Editing Technical support

{{short description|Maintenance service of electronic consumers}}
{{redirect|Tech support|the television episode|Tech Support (Beavis and Butt-Head)}}
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[[File:Callcentre.jpg|thumb|A call center in [[Lakeland, Florida]]]]
'''Technical support''', commonly shortened as '''tech support''', is a [[customer service]] provided to customers to resolve issues, commonly with [[consumer electronics]]. This is commonly provided via [[Call centre|call centers]], [[online chat]] and [[email]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4387525.stm |title=Technical support for the neighbours |access-date=2008-03-06 | work=BBC News | date=2005-03-28}}</ref> Many companies provide [[Internet forum|discussion boards]] for users to provide support to other users, decreasing load and cost on these companies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/using-online-forums.html|work=[[Inc. (magazine)|Inc.]]|title=How to Use Online Forums}}</ref>

==Outsourcing tech support==
With the increasing use of technology in modern times, there is a growing requirement to provide technical support. Many organizations locate their technical support departments or [[call centers]] in countries or regions with lower costs. [[Dell]] was amongst the first companies to outsource their technical support and customer service departments to India in 2001.<ref>[https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna4853511 Dell moves outsourced jobs back to U.S. shores]</ref>  There has also been a growth in companies specializing in providing technical support to other organizations. These are often referred to as MSPs (Managed Service Providers).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greatvoiceco.com/wp_maggiek.html |title=Call Centre Trends |access-date=2008-05-02 |last=Berkley |first=Susan |author2=Maggie Klenke  |work=The Great Voice Company }}</ref>

For businesses needing to provide technical support, [[outsourcing]] allows them to maintain high availability of service. Such need may result from peaks in call volumes during the day, periods of high activity due to the introduction of new products or maintenance service packs, or the requirement to provide customers with a high level of service at a low cost to the business. For businesses needing technical support assets, [[outsourcing]] enables their core employees to focus more on their work in order to maintain productivity.<ref name= perkins>{{cite web | author= Perkins, Bart | url=http://www.computerworld.com/printthis/2004/0,4814,97239,00.html | title= Outsourcing: First Ask Why?| date= 2004-11-08| work= [[Computerworld]] Management |access-date= 2008-05-06 }}</ref>  It also enables them to utilize specialized personnel whose technical [[knowledge base]] and experience may exceed the scope of the business, thus providing a higher level of technical support to their employees.

==Multi-level tech support== 
Technical support is often subdivided into tiers, or levels, in order to better serve a business or customer base. The number of levels a business uses to organize their technical support group is dependent on the business's needs regarding their ability to sufficiently serve their customers or users. The reason for providing a multi-tiered support system instead of one general support group is to provide the best possible service in the most efficient possible manner. Success of the organizational structure is dependent on the [[technician]]s' understanding of their level of responsibility and commitments, their customer response time commitments, and when to appropriately escalate an issue and to which level.<ref name=walker>{{cite book | last= Walker| first =Gary | title= IT Problem Management (Harris Kern's Enterprise Computing Institute Series) | publisher = [[Prentice Hall]] | location=Upper Saddle River | year = 2001 | pages=85–113| isbn=0-13-030770-X |id=[[Google Book Search]]}}</ref> A common support structure revolves around a three-tiered technical support system. Remote computer repair is a method for [[troubleshooting]] software related problems via [[remote desktop]] connections.<ref>{{cite news | first=Jack | last=Germain | title=Remote PC Repair, Part 1: The Warranty Alternative | date=2007-07-30 | url =http://www.technewsworld.com/story/60053.html | work =TechNewsWorld | access-date = 2008-03-04 }}</ref>  

===L1 Support===
Tier I (or Level 1, abbreviated as T1 or L1) is the first technical support level. The first job of a Tier I specialist is to gather the customer's information and to determine the customer's issue by analyzing the symptoms and figuring out the underlying problem.<ref name = walker/> When analyzing the symptoms, it is important for the technician to identify what the customer is trying to accomplish so that time is not wasted on "attempting to solve a symptom instead of a problem."<ref name = walker/>

Once identification of the underlying problem is established, the specialist can begin sorting through the possible solutions available. Technical support specialists in this group typically handle straightforward and simple problems while "possibly using some kind of knowledge management tool."<ref name="windley">{{cite news | author= Windley, Phillip J. | title= Delivering High Availability Services Using a Multi-Tiered Support Model | year = 2002 | work=Windley's Technometria | url=http://www.windley.com/docs/Tiered%20Support.pdf | access-date = 2008-05-03}}</ref> This includes troubleshooting methods such as verifying [[physical layer]] issues, resolving username and password problems, uninstalling/reinstalling basic [[software applications]], verification of proper hardware and software set up, and assistance with navigating around application menus. Personnel at this level have a basic to general understanding of the product or service and may not always contain the competency required for solving complex issues.<ref name="kajko">{{cite journal | author = Kajko-Mattsson, Mira | title=Problems within front-end support| journal=[[Journal of Software Maintenance and Evolution: Research and Practice]]| volume=16| issue=4/5|date=July–October 2004| pages=309–329 | doi=10.1002/smr.298| s2cid=385778}}</ref> Nevertheless, the goal for this group is to handle 70–80% of the user problems before finding it necessary to escalate the issue to a higher level.<ref name="kajko" />

