Re: Encouraging users to read online help

Subject: Re: Encouraging users to read online help
From: CHRISTINE ANAMEIER <CANAMEIE -at- email -dot- usps -dot- gov>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2001 16:09:25 -0500


> Then, when a user calls in for something simple that
> the Help covers, have the first question from Tech support
> be "Did you follow the instructions in the Help?" If
> the answer is "No", then the tech support person should walk
> the user through the steps: 1. "Click Help." 2. "Select
> Whatever it is." 3. " Read it to me." 4. "Does that answer
> your question?"

Ouch. The tech support people would have to be VERY careful with their
tone of voice if they use this approach. It would be all too easy to
sound patronizing.

Which of these two messages do we want to give the users?
(1) "Go away and stop bothering us, you cretin, the answer's right in
front of your nose if you'd bother to look for it-- see?"
(2) "Here's the answer to your question" ...(blah blah blah)... "And
by the way, for questions like this you might find it more convenient
to look in the online help. Here's how to access it..."

If the user's calling tech support, chances are they're already
feeling frustrated. Give them the answer they need and THEN nudge them
toward the documentation. And make sure the documentation is
excellent.

Christine


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Be a published author! iUniverse gives you: a high-quality paperback, a
custom cover design, and distribution to 25,000 retailers. And it's
affordable. Join our almost 10,000 published authors today.
http://www.iuniverse.com/media/techwr

Your monthly sponsorship message here reaches more than
5000 technical writers, providing 2,500,000+ monthly impressions.
Contact Eric (ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com) for details and availability.

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.



Follow-Ups:

Previous by Author: Re: USAGE- Wisdom Tooth
Next by Author: Re[2]: USAGE- Wisdom Tooth
Previous by Thread: RE: Encouraging users to read online help
Next by Thread: Re: Encouraging users to read online help


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads