist help.
28.1.3.5 Internetsources
There are two main sources o help on the Internet:
FAQs and technical orums.
Online help oten supplies a list oFAQs. Providing
answers to these FAQs, in this way, can solve the mostcommon problems or users, with minimal eort or the
help desk sta.
Technical forums (see Figure 29.x on page 000) provide
a talking space or users experiencing problems with
their hardware or sotware. Faults are oten discovered
ater sotware has been released and will aect all users.
As soon as such a ault is noticed and reported, the
manuacturer can start to try to fx the ault. Meanwhile,
Sources of information
1 Forasotwarepackagethatyouuseregularly,fndout
whatithastooerinthewayoFAQs.Whatotherguidancedoesitprovideorthenoviceuser?Make
noteso10toptips.
2 Foragivenproblem,suchasaperipheralnotworking,
identiythreesourcesoinormationthatyoucoulduse
tosolvetheproblem.
3 Discusswithyourriends:Whoseadvicedoyouvalue
themost?Whichoyouismostexpertandcan
thereorehelpothersoraparticularapplication?
Makeanoteoyourareasoexpertiseoruture
reerence.
Assessment activity 28.5
Test your knowledge
1 WhatisanFAQ?
2 Wheremightyoufndhintsandtips?
3 Whatothersourceotechnicalsupportapart
romhardcopyresourcesandelectronichelp
mightproveuseul?
technical orums provide other users with warnings o
what does and does not work. This can save a lot o time
wondering i a particular ault lies with the user rather
than with the system.
28 2 C i i d i d id i
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Communication is an essential part o problem-solving.
In this section we will be looking at the ollowing aspectso communication.
The type o end user he/she may be experienced and
know what is wrong, whereas a complete novice
might have no ideas to oer. Your skills in
communicating with all types o user will help you to
discover as much as possible in the shortest time, and
to keep the end user calm and happy in the process.
The type o advice that you give once you have
arrived at a solution, you need to choose an
appropriate way o oering advice or giving guidance.
For example, i the root o the problem is the end user
you may need to tactully suggest that they have some
training.
How you communicate orms o communication
range rom a ace-to-ace discussion with the end userto placing a guidance note on a website, or all
interested users to see. You will need to choose the
most appropriate orm or the situation.
Checking the outcome communication is a two-way
activity. It is not enough to tell the user how to resolve
a problem and then leave him or her to it. You need to
check that your instructions were clear enough to be
ollowed and that your advice proved to be useul.Only then can you be sure that you provided support
in a way that suited the end user. Some evaluative
eedback is thereore needed.
28.2.1 End usersThe end user is the person who has the problem, and
your problem is to solve his or her problem.
Your skills in communicating with the end user are
needed to help you to fnd out as much as possible about
the problem in the shortest possible time. With the
appropriate skills, you can also keep the end user calm
and happy during what might be a time-consuming
process o fnding the source o the problem, and fxing it.
How you communicate the vocabulary that you useand your manner o speaking should be matched to
the needs o the person with whom you are
communicating.
28.2 Communicating advice and guidance inappropriate formats
The end user may have little experience o the
hardware and sotware that he/she is using. I you usetechnical terms which sound like jargon to the novice,
you will create a communication barrier. Instead, use
the correct terms but add guidance to talk the user
through the steps involved. For example, you might
say I need you to open the Control Panel. To do this,
click on the Start Button. Yes, the one at the bottom
let o your screen. Yes, a let-click. Now, can you see
the Control Panel listed as an option? . . .
The end user may be more experienced a power user
even and have a good idea o the problem and how to
communicate it to you. With this type o user, you may
use more technical terms and expect the user to
understand them. However, at each step, check that the
user is still with you! So, you might say I need you to go
to the Control Panel. OK? I the user replies Yes. Nowwhat do I do?, you can continue. I not, you may need
to give more guidance, similar to that given to a novice.
The end user may be a technician like yoursel. You
would expect to be able to give high-level commands
such as Go to the Control Panel and be understood.
You should not need to give additional instructions,
nor check that the technician has carried out your
command correctly. How the conversation continueswill confrm that you are working together in tandem.
To summarise, your choice o vocabulary the technical
terms that you use and the level o the commands you
give, need to match the understanding o the end user.
Finding out how much the end user knows and their
level o competence cannot be done by asking outright
Are you a novice?. This could oend the end user.
Instead, during the initial stages o your conversation,
give reasonably high-level commands but be ready to
back them up with more detailed guidance. Then,
according to the response o the end user, provide the
appropriate level o guidance ater that.
What does it mean?Apower usertendstouseshortcutsandbeadeptat
usingthemouse.
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28.2.2 Types of adviceThere are no quick fxes. The advice you give must meet
the needs o the user in the long term, otherwise the
problem may occur again very soon.
To provide the right advice and to solve the problem
completely, you should consider the problem rom all
angles and complete sufcient investigations to be sure
that you have discovered the cause o it. Only then can
you decide how the end user can proceed.
28.2.2.1 Recommendationsfor repairor
replacement
Your recommendation may involve the repair o an item
o hardware or the replacement o components. This
may involve a visit to the end users workspace, and you
will need to book an appointment that suits both the
end user and the technician who will be assigned or the
task. Unit 29: IT Systems Troubleshooting and Repair(see
page 000) considers this type o remedy in more detail.
