Techies shunned as workers fix own IT problems

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The real issue...

The real issue here is why users would rather try the DIY approach before calling tech support, and the consequences of doing so.

Time and experience. How many times does a user have to call tech support and be asked, "Have you tried rebooting?" before they learn to reboot first, then call tech support if the problem persists? Nothing wrong with that, and the amount of time saved and return to productivity is greatly accelerated if it works (and it frequently does). If successful, a 5-minute cure is always better than waiting an hour or more for tech support to show up.

Poor tech support. Many companies help desks are manned by low-paid, entry-level techs. It's not until you get to second or third-tier support that you start to get to the real experienced gurus. In the days (10-15 years ago) when users had no personal PCs of their own and little to no prior PC experience, tech support personnel were demi-gods by comparison. Now, as generations who grew up with computers enter the workforce, the distinction becomes much more blurry. PCs are no longer the "mysterious machines" they once were to more and more users, and hence, the fear of the DIY approach is much diminished.

The "I am god, you are not" attitude of some tech support personnel is unacceptable, counter-productive at best and at worst, will drive users to DIY attempts well beyond their level of knowledge and expertise. Good deskside manners on the part of the technicians go a long way towards engendering an atmosphere of mutual trust, respect and cooperation.

There are drawbacks to DIY, of course. As experienced and knowledgeable as the user may feel he or she is, there are still vast areas of inner computer and software workings that are beyond their ken. To draw an analogy to health care, you can take an OTC aspirin for a headache, put antibiotic and a bandage on a simple cut, but (hopefully) most people would leave even minor surgery up to a trained doctor or nurse-practicioner. Back to the PC world, a PC that has been subjected to several DIY attempts may well have its original problem completely obscured or greatly compounded by the time it gets to the PC technician.

The trick for organizations is to have a good set of guidelines as to what a user is or is not allowed to do, when they should (or must) call tech support, and at least a modicum of user training.

Posted by: DrMicro   Posted on: 05/11/07 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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