Technical support is possibly one of the most difficult areas a contact center agent can work in. As part of an off-site company, it can be challenging to get the information you need from your callers - much more  so than as part of an on-site service that can simply take a look at the device and diagnose the problem in person.

So what is it that makes a good tech support contact center worker? What advice or strategies can an agent use to make sure they’re doing their job to the best of their ability? Here are a few tips.

Be an excellent listener

We’ll start with the most obvious one. The best way to help a caller with any problem, particularly a complex one, is by listening to them describe their issue carefully. Keep your ears open for minor details that could lead to a solution, and ask as many relevant questions as you need to - without annoying your customer, that is.

Quite simply, the more information you can glean from the caller, the better equipped you’ll be to resolve their problem on the first call.

Manage your time well

Contact center agents work on a tight schedule, and they’re often required to manage that schedule on their own. It’s up to the agent to be efficient and concise while still providing excellent customer service.

Remember, time is valuable to both you and your caller.

Use your discretion when it comes to technological details

This might not be an area that you think about too much when it comes to being a tech support contact agent, but it’s important to remember that the technology you’re working with belongs to a company that’s selling it.

There are bound to be some trade secrets involved in whatever tech you’re providing support for, so you shouldn’t give more details than necessary, either to the caller or to friends and family in your off-time.

Stay flexible

Remember, you’re going to be experiencing all sorts of situations and issues that you’re not expecting; that’s part of the job when you’re providing technical support. An effective agent learns to expect the unexpected and deal with unpredictability.

When dealing with callers, it’s simply impossible to anticipate all the potential problems they might have, so be ready to change course and adjust your strategies on the fly.

Always maintain a pleasant tone

How you speak to a customer is possibly just as important as how well you listen to them. Remember that someone calling in with a technical issue is probably going to be irritated about that issue - especially because the device that’s malfunctioning was likely expensive.

Your tone should project patience, empathy, and authority in equal measure, without exaggerating any of those qualities. A customer wants to feel both understood  AND like they are in the right hands.

It’s up to you to project as much of those sentiments as possible using only your voice.

Use your company’s knowledge base

Knowledge of the policies of the company you’re providing service for is vital. You’ll need to know their tech inside and out along with their rules, and be able to apply your knowledge of both to each customer’s situation.

Since you might be providing service for several different companies at a contact center, it’s important to keep all of that information straight and at your fingertips to provide the best possible service. Use the knowledge base provided to you regularly and often.

Don’t use jargon

As familiar as you will need to become with the technical information of the devices or systems you’re providing service for, it’s handy to remember that the person you’re talking to might not have that same knowledge.

Plenty of callers will know their way around the technology they’re calling about to some degree, but many won’t. After all, if they knew how to fix problems with their devices, they wouldn’t be calling you!

When explaining a problem or a potential solution, keep your language as plain and straightforward as possible. Use a conversational style that can be easily understood, regardless of who you’re speaking with. Customers will appreciate it.

For more on offering your callers excellent customer service, read our post “3 Ways You Can Empower Your Agents to Handle the Most Difficult Callers.”