28.2.2.2 Recommendationsfortraining
You might decide that part o the solution should
involve some additional training or the end user. This
might mean your giving some direct instruction on a
one-to-one basis, and arranging a suitable time or this
to take place. Or, you may be able to direct the end userto an online tutorial source. Meeting the training needs
o end users is considered as a remedy in Unit 29: IT
Systems Troubleshooting and Repair(page 000).
Giving good guidance
1 ReerbacktoyouranswertoQuestion1oAssessment
activity28.4.AtwhatleveldidyouanswerBob?What
assumptionsdidyoumakeabouthisleveloexpertise?
ComposeanemailinreplytoBobsproblem,attachinga
guidancedocumentwhichpresentsyouradviceasihe
wereacompletenovice.Printacopyotheattachment.
Assessment activity 28.6
2 ReviseyouremailtoBob,assumingheisapoweruser.Revisetheguidancedocumentalso,usingTrack
Changes.Printacopyshowingthechangesthatyou
made.
3 Compareyourtwoversionswiththoseoothersinyour
group.
28.2.2.3 Recommendingsoftwaresolutions
Sotware is oten released or sale under licence beore
it has been tested enough to fnd all the bugs. The
manuacturer wants the product to reach the market
as soon as possible, beore a rival company can get in
on the action. The organisations that are frst to take
on a new release oten fnd themselves testing the
sotware or the manuacturer this is called the
beta test distribution stage. Once bugs are ound,
and the ault identifed, a patch is one immediate
solution that can be provided to users as a download
rom the sotware manuacturers website.
The patch is not necessarily the best solution or theproblem. However, any better solution has to wait until
the next ofcial release date o the sotware. As time
passes, the manuacturer completely debugs the sotware
and may then issue a new release. To acquire the updated
versions, the support team need to download them rom
the Internet and install them on the network or
individual computers that are licensed to use that
sotware.
What does it mean?Apatch(orfx)isaquickrepairjoborapieceo
codewhichisoundtobeaultyateritsreleasetothe
market.Itisusuallymadeavailableasareplacementor,oraninsertionin,compiledcode(i.e.inabinary
fleorobjectmodule).
28.2
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Depending on how recently sotware was installed, and
how clean it is, your recommendation may thereore
include some changes to sotware, such as the
installation o a patch. Depending on the skill level o
the end user, you may need to arrange or someone to
do this, either at the end users desk or remotely.
Oten, ater such an installation, the computer has to be
restarted or rebooted beore the fx applies (see
Figure 28.11).
The manuacturer also leaves data on the users
computer to show which version o the sotware is
installed.
A system reset takes the computer back to its actory
settings. Less dramatic is the Windows utility called
System Restore that allows a user to restore the
computer data to a specifc ormer state (called the
restore point). Any personal data saved since that time
(such as new fles created or new email messages, or
changes to documents) remains intact, but all systemchanges are undone. The System Restore utility creates
automatic restore points called system checkpoints
Figure28.11 Instructionsto
rebootaterinstallation
What does it mean?Rebootingisanothertermorrestartingthe
computer.
Types of advice
1 Bob(romActivity28.4)isstillhavingproblemsprinting
outmaterialromhisspreadsheet.Writeanemail
suggestingthatyouprovideone-to-oneinstructionto
helphimmakethebestuseothesotware.Planwhat
youmightcoverasanintroductiontoprintingmaterial
romaspreadsheet.
2 Checktheavailabilityosotwarepatchesorone
programthatisinstalledonyourcomputer.Downloada
patchasdirectedandthenrebootyourcomputer.
3 Anitascomputerhascrashedortheourthtimethis
week.Shehasrungorhelp.Writedownthe
instructionsyouwouldusetotalkAnitathroughthe
processorebootinghercomputer.
Assessment activity 28.7
periodically, to protect data rom unexpected problems.
The user may also be advised to create manual restore
points beore making any signifcant changes to the
system, such as installing a new program or making a
change to the registry. However, or some problems, a
system reset may be necessary.
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it takes no time or eort on the part o the help desk
technician, apart rom reading the email.
Most organisations also oer a telephone link to the help
desk. More inormation can be gleaned more quickly in
a verbal conversation. However, the technician has no
visual clues about the end user and he/she cannot use
body language to show a caring, sympathetic attitude to
the end user. That is why the tone o voice and the words
used are so important. Telephone conversations can be
recorded but oten, telephone help desks rely on the
technician to record incidents, and this takes time.
Face-to-ace conversations require that the end user andthe technician are located in the same place. This may
not be possible: or many organisations, the customers
may be spread across the country and the calls centres
may be overseas. In organisations where ace-to-ace
discussions are possible, the technician should read the
body language cues rom the end user and respond in a
manner which creates a sympathetic and caring
atmosphere in which the problem can be solved.
28.2.3.2 Secondaryprovisionofguidance
Sometimes, the support team needs to let everyone
know about a change in operations: perhaps all the
passwords have to be changed, or the network will bedown or 30 minutes or essential maintenance. An
email to all concerned is an eective way o broadcasting
this inormation.
