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4 Tips to Speed Up the Support Process and Get Back to Business!
Tips from a Seasoned Solutions Support Engineer on Obtaining a Solution Sooner
4 Tips to Speed Up the Support Process and Get Back to Business!
Tips from a Seasoned Solutions Support Engineer on Obtaining a Solution Sooner
September 19, 2018

1
Be Specific
Describe in detail what you were doing when you received the initial error message. Many different issues can return the same error message, so it is important to describe exactly what you were doing when the error occurred.

Provide the exact wording of the error message.The easiest way to provide the exact verbiage is to copy and paste the error message or capture the entire screen with a screenshot (achieved by pressing Windows and PrtScn if you're running Windows 10). This allows your technical support team to provide resolutions to the exact issue that may have already been solved for.


2
Be Up to Date
Apply the latest software version, including any operating system updates, to see if that resolves the issue.

One question frequently heard in my many years in solutions support is, “Why does it matter that I am using an unsupported version?” Version levels and platforms are a bigger factor than most people realize. New versions may look the same on the outside, but be very different on the inside. For example, newer versions may include fixes for known bugs. Also, it is likely that the software was not tested on platforms other than those specified as compatible.


3
Go for the Full Monty
Provide visuals and thorough descriptions of anything you can.

Context can be everything. Providing logs, as documented by the product troubleshooting guides, and possibly even a good screenshot, can go a long way toward a speedy resolution. When capturing a screenshot, avoid capturing just the portion of the screen where you think the issue lies. By doing so you may accidently omit a relevant part of the screen that would be key for troubleshooting for your support team. Be sure to capture the full screen when possible.

Additionally, it is important to describe any recent changes in the environment, made by yourself or others such as new or updated applications, newly applied carrier data, network settings, operating system or database updates, etc. Then describe application-specific activities performed and any application data additions or updates preceding the problem.


4
Help Me Help You
Be patient and helpful during the problem identification process, there is a reason support asks so many basic questions up front.

A good technical support team will often have a checklist of basic questions, and then will ask you to “start from the beginning” with your story. It may seem like a waste of time, but as a solutions support engineer, I typically regret not pressing my more impatient customers for basic details, such as operating system, installed version, etc. The time to reach a resolution will always be less if we spend more time on problem identification.

Hopefully these tips will save you a lot of time and frustration. It may not always eliminate the need to open a support ticket, but it’s a great way to start the process off when you do.
Brad Minton
Solutions Support Engineer ~ ConnectShip | iShip
 Brad Minton joined ConnectShip in 2010 and is one of our Solutions Support Engineers. He has 29 years of experience in the transportation industry, beginning with UPS, where his positions ranged from Customer Technology Sales Support, to Dispatch Planning System Implementation and Technology Support Group. Brad is an avid reader and enjoys jazz music and concerts as well as spending time with his two nieces