You're listening to Business English Pod, the Business English podcast for professionals on the move.
Hello, and welcome back to Business English Pod.
My name's Edwin, and I'll be your host for today's lesson on handling a tech support call.
We've all been in this situation.
The phone rings.
Someone's got a problem. they need our help to fix it.
So we work through the issue with the person, trying to figure out exactly what's happening, what the person wants to do and how to help them do it.
But it's not easy, especially on the phone, because we can't see what the other person sees.
And when someone has a problem, they're usually frustrated about it, which can make our job more difficult.
So we need to stay calm and positive, keep a clear head, talk through the issue and find a solution that works.
This situation is not unique to tech support.
Everyone has to be able to solve problems over the phone.
Today, we'll look at several techniques that can help you deal with these kinds of situations successfully.
We'll start by asking open-ended questions confirming what the user is trying to do and asking what they see as they try to do it.
Then we'll try requesting the user to do something, as well as putting our instructions in simple terms.
And finally, we'll practice asking someone to wait while we check something.
In the dialogue, you'll hear a conversation between Stacey and Nick.
Stacey is a lawyer in the US who's having some trouble transferring files to her company's server in the UK.
Nick is the British tech support agent trying to help Stacey solve her problem.
As you listen, try to answer the following questions.
1.
At the start of the conversation.
What question does Nick use to get Stacey to describe the situation?
2.
Why does Nick ask Stacey to try opening the file?
Three, what does Nick ask Stacey to do to help him check whether the problem is fixed?
Hello, tech support, Nick speaking.
How can I help you?
Oh, hi, Nick.
Stacey here in New York.
Sorry to bother you, but it looks like I've got another server issue.
OK, Stacey, I'll be glad to help.
What seems to be the problem?
Well, I'm trying to upload a PDF to your UK server there, but it's not showing up.
I click on the link, but I just get a load of weird characters.
Uh-huh.
And just so that I'm clear on this you want to upload a PDF to the server and then view it in the document portal.
Exactly.
But when you upload the PDF, it doesn't show up in the document list, right?
No, it shows up, all right, it looks like it is there, but then when i try to open it or view it or whatever, i can't, i just get a bunch of gibberish.
Okay, so try opening it now okay, do you see the system navigation bar along the top?
Yeah, that's all there, but in the document field it's just random letters and symbols.
And this isn't totally new.
Actually, The same thing happened before, when the settings were messed up.
Didn't you just change the folder permissions on your end or something?
Well, yeah.
I can back off the permissions to 755 on that folder.
That will ensure the files are writable on the user end.
Uh, sorry?
What I mean is that I can change the security settings so that you have complete access to the folder.
Oh, okay, yeah.
That sounds about right.
But hey, I'm curious, because you can still open it, but it just won't display properly.
Maybe you could email me the PDF and I'll try uploading it here.
Sure thing.
Let me send it right now.
OK, thanks.
It's coming through now.
Two secs.
OK, so I've changed the settings now.
Can you try opening that?
Let's see.
Yeah, perfect.
So it was just a settings thing then, huh?
Okay, so thanks, Nick.
Hey, before you go, I wouldn't mind checking with another file, just to be sure.
It's okay, I gotta run.
The docs look fine.
I think I'm all set.
Thanks again for your help.
Right, okay.
Anytime, Stacey.
Now let's go through the dialogue again and look at the techniques that Nick used during this tech support call.
Hello, tech support, Nick speaking.
How can I help you?
Oh, hi, Nick.
Stacey here in New York.
Sorry to bother you, but it looks like I've got another server issue.
Okay, Stacey, I'll be glad to help.
What seems to be the problem?
Nick answers the phone by stating his department and name before asking how he can help.
Stacey responds by identifying herself and stating the general nature of her problem.
As she says, she has another server issue.
From this, we can imagine that Stacey has had server problems before and has spoken to Nick before.
Nick sets a positive tone by saying that he'll be glad to help.
Tech support issues can be quite frustrating, so it's important to stay positive.
Next, Nick wants to know what the issue is, so he asks an open-ended question.
Asking generally about the problem will give Stacey a chance to explain the situation in her own words.
After that, Nick can get more specific.
Most tech support calls will begin with some kind of open-ended question.
So let's practice some more examples.
Could you explain the issue for me?
What can I help you with today?
So, what kind of problem are you having?
Now, let's hear about Stacy's problem.
Well, I'm trying to upload a PDF to your UK server there, but it's not showing up.
I click on the link, but I just get a load of weird characters.
Uh-huh.
And just so that I'm clear on this you want to upload a PDF to the server and then view it in the document portal.