I there are more widespread changes coming up
maybe the provision o a new service with eect rom
the beginning o next month it may be more
appropriate to report this in the organisations monthly
newsletter. This acts as a press release and can be used toimprove the image o the support team. Photos o the
support team might be included to present a personal
image and this might help end users whose only contact
is via telephone conversations.
Sometimes, especially ater the introduction o new
sotware, there is a flood o calls asking about the same
thing. Rather than dealing with every caller individually,as soon as the pattern is noticed, a FAQ can be set up.
End users can then be directed to the FAQ; this method
works especially well when initial calls are via email.
28.2.3 CommunicationsAs a support technician, you need good interpersonal
skills. You must be able to interact with customers and
provide technical support in such a way that you arriveat a solution that meets the needs o the end user as
quickly and efciently as possible. There are a variety o
methods that you can use to provide support; there are
also a variety o ways you can present inormation to
meet your end users needs. This section considers your
options and looks, in particular, at how you might cope
with the best and worst case scenarios in your everyday
work as a support technician.
28.2.3.1 Directtouserinresponsetoaquery
There are three main options as to how you might
communicate directly with an end user: by email, by
telephone, ace-to-ace.
Some organisations insist on initial requests or support
being sent by email. This allows the support team to
prioritise the incidents and to deal with the most
important people and/or the highest risk problems frst.
A standard email can be sent back saying Your request
has been noted and someone will be in touch soon. This
can give much needed breathing space, especially i the
end user is very angry. Within a team o supporttechnicians, it is also then possible to assign the technician
best suited to deal with a particular problem end user.
Email communication provides a written record o the
request or help and, since it is written by the end user,
28.2
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I there are more complex procedures which require
explanation, a technical help sheet can be devised and
distributed to all end users. This might be announced
in an email and supplied as a PDF attachment; and it
might be pinned up on the notice board in the sta
canteen.
28.2.3.3 Providinginformationto
relevantpeople
The FAQ page on the Internet or intranet is accessible to
all, but only those that have a problem will take the timeto reer to them.
With newsletters, the tendency is to send to all
employees, but to catch their attention the layout and
general presentation has to be good enough to entice
everyone to read it. The same philosophy now applies to
regular emails; i it looks like the same old stu people
will not fnd time to read it.So, when sending out emails with or without help
sheet attachments it is important to direct the emails
to those or whom the inormation is relevant. I end
users are bombarded with emails, some o which are not
relevant, eventually the emails lose their impact and will
be ignored.
28.2.3.4 Angermanagementskills
(selfandcustomer)
Nine times out o ten, the calls made to a help desk are
rom end users under pressure: their workflow may have
been interrupted by a system ailure or there could have
been a loss o data or a communications breakdown.
The end user is thereore likely to be upset and is callingyou because he/she needs your help.
Anger is a natural response to eeling threatened. I a
computer breaks down or ails to behave in the way it
should, anger can result rom the rustration that this
causes the end user. Some users, who can see that they
are not able to make best use o a computer, may be
angry more with themselves than with the computer.
Anger ranges in intensity rom mild irritation to violent
rage. It aects the body by increasing adrenalin levels
and speeding up the heart rate. I anger is the result o a
threat such as imminent disaster, these two physical
changes are essential they prepare your body or fght
or flight. I there is no physical threat, anger on a regular
basis has adverse eects on the individual, as it raises
blood pressure and prevents clear thought.
Anger in the workplace as generated by malunctioning
computer systems is thereore potentially damaging to
workers and needs to be managed.
I attempts are made to ensure the smooth running o
the computer systems, the chances o a malunction are
reduced and the rustration that downtime causes are
largely eliminated. In the real world though, things do gowrong, and oten a computer system ails at precisely the
moment when the end user has no time to spare. That
report is needed right now!
So, when the end user calls the support help desk, it is
almost certain that you will hear a level o irritation in
his/her voice, and i this is the tenth time he/she has had
to call this week, the anger level may be high.
Some people can express their anger in a controlled and
constructive way, but some cant! I eelings build up,
anger can erupt in an uncontrolled ashion. People can
say things which would have been better unsaid and
relationships can deteriorate.
In your conversations with end users, you need to take
into account that any anger that is expressed is a natural
i socially unacceptable response to rustration. It isyour job to remove the cause o the rustration. It is not
your job to upset the end user; so you must not take
oence at what the end user has to say. It is possible that
the users tone will be aggressive to start o with. A sign
o your skills in handling such an end user will be how
much the tone sotens by the end o your conversation.
One way o managing anger is to talk things through
with someone. At the help desk, you may fnd that youare the person the end user needs to talk to. He/she may
have legitimate concerns about new sotware or
hardware, and you will be the frst to hear about these.
I, ater a morning o angry callers, you are beginning to
eel angry too, how can you control your own anger?
Calming down is essential. Taking long slow breaths
will slow down your heart rate. I you can, leave yourworkstation and walk around or a ew minutes. Go
outside and empty your mind o the previous caller.
Look at the weather instead.
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Distance can make impossible situations seem not so
impossible. Distance can be physical, e.g. walking to
the end o the corridor and back. Distance can also be
time; e.g. doing something else or ten minutes and
then returning to the problem. The problem might
sort itsel out in your head in the meantime.
Oten, anger is not caused by what has just happened.
The printer jamming may just be the fnal straw. Instead,
there may be some underlying sense o rustration which
is the root cause o a persons anger.
I you eel angry, ask yoursel i there are other actors
that are upsetting you. Are you unhappy in yourworking environment? Do you eel undervalued in your
work or in your relationships with your colleagues?
Is the behaviour o other team members aecting you
adversely? Have you got fnancial or health worries or
other problems outside your workplace?
I you are aced with what seems like unreasonable
anger rom an end user, ask yoursel what else may
have upset this person. Assume that the computerbreakdown is just the last straw or this person, and
you happen to be in the fring line. Your task is all the
harder, but you still have to resolve their computer
problem and maintain a good working relationship
with them. Most important, stay calm.
When angry, the ways in which end users express
themselves and how you might express yoursel tocolleagues or to your manager leaves a lot to be
desired. The tone used and the words that are chosen
tend to make matters worse; sarcasm is oten used.
Suppressing anger does not work either, so saying
nothing or sulking is not eective.
One way o dealing with anger is to be assertive.
Assertiveness involves expressing yoursel clearly and
calmly, without resorting to anger. Being assertive is noteasy; there are classes you can attend and books you can
read on the subject. It takes practice!
Another way you can reduce eelings o anger is to
change your liestyle out o the ofce environment.
Regular exercise can help to reduce tension and create
a window o time when you stop thinking about
work. Taking out your anger on a squash ball is onehealthy option. Less vigorous activities can work
equally well: yoga or meditation classes teach you how
to switch o.
Your diet, and especially sugar, caeine or alcohol
intake, can aect how you eel. I you eat a bar o
chocolate, or have a cup o coee, you may have abrie surge in energy but eel low later on. I you are
eeling angry and then drink alcohol, the alcohol
lowers inhibitions and you may say or do something
you will regret later.
Having a more positive view o lie can also end o
anger. I you are not happy with something in your
lie but cannot change it, then ocus on other aspects
o your lie and make sure you have times when youare happy and relaxed. You might vent eelings by
talking to riends, or express them through painting
or writing. You might also immerse yoursel in a
hobby like DIY or gardening.
It is not part o your role to suggest how your end user
might reduce his/her anger levels but, i you control
your own, you will be better placed to cope withoutbursts. You may also serve as a role model or those
around you.
28.2.3.5 Softskills
During your training you will have learnt how to use a
computer, how to install and customise sotware, andhow to test and fx hardware. You should have a lot o
acts at your fnger tips and experience in using a variety
o equipment. These are hard skills.
28.2
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Sot skills relate to your attitude while carrying out
these tasks. When it is just you and the computer, sot
skills may not be needed. However, when you are dealing
with end users and trying to resolve their problems,
these skills are important.
You need to empathise with the end user. You need to try
to understand things rom his/her viewpoint.
The novice user may be reluctant to experiment with
sotware and so will not have wandered through the
menus to see what can and cannot be done. They may
have so little experience o sotware that even the
standard icons or Save and Print are alien to them. The more experienced user may be confdent in one
way o working but a new sotware package requires a
dierent way or doing the same things. This level o
user may fnd the transition difcult. They may have
to slow down as they are learning the new sotware
and can speed up again, and this may irritate them.
One way o showing that you have empathy with the end
user is to convey it through what you say. Use phrasessuch as OK and Yes, I see and I am sorry. I appreciate
how rustrating this is or you. I you make sure that
your tone confrms that you are indeed in sympathy
with the end user, you should be able to placate even the
angriest end user.
You also require patience. Give the end user enough time
to say whatever he/she has to tell you. Dont interrupt orcut across or use put downs. Apply active listening skills
instead.
In a ace-to-ace discussion, i you can maintain eye
contact while the user is speaking, this will show that
you are listening or at least gives that impression!
Repeating what the end user has just said, but
rearranging it into a question and asking or
confrmation, will convince the user that you have
understood the problem. For example: So, the printer
was turned on, but nothing printed?
Your body language can reinorce what you are saying.
Nodding implies agreement. Head to one side, looking
puzzled shows you are thinking about how to solve a
problem. Even i you cannot be seen by the end user,
using body language, somehow, conveys this in your
voice.
Body language
Bodylanguageisasubtlewayocommunicating.Posture,
acialexpressionsandpositioningohandsandeetall
tellastory.Oneresearcherclaimsthatwhatissaidonly
conveys7%oamessage,thetoneusedconveysanother
38%butbodylanguagetells55%othestory!
1 LookattheimagesinFigure28.12.Workinginpairs,
decidewhattheconversationmightbebetweeneach
pairopeople.Eachoyouassumeoneothe
charactersandwritedownwhatyoumightbesaying.
2 Compareyournoteswithotherpairs.Didyouhavea
similarunderstandingowhatwasbeingsaid?
Assessment activity 28.8
Figure28.12Bodylanguageclues
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28.2.3.6 Escalatingissues thatarebeyond
scopeofindividual
There will be situations when the problem presented to
you by an end user is one you cannot solve, and you
need to reer the end user to a more senior technician.
