With all the high tech gizmos we surround ourselves with on a daily basis, it’s almost amazing that the human race once existed in a time without cell phones, PDAs, and computers. Nonetheless, a vast number of tech users react in the most unusually ways when a problem arises with one of their coveted electronic devices. It’s as if their world has come to a stand still when something fails. Before taking the time to examine the issue, they’re on the phone with tech support, complaining that their product is shoddy and demanding it be fixed (almost as if they think the company can magically repair broken hardware over the phone). Cursing and swearing away about the inferiority of said products, the user, in most cases, does nothing to help resolve the issue. So I’ve compiled a few pointers on how to behave when talking with a tech support agent. By following these guidelines, one should be able to not only resolve the issue as fast as possible, but also build a stronger relationship with the company by remaining polite and thankful.

1. It is not the support representative’s fault that your product is no longer working and therefore you have no reason to blame the representative for what happened.

2. Take a moment to observe the broken / damaged part. This way, if the representative asks you a question, you’ll be able to answer.

3. Comply with all the instructions of the representative. After receiving “help me” calls day after day, the reps have a pretty good understanding of the most common issues and means of correcting those issues.

4. Remember your manners (say “please” and “thank you”). If you’re rude toward the representative, why should they feel compelled to help you?

5. Remain calm. There’s no need to get all worked up; if the product is really broken, getting worked up won’t solve anything.

It’s amazing what being polite and courteous can get you.