Stacy wants to upload or transfer a file to the server, but she can't see it.
Or in her words, it is not showing up.
She explains that instead of seeing the file, she gets a load of or a lot of strange looking characters or text.
The first thing Nick wants to do once he has the problem description is to make sure he understands what she wants to do.
He says he wants to be clear on the issue or understand it well, and he restates what she's trying to do in more specific language to confirm Stacy's purpose.
Before you help someone, you really have to be clear on what they want to do.
Let's run through some more ways of confirming a user's purpose.
Just to confirm, you're trying to change the font size in the content block?
So, what you want to do is get all the data off your old phone and put it onto your new one, right?
Okay, just so I'm sure about the problem, you need to change the login settings?
You just need to change the toner cartridge and make some copies.
Is that right?
So, has Nick understood Stacey's purpose correctly?
Exactly.
But when you upload the PDF, it doesn't show up in the document list, right?
Stacey's exactly confirms that Nick understands her purpose and Nick continues by trying to confirm that he has understood the rest of her problem.
Stacey had said that her document didn't show up, so Nick wants to know if that means it didn't appear in the document list.
Notice what Nick does when he is looking for confirmation.
First, he makes a statement.
Then he uses the question tag, write.
This is a useful way to confirm information.
First you state it, then you add a question tag to the end to confirm.
How does Stacey respond?
No, it shows up all right.
It looks like it is there.
But then when I try to open it or view it or whatever, I can't.
I just get a bunch of gibberish.
OK.
So try opening it now, OK?
Do you see the system navigation bar along the top?
It looks like Nick didn't understand perfectly.
Stacy can see the file in the list, but when she opens it, she can't view the document.
She explains that she just gets a bunch of gibberish or a lot of confusing or meaningless words.
Helping someone with any kind of problem over the phone can be difficult because we can't see what the other person sees.
That's why we often need to actually ask about what they see.
And this is what Nick does.
He tells Stacy to open the document, then asks simply and directly do you see the system navigation bar?
What are some other ways we can ask about what someone sees?
Now, can you see a small red lever to the left of the support bar?
Could you just describe what appears along the bottom of the screen?
So, when you're facing the front of the unit, where exactly are the holes?
There's a series of lights across the face.
Which ones are on?
Now let's get back to the dialogue.
Yeah, that's all there.
But in the document field, it's just random letters and symbols.
And this isn't totally new, actually.
The same thing happened before when the settings were messed up.
Didn't you just change the folder permissions on your end or something?
Stacey can see the navigation bar that Nick mentioned, but the contents of the document appear as random letters and symbols.
She's basically explaining the bunch of gibberish in different words, and Stacey mentions that the problem isn't new and that her settings were messed up or incorrect before.
She uses a negative question starting with didn't you to confirm that Nick previously just changed folder permissions?
In this case, Stacey is suggesting a solution to Nick.
And what does Nick say?
Well, yeah, I can back off the permissions to 755 on that folder.
That will ensure the files are writable on the user end.
Uh, sorry?
Nick is talking about backing off or loosening the access permissions to 755 and ensuring the files are writable, which means the user can edit them.
But this kind of language is confusing to Stacey.
Nick is getting too technical, and Stacey can only respond with, Nick needs to explain this again.
What I mean is that I can change the security settings so that you have complete access to the folder.
Nick's new explanation is much clearer.
He's not talking about backing off permissions to 755.
He's just saying he'll change the security settings.
Anytime we're helping someone with a problem, we need to mind our language.
We have to choose words that our listener is sure to understand.
We have to use simple terms instead of technical language.
Let's try some other ways we can rephrase ideas in simpler terms.
Okay, so just push that button and keep your finger on it until that error light stops flashing.
Basically, your laptop is having trouble communicating with the projector unit.
So, you've told the printer that you want to use one kind of paper but it sees a different kind.
Because your phone's OS is quite old, it is having trouble running these new apps.
Does Stacey understand what Nick is saying now?
Oh, okay, yeah.
That sounds about right.
But hey, I'm curious, because you can still open it, but it just won't display properly.
Maybe you could email me the PDF and I'll try uploading it here.
Nick doesn't feel the problem is fixed yet, because Stacey's file doesn't display or appear correct.
He wants to check whether it appears OK when he uploads it.
To do this, he needs Stacy to send him the file.
And so, he requests that she do this, using the polite, maybe you could, to make his request.
This is softer than just saying, email me the PDF, which sounds too direct.
It's a good idea in these situations to keep our requests polite.
There are lots of different ways we can do this.
Let's practice a few more.
First, if you could just find the reset key and press that.
I'd like you to hold the wheel in your right hand and turn the nut with your left.