Most likely, you will be expected to take as much
inormation as possible and then alert a more senior
support team member that you eel you need help. You
will advise the end user that someone else will look at
the problem and contact the end user shortly.An end user may request action which is beyond your
authority, or example, compensation or lack o service
or provision o replacement equipment. In this case, you
will either have to direct the end user to the appropriate
department or pass on the details or them.
It may happen that the end user demands that he/she
speaks to someone with greater authority than you. Thismay be because they are rustrated with the apparent
lack o action and believe that, by insisting on escalation,
they will be given more preerential treatment. This may
well be the case! You will only have the responsibility or
certain aspects o support, and i the end user is
demanding more than you can oer, you will need to
reer them to someone higher up. However, be sure that
you have explored all possible avenues frst and collectedas much inormation as possible. Your superiors time is
more expensive than yours, so i you present all the acts,
the end users problem may be solved very quickly as
soon as it is escalated.
28.2.3.7 Providing andcommunicating
appropriateresponsetimesforresolution
An end user aced with a computer system which does
not work wants it fxed, but they appreciate that this may
take time.
Support is essentially about providing a service, but
creating a good impression is important too. I you can
give the impression that the end users problem is beingdealt with, and that resolution will happen as soon as
possible, the end user will eel reassured. But avoid
making a promise that you cannot keep.
I you say the problem will be resolved within 6 hours
and at the end o the 6 hours it is still not fxed, the end
user will complain. So, it is important to give the end
user realistic inormation about response times. I you
dont know, dont lie!
What does it mean?Escalation meansthereerraloaproblemhigherup
thechainocommand.
Bad news week
1 Workinginpairs,role-playascenarioinwhichoneperson
(theenduser)reportsaaultandtheotherperson(the
helpdesksupporttechnician)knowsthat,dueto
understafng(holidays,sicknessorlackoallocationostatothehelpdesk),heorshewillnothavetimeto
lookatthisproblemoraurther24hours.
2 Discusshowtoconveybadnewstoanangryperson
withoutincreasingtheirrustrationlevels.Makealisto
dosanddonts.
Assessment activity 28.9
28.2.4 Checking solutionsHaving arrived at a solution, you could simply tell the user
how to resolve the problem and leave him or her to it.
However, you may not have ully understood the problem,
or the end user may not have ully understood your
solution or may lack the skills to carry out your
instructions correctly. They could be back on the phone
fve minutes later with an even more complicated problem.So, you need to check that your instructions are clear
enough to be understood and then ollow up to check
that your advice proved to be useul in the orm that it
was given. Only then can you be sure that support was
provided in a way that suited the end user. Evaluative
eedback may take time to collect but it can prove
helpul in adjusting how you solve similar problems in
the uture, and save valuable time then.
This subsection ocuses on two aspects o checking
solutions: testing and user review.
28.2
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28.2.4.1 Testing
I a change has to be made to an end users
confguration, you should take the end user backthrough the start-up process and make sure that the
changes have worked as planned.
I a new component has to be installed or a peripheral
replaced, you should test the computer system beore the
end user is given access to it again. Then you should ask
the user to attempt to replicate the problem that they
reported in the frst place. Hopeully, your solution will
have cleared any problem and the confdence o the end
user will be restored.
28.2.4.2 Userreview
Sometimes the advice o the technician on the help desk
is sufcient to solve the problem, but sometimes it is
not. An end user may need to reer to other sources ohelp in order to fnd a satisactory solution. I this is the
case, the help desk should be told about it, and measures
should be taken so that other end users do not have to
do the same. I the end user manages to solve the
problem more quickly than the support team could, the
support team must be willing to learn rom them.
A eedback orm might be used to collect this type o
inormation.
Feedback
1 ExploretheInternettofndexamplesoeedback
orms.
2 Foroneparticularproblemthathasbeensolvedoryou
byanotherstudent,giveeedbackastohowthehelp
thatyouneededwasprovided.Includepositiveand
negativecomments.
3 Reviewtheeedbackreceivedaboutoneothe
problemsyousolvedoranotherstudent.What
changescouldyoumaketohowyouinteractwith
users?Setyourselsomegoalstoimproveyourown
perormance.
4 Consideringthetypesoeedbackreceivedandgiven,
designaormthatwouldbesuitabletorecordthe
eedback.Compareyourdesignwiththosecreatedby
othersinyourgroup.
Assessment activity 28.10
As a support technician, you will work within an
organisation, and this organisation will have procedures
that you have to ollow, and methods that you are
expected to adopt. This section explores aspects o how
your day-to-day work will be governed by these rules
and other constraints such as time and the cost o the
resources you use.
28.3.1 Working proceduresand policiesAs part o your induction training, you will be told how
you ft within the organisation, who you will report to
and what is expected o you. You may be working onyour own or within a team o support sta, and your
clients may be in-house colleagues or end users
working or another organisation.
28.3 The influence of organisations on technicalsupport systems
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28.3
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Keeping accurate records provides a measure o the success
rate o the support team. Records should include the calls
taken, incidents dealt with satisactorily by the help desk
sta, those aults that were escalated to a technician (and
how these were resolved). These records also providevaluable inormation about the types o aults (see page 9)
and where they arise. Recognising trends in this data can
help in the ormulation o plans to provide better (i.e.
more reliable) hardware or sotware, and may also be used
to target training or the end users who need it the most.