===L2 Support===
Tier II (or Level 2, abbreviated as '''T2''' or '''L2''') is a more in-depth technical support level than Tier I and therefore costs more as the technicians are more experienced and knowledgeable on a particular product or service. It is synonymous with '''level 2 support''', '''support line 2''', '''administrative level support''', and various other headings denoting advanced technical [[troubleshooting]] and analysis methods. Technicians in this realm of knowledge are responsible for assisting Tier I personnel in solving basic technical problems and for investigating elevated issues by confirming the validity of the problem and seeking for known solutions related to these more complex issues.<ref name=kajko/> However, prior to the [[troubleshooting]] process, it is important that the technician review the work order to see what has already been accomplished by the Tier I technician and how long the technician has been working with the particular customer. This is a key element in meeting both the customer and business needs as it allows the technician to prioritize the troubleshooting process and properly manage their time.<ref name = walker/>

If a problem is new and/or personnel from this group cannot determine a solution, they are responsible for elevating this issue to the Tier III technical support group. In addition, many companies may specify that certain troubleshooting solutions be performed by this group to help ensure the intricacies of a challenging issue are solved by providing experienced and knowledgeable technicians. This may include, but is not limited to, onsite installations or replacement of various hardware components, software repair, diagnostic testing, or the utilization of remote control tools to take over the user's machine for the sole purpose of troubleshooting and finding a solution to the problem.<ref name="walker" /><ref name="nelson">{{cite journal | author = Leung, Nelson K. Y. |author2=Lau, Sim Kim | title=Information Technology Help Desk Survey: To Identify the Classification of Simple and Routine Enquiries| journal=Journal of Computer Information Systems | volume=47| issue=4|date=Summer 2007| pages=70–81}}</ref>

===L3 Support===
Tier III (or Level 3, abbreviated as T3 or L3) is the highest level of support in a three-tiered technical support model responsible for handling the most difficult or advanced problems. It is synonymous with level 3 support, 3rd line support, back-end support, support line 3, high-end support, and various other headings denoting expert level troubleshooting and analysis methods. These individuals are experts in their fields and are responsible for not only assisting both Tier I and Tier II personnel, but with the research and development of solutions to new or unknown issues. Note that Tier III technicians have the same responsibility as Tier II technicians in reviewing the work order and assessing the time already spent with the customer so that the work is prioritized and time management is sufficiently utilized.<ref name = walker/> If it is at all possible, the technician will work to solve the problem with the customer as it may become apparent that the Tier I and/or Tier II technicians simply failed to discover the proper solution. Upon encountering new problems, however, Tier III personnel must first determine whether or not to solve the problem and may require the customer's contact information so that the technician can have adequate time to troubleshoot the issue and find a solution.<ref name=kajko/> It is typical for a developer or someone who knows the code or backend of the product, to be the Tier 3 support person.

In some instances, an issue may be so problematic to the point where the product cannot be salvaged and must be replaced. Such extreme problems are also sent to the original developers for in-depth analysis. If it is determined that a problem can be solved, this group is responsible for designing and developing one or more courses of action, evaluating each of these courses in a test case environment, and implementing the best solution to the problem.<ref name="kajko" />

===L4 Support===
While not universally used, a fourth level often represents an escalation point beyond the organization. L4 support is generally a hardware or software vendor.<ref name=BMC>{{cite web|url=https://www.bmc.com/blogs/support-levels-level-1-level-2-level-3|title=IT Support Levels Clearly Explained: L1, L2, L3, and More|author=Joe Hertvik |date=July 7, 2016}}</ref>

==Scams==
{{main|Technical support scam}}

A common scam typically involves a [[cold caller]] claiming to be from a technical support department of a company like [[Microsoft]]. Such cold calls are often made from [[call center]]s based in [[India]] to users in [[List of countries by English-speaking population|English-speaking countries]], although increasingly these scams operate within the same country. The scammer will instruct the user to download a [[remote desktop]] program and once connected, use [[Social engineering (security)|social engineering]] techniques that typically involve [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] components to persuade the victim that they need to pay in order for the computer to be fixed and then proceeds to steal money from the victim's credit card.<ref>{{cite news|last = Arthur|first = Charles|title = Virus phone scam being run from call centres in India|url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/jul/18/phone-scam-india-call-centres|access-date = 31 March 2014|newspaper = Guardian|date = 18 July 2012}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Call center]]
*[[Call board]] 
*[[Customer service]]
*[[Comparison of issue-tracking systems]]
*[[Comparison of help desk issue tracking software]] 
*[[Help desk]] 
*[[Help desk software]]
*[[Customer support]]

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Technical Support}}
[[Category:Help desk]]
[[Category:Outsourcing]]
[[Category:Customer service]]
[[Category:Computer telephony integration]]
[[Category:Computer occupations]]
[[Category:Remote desktop]] 
[[Category:Telephony]]