Now, try moving the mouse so that the pointer is over the picture you want to copy.
Okay, so press that little red record button and say a few words into the mic.
Back to the dialogue.
Sure thing.
Let me send it right now.
Okay, thanks.
It's coming through now.
Two secs.
Okay, so I've changed the settings now.
Can you try opening that?
Stacy uses the common and friendly expression, sure thing, to agree to Nick's request.
Of course, Nick has to wait a moment for the file to appear.
So after thanking Stacy, he needs to fill that time and ask Stacy to wait.
He says the file is coming through, which means it's being transferred.
We can imagine that he sees it appear, but he still has to upload it.
So Nick says, two secs, which is a short but effective way of asking someone to wait.
It doesn't matter exactly how long it is.
Two secs just means a short time.
When you don't want to lose a caller's attention while you do something, you need to ask them to wait.
Let's go over some ways of asking someone to wait.
Could you just hang on a moment while I check your settings?
I'll just be a minute while I look at the note on your account.
Would you mind waiting a few seconds so I can ask my supervisor about this?
I'd just like to look up your account info if you can hold on a moment.
So, can Stacey see the document?
Is the problem fixed?
Let's see.
Yeah, perfect.
So it was just a settings thing then, huh?
Okay, so thanks, Nick.
Hey, before you go, I wouldn't mind checking with another file, just to be sure.
It's okay, I gotta run.
The docs look fine.
I think I'm all set.
Thanks again for your help.
Right, okay.
Anytime, Stacey.
Stacy is happy with the solution, stating that it was just a settings thing.
When we say a something kind of thing, we're saying that the something is what a problem or issue is related to.
Like, just a hard drive thing, or just a connection thing.
In this case, it's the settings.
Nick says he wouldn't mind checking another file.
But Stacy's in a hurry, saying she has to run or leave quickly, and thanks Nick for his help.
Nick finishes with, Any time, which is a nice way to let someone know we're glad to help.
But is the problem really solved?
You'll have to wait until next time to find out.
Now let's practice some of the language we've learned in today's lesson.
We're going to start with a role-play practice.
You'll play the part of a tech support agent at a computer company.
You'll be answering a call from a customer with a printer problem.
You'll need to start by asking an open-ended question about the problem, then confirm what the customer is trying to do and ask them about any error messages they see.
You'll also have to ask the customer to reset the printer and then simplify your instructions.
At each step, you'll hear a prompt spoken by the caller.
Then, I'll give you some suggestions for the language you can use to respond.
We'll guide you through each step in the practice and play an example answer for each response.
Ready?
Let's give it a go.
Hi there.
I can't seem to get my printer to work properly.
Start by saying you'll be glad to help and then ask the caller an open-ended question about the problem.
OK, I'll be glad to help.
What seems to be the problem?
Well, it needs a new ink tank, but I keep getting an error message.
Now, confirm that the user is trying to replace the ink tank.
So you're trying to replace the ink tank, is that right?
Yes, I've put a new one in, but I get an error message.
Now ask exactly what the user sees on the printer display.
Okay, can you tell me exactly what you see on the printer display?
Yeah, it keeps flashing E55.
Now, request that the user restart the unit while holding down the reset button.
I see.
Can you restart the unit while holding down the reset button?
I'm sorry.
What would you like me to do?
Now simplify your instructions by telling the user to turn the machine off and then on while pressing the red button.
Okay, just turn the machine off and on again while pressing the red button.
Now, let's practice useful vocabulary and idioms.
You'll hear a series of sentences with a word replaced with a beep.
Repeat the whole sentence, including the missing word.
For example, if you hear, I don't understand why the document won't properly for me.
You can say, I don't understand why the document won't display properly for me.
After each response, we'll play the correct answer.
Let's begin.
Well, your computer should be all and ready to use now.
Answer.
Well, your computer should be all set and ready to use now.
I've been trying to solve a frustrating... with my laptop.
Answer.
I've been trying to solve a frustrating issue with my laptop.
It should be easy to... Pictures from your camera to your desktop.
Answer.
It should be easy to upload pictures from your camera to your desktop.
I just want to make sure I'm about what you're trying to do.
Answer.
I just want to make sure I'm clear about what you're trying to do.
We've reached the end of this lesson, the first in our two-part series about handling tech support calls.
We've learned how to ask open-ended questions about problems, confirm a person's purpose and ask about what the person sees.
We've also learned how to request someone to do something, use simple words for technical ideas and wait while we check something.
Be sure to tune in for the next episode when we'll hear Stacy call again.
Nick will use some more great techniques to make sure they've finally fixed the problem.
Thanks for listening, and see you again soon.