28.3.1.3 Confidentiality
There are a number o saeguards, both in terms o
legislation and in terms o your contract o employment,
which exist to protect the confdentiality o personal
data, and you will be expected to abide by those rules
and regulations.
In particular, the inormation revealed to you by end
users may give you access to their private data. You must
not reveal this inormation to anyone else, nor use it
yoursel or any other purpose than the one or which it
was supplied.
Failure to abide by the given rules could result in
disciplinary action and termination o contract. For
more serious oences, you might ace a fne or a term o
imprisonment.The Data Protection Act and other relevant legislation
are considered in Unit 29: IT Systems Troubleshooting
and Repair, page 000.
28.3.1.4 Sensitivity of information
Some o the inormation you need to carry out your jobmay be sensitive. It may relate to uture plans or
upgrading hardware or sotware, or relocation plans. As
with any job, as an employee, you are expected to respect
the sensitivity o such inormation. To reveal highly
sensitive inormation, or example, to a rival
organisation, may well result in dismissal.
I you are working or a government department, youmight fnd that you are bound by the Ofcial Secrets
Act. Contravening this act is a very serious oence and
can result in imprisonment.
28.3.1.5 Outsourcingandgeosourcing
It is possible or the user support unction to be
outsourced.
Instead o having an in-house team look ater all the IT
equipment and maintenance needs, an organisation may
decide to place this service with another organisation,
which specialises in the feld o support. The core
competency o these companies lies in their technical
expertise ideal or support services which an
organisation may not be able to sta rom the in-housesta skills base.
Some service providers host the technology and provide
all technical support, such as or desktops, networks,
data centres and sotware applications, while the client
retains responsibility or owning and handling the
complete business process. For example, a service
provider might host and support a companys website,
but all data entry and processing o the database on
which the site is based continues to be owned and
perormed by the client.
The aim ogeosourcingis to locate a business unction
in a place where costs are minimised and/or to exploit
avourable exchange rates across countries. This may be
done internally or externally to the organisation
branches may be set up in other countries or the workoutsourced. Geosourcing may be applied to a particular
business unction or type o processing (such as a call
centre) based on costs, expertise, technological
inrastructure.
What does it mean?Outsourcingmeansarrangingoranexternalservice
providertocarryout,onanongoingbasis,anactivity
thatwouldnormallybeperormedin-house.
Geosourcingistheprocessoseekingexpertskills
inthebestgeographicallocation.
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Organisational constraints
1 Youworkoranorganisationthatemploys150sta,all
locatedinonebuildingonourfloors.Allemployees
haveaccesstothecompanyintranetandtheInternetvianetworkedworkstations.Normalworkinghoursare
rom9amto5pm,MondaytoFriday.Thereareeight
ull-timeemployeesintheITsupportteam,each
workinga40-hourweek.Devisearotaorthesupport
stainwhichatleasttwomembersostaareworking
rom7amuntil7pmsevendaysaweek.
2 SearchorjobadvertisementsorITsupportsta.
Whatexpertiseisexpected?Whattrainingisoered?
Whathoursarethesupportstarequiredtowork,and
atwhatsalary?Presentyourfndingstoothersinyour
group.
3 Whatmightbetheeectsorstainyourorganisation
iITwereoutsourced?Considerandevaluateboththe
positiveandnegativeeects.
Assessment activity 28.11
28.3.2.3 Userexpertise
The level o support needed or a particular organisation
depends very much on the level o expertise among theemployees.
For example, in a company that specialises in web
designing services or other organisations, nearly all the
employees will be competent in using computers and
languages such as HTML and Java. The level o user
support required or these employees is dierent rom
that required by an engineering company which has a
large sales orce, all using laptops, or in a actory where
process control is used to create a range o products.
The technicians working in the support team need to be
trained to become expert users o the sotware that the
employees have to use, as well as competent in
maintaining the hardware. Since there are a variety o
sotware platorms (Windows, Unix, etc.) and lots o
versions o any given platorm (Windows95, Windows
XP, etc.), a technician needs to accumulate experience
over time so that he/she can assist all manner o end user.
28.4 Technologies and tools used in technical support
As a technician, you are expected to make best use o
available technologies. This section looks at what is
currently available (at the time o writing) and considers
what is likely to happen in the uture.
28.4.1 TechnologiesThis subsection covers three o the technologies which
IT support technicians may use on a daily basis: email,
sotware diagnostic tools and the Control Panel.
28.4.1.1 Email
Email correspondence has increased dramatically in
recent years. It is rare or an organisation to send a
business letter, unless it is a mail shot; and it is rare to
receive letters through the post, unless they are junk mail.
Organisations such as banks, building societies and gas
and electric companies oer to provide online bills and
statements, rather than mail out a paper version.
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Organisations send remittance advice as attachments to
emails, telling suppliers that an amount has been
credited to the suppliers bank in payment o an invoice.
Many airlines provide e-tickets and these are sent by
email. This is ar quicker than sending outconventional tickets in the post.
