Tech support
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Warn family and friends never to allow unknown or untrusted people to remote into their computers to avoid scams.
Scammers may call to gain access.
one person who lived it
Teach parents how to learn computer skills rather than just performing tasks for them, to prevent reliance on others.
Parents may develop a mindset that they do not need to learn because their children will handle it.
one person who lived it
Include detailed information in help desk tickets, such as what you were doing, troubleshooting steps taken, duration of the issue, and error messages.
Error messages can be the key to resolving the issue.
- Do not include confidential information such as ID numbers or Social Security numbers.
one person who lived it
Instruct users to unplug and replug specific cables to reseat them, rather than asking if they are plugged in.
This approach allows the user to save face.
one person who lived it
Call parents or grandparents for help with minor tasks to strengthen relationships, but recognize they may lack knowledge of modern technical procedures.
They will appreciate the call and enjoy helping you.
- Grandparents may not know how to perform complex technical tasks like jailbreaking Android.
- Advice received may be outdated or generic (e.g., 'ask Jeeves').
one person who lived it
Tell IT exactly what is wrong, such as specifying which website won't load, rather than using vague terms like 'the internet is broken'.
It will speed up the whole process.
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Assume IT professionals do not want to fix your personal computer in their free time.
They perform this work for a living, and adding unpaid labor is unattractive.
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Unplug your modem for two minutes rather than just ten seconds when resetting it.
People often do not unplug it long enough when following shorter instructions.
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Perform a full shutdown of your computer rather than just logging off when instructed to restart.
Many people only log off instead of doing a full shutdown.
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Build your own PC to save money and gain control over hardware, as it is relatively inexpensive and rewarding.
It saves hundreds of dollars and avoids privacy invasions associated with pre-built or repaired systems.
one person who lived it
Remove hard drives before taking a computer to a repair shop to protect privacy from potential data theft or invasion.
Stories exist of shop employees stealing data or viewing private images.
one person who lived it
Do not lie to technicians about whether you have restarted the device or performed basic troubleshooting.
Lying makes the technician think you are either a liar or incompetent.
2 people, independently
Submit an official ticket for IT requests instead of calling, knocking on doors, or sending elaborate emails.
Work may be refused without a ticket, and informal requests get ignored.
2 people, independently
Set up remote access software to require explicit confirmation from the user before connecting.
This ensures they know they must accept your request before you can see anything.
one person who lived it
Install remote access software on the user's computer to avoid lengthy phone explanations.
It saves you from the irritating dance of explaining steps over the phone.
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Adapt your communication style to the individual's preference, using visuals and written words for some and spoken explanations for others.
Some people learn better from visuals and text, while others prefer listening.
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Describe the specific action and resulting behavior when reporting IT issues instead of stating that an item is broken.
This format yields quicker answers and reduces frustration from support staff.
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Attach screenshots to help desk tickets to illustrate the problem.
Attachments help investigate the issue.
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Physically verify if the computer is plugged in when asked, rather than assuming it is connected.
The issue is frequently that the device is not plugged in.
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Enable two-factor authentication on remote access software to slow down or stop unauthorized access.
Two-factor authentication would have at least slowed down or stopped the intrusion.
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Set up electronic devices for elderly recipients and provide a hands-on demonstration of how to use them.
Explanations over the phone are limited and technician visits are expensive.
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Videotape sporadic or intermittent issues before contacting a technician so the problem can be diagnosed even if it isn't happening during the visit.
Technicians cannot fix problems that are not occurring when they are present; video allows for pre-diagnosis.
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Describe symptoms clearly and specifically when reporting bugs, including error messages and exact behaviors, rather than vague statements or your own diagnosis.
Users often do not report issues clearly or correctly.
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Do not assume IT workers can fix every hardware or software issue, particularly those outside their daily systems.
IT expertise is often limited to specific systems or software types they use regularly.
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Do not disclose technological skills to friends, family, or coworkers to avoid becoming their unpaid personal tech support.
3 people, independently
List the troubleshooting steps you have already attempted when requesting IT assistance.
Support staff may be skeptical of user-reported troubleshooting efforts without details.
one person who lived it
Use physical object analogies, such as comparing phones to glasses and cloud storage to thermoses, to explain cloud concepts to older adults.
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Set clear boundaries for availability, such as only fixing computers at specific times or events, rather than being on-call.
one person who lived it
Cover unnecessary buttons on complex remotes with black tape to simplify the interface for elderly users.
one person who lived it
Record a video tutorial demonstrating how to navigate menus, especially for smart TVs.
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