When sending an email, it is possible to send to more
than one person at a time. The felds To:, Cc: and Bcc:
can be completed with as many email addresses as are
necessary. I you regularly have to send an email to the
same group o addresses, it makes sense to set up a
distribution list.
The method given here selects the addresses rom an
address book; you might also create a distribution list by
copying names rom an email. These instructions apply
to Microsot Outlook (see Figure 28.13). I you are using
other sotware, use the help unction to fnd out how to
set up a distribution list.
How to set up a distribution list1 Select File / New / Distribution List.
2 In the Name box, type a name that makes sense or
this group o email addresses.
3 Press Select Member this opens a dialogue box.
4 In Show Names rom the:, click on the down arrow
to reveal the available address books. Select the one
that contains the addresses o the people you want to
include in the group.
5 For each person you want to add, select the name
rom the list. I you use the CTRL key you can select
more than one person at a time rom a single address
book. When you press OK, any selected addresses are
added to your distribution list.
6 To add more members, perhaps rom a dierent
address book, repeat steps 3, 4 and 5.
7 The distribution list is saved in your Contacts older,
and can be selected as the addressee or an email.
What does it mean?Adistribution list isacollectionoemailaddresses
whichcanbereerredtobyasinglegroupname.
The notes section allows space for extra
information about this group of
addresses, e.g. what you plan to send to
them and the dates mailings were
actually made could be recorded here.
Choose a name to describe
the group of contacts in this
distribution list
Select an initial list of
members, or add e-mail
contacts to the list, one
at a time, later.Figure28.13 Settingupadistributionlist
28.4
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28.4.1.2 Softwarediagnostictools
Sotware diagnostic tools are essential when you are
troubleshooting. They provide much needed
inormation, and can be used to eliminate what is
working, until you are just let with what is not working.
Unit 29: IT Systems Troubleshooting and Repairconsiders
diagnostic tools and also tools such as WinVNC, that are
available to monitor trafc on a network; see page 000.
28.4.1.3 ControlPanel
The Control Panel provides access to everything needed
to control a PC: rom adding a new piece o hardware tosetting the time, rom choosing your Internet options to
setting power options. It also provides options to
customise the appearance and unctionality o a
computer. The Control Panel can be accessed through
Windows Explorer, My Computer or by clicking on Start
and selecting it (see Figure 28.14).
Remember!Diagnostic softwareattemptstodiagnosea
problem;itidentifespossibleaultsandoers
solutions.
Click on Start, or press the Start key on
your keyboard to reveal the Start menu.
Select Control Panel.
Figure28.14 StartmenuroutetotheControlPanel
Email distribution lists1 Fortheemailsotwareinstalledonyourcomputer,
checkhowyoumightsetupadistributionlist.
2 Writeguidancenotesonhowtosetupadistribution
list,includingscreengrabsoeachimportantstep
intheprocess.
3 Setupadistributionlistwhichincludesatleastsix
oyourriends,andemailtheguidancenotesto
them.
4 Youwillreceiveemailsromriendswithdetailso
howtosetupadistributionlist.Noticewhereyour
nameappearsontheemail.Checktheattachment
andtrytoollowtheinstructionsgiven.Writeareply
oreachsetoinstructionsreceived,commenting
ontheuseulnessotheguidance.
Assessment activity 28.12
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Within the Control Panel, there are many icons (see
Figure 28.15): clicking any o these leads to a separate
unction.
You should visit every location on the Control Panel tobecome amiliar with every dialogue box, and every
option available. However, becoming amiliar with every
route through the Control Panel is not quite as big a task
as you might think. Many o them lead to the same place,
so what you need to learn is which route is best or you.
For example, in Windows XP, there are two routes or
getting to the Device Manager:
click on the Administrative Tools icon in the Control
Panel (see Figure 28.2 on page 000) and then on the
Computer Management icon (Figure 28.16(a))
alternatively, click on System in the Control Panel,
then select the Hardware tab on the System Properties
panel (see Figure 28.16(b)).
Similarly, here are two ways o locating Performance
Logs and Alerts:
Control Panel / Administration Tools / Computer
Management / System Tools
Control Panel / Administrative tools / Perormance.
And to get to the Disk Defragmenter, you can go via:
Control Panel / Administration Tools / Computer
Management / Storage
Start / All Programs / Accessories / System Tools.The settings that you change through the Control Panel
are stored in the Registry.
Remember!
TheControl Panelisaolderwhichoersroutesto
flesthatcanbeusedtomanagethecomputer
system.
Add Hardware leads to a wizard which
guides you through installing the
device driver for a new piece of
equipment. It also offers a trouble-
shooting service.
Add or Remove Programs lists
the software installed on your
PC and reports how often you
use it. You can then decide
which, if any, to delete.
Notice that the
options in the
Control Panel
are listed
alphabetically.
Figure28.15 TheControlPanel
What does it mean?
TheRegistrystoressettingsthatWindowsmakesitsel,e.g.thehardwareconfgurationidentifedduring
thebootprocess.
28.4
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IT Practitioners [33]
(a) (b)
Figure28.16 RoutestotheDeviceManager:(a)throughComputerManagementand(b)throughSystemProperties
Each time you turn on your PC, the operating system
reers to settings in the Registry so that it knows the
settings that you want to use:
the hardware attached to your PC
the applications that you have installed
the machines IP address
details o your user account
the colour settings o your desktop.
Whenever you make a change to your settings, e.g. using
the Control Panel, it is recorded in the Registry. There is
no need to use the Registry itsel, because settings can be
changed more saely within the Control Panel.The Control Panel
1 Workingwithtworiends,shareoutthelistoiconsontheControlPanel.Fromyourshare,selecttwoor
threethatinterestyou.
2 Exploreindetailtheeectoclickingoneacho
yourchosenicons.Makenotessothatyoucan
rememberwhatyouhavediscoveredandbeableto
explainittoyourtworiends.
3 Takeitinturnstopresentyourfndingstoeach
other.
Assessment activity 28.13
Test your knowledge
1 Givethreeexamplesosettingsthatcanbe
changedviatheControlPanel.
2 WhatinormationisstoredwithintheDevice
Manager?
3 Explainwhatinormationisstoredwithin
PerormanceLogs.
4 WhatistheRegistry?
5 Givefveexamplesosettingsthatareretained
withintheRegistry.
28 4 2 F t t d
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28.4.2 Future trendsO course, it is impossible to predict exactly what will
happen in the uture. However, close inspection o what
has happened in the recent past and o the latestinventions may help you to identiy possible uture
trends.
This subsection ocuses on three topics that have been
identifed by the awarding body. In addition, there may
be others that develop as time passes.
28.4.2.1 Increasingrelianceonremotesupport
It is possible to allow a remote user to have control over
your screen and to show you, on-screen, how to do
something. This can be activated through, or example,
Messenger (see Figure 28.17).
The end user has to agree to accept remote control and
can cancel it at any time. So, a basic level o control isretained by the end user. However, there are monitoring
systems already available which allow monitoring o
users without their knowledge and hence without their
permission; see WinVNC in Unit 29: IT Systems
Troubleshooting and Repair(page 000).
Balancing rights and responsibilities, and providing end
users with help while still allowing them a level o
privacy, is a juggling act which may prove difcult in
years to come.
28.4.2.2 Developmentofsystemsthatanalyse
and reportonfaultsfor otherusessuchas
planningcorporatetrainingprogrammes
Part o the purpose o collecting statistics about
incidents is to analyse the data and make decisions based
on trends spotted within the data.
I the same ault involving the ailure o a particular
component happens oten, the person responsible or
purchasing IT equipment needs to know, and perhaps
a decision will be taken to change supplier.
I the same end user makes repeated requests or
support, perhaps this individual should be directed
towards more ormal training options?
The person from whom you want
to request remote assistance
must be one of your contacts,
and they must be online at the
same time as you.
You can build up a list
of contacts, all of whom
also have Messenger
installed on their
computer system.
Messenger provides
an online chat option.
Figure28.17 Remotecontrol
I the same questions are being asked by lots o end
users, perhaps more training is needed on that
particular topic? Or perhaps an FAQ or help sheet is
needed.
Automatic analysis o the data would speed up theeedback time and allow management to make better
decisions. It would also ree up the person who currently
completes the analysis manually. In the uture, thereore,
we might expect that all aspects o IT support activities
will be monitored and analysed automatically.
28.4
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28.4.2.3 Developmentofcentral
infrastructures,contractedoutand
offshoreservices
The larger UK organisations, like BT and the major
banks, have already set up call centres overseas. I these
services prove successul, it may result in smaller
organisations ollowing suit and opting to contract out
services and consider geosourcing. Over time, this could
have an adverse impact on the availability o IT
technician vacancies in the UK. It might, however, open
up possibilities or suitably qualifed technical support
sta to take up posts overseas.
Test your knowledge
1 Giveexamplesorecentinventionsthathavetransormedhowpeoplecommunicatewitheach
other.
2 Suggesturtherdevelopmentsintechnologythat
mayalterthewaypeopleworkandplay.
3 HowmighttheroleotheITsupporttechnician
alterinthenextfvetotenyears?
Predicting the future
1 ResearchtheInternetornewsreportsonthesetting
upocallcentresbybanksandotherlarge
organisations.Whenweretheysetup?Howmanysta
dotheyemploy?Howhasthisdatachangedoverthe
pastfveortenyears?Presentyourfndingsasa
report.
2 Workingwithothers,searchtheInternetorcallcentres
locatedwithina50-mileradiusoyourhome.Extend
yoursearch,lookingurtherafeld,evenoverseas.
Recordcontactinormationoreachcallcentreandplot
thelocationsonamap.
3 Describetwocurrentsotwaretoolsusedbysupport
staoneshouldbeadiagnostictoolandonea
monitoringtool.Outlinepossibleuturedevelopments
inthisarea.Comprehensivelyreviewarecentadvance
insupportsystemstechnologyandevaluatetheimpact
itishavingontheprovisionosuchsupport.
Assessment activity 28.14
EndoUnitassessment
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Theassessmenttasksinthisunitarebasedon
theollowingscenario.
ITSMAGIC is a small company which makes props
for magicians, such as top hats from which a rabbit
can be pulled. ITSMAGIC