We use the web to find information to resolve issues with products and services, several site exists to help in providing information from a company site to 3rd party site. While it is great to have access to vast amounts of information, there are issues with information that can be more of hindrance then a pleasant solution. One thing that I have observed is that manufacturers as well as 3rd party support providers do not accurately explain problems and solutions and leave vital information out.
Just today I needed to resolve an issue with an installed piece of software that would not uninstall through the normal methods. Searching the internet I found an abundance of information about the problem. The sites ranged from 3rd party forums and knowledge bases to manufacturer forums and knowledge bases. While they appeared to contain expert information, none of the information resolved my issue and each ones provided different concepts for solutions even from the same resource. To me this is a big problem with support which caused me to review different information to resolve my problem, which by the way was not resolved with any of the information provided on the sites.
Why does this happen?
My take on the situation is that companies or even 3rd party experts do not take the time to detail information, especially when it is in response to a forum posting. To add to this, some experts out there want to chime in when they do not know all the facts about a particular problem, thus misinformation is created that cannot answer the problem. Many manufacturers see support as a liability instead of an asset, the result from this is limited time and resources to produce accurate information. Since the birth of the internet, knowledge bases and forums have been established in a way to provide support inexpensively, however the concept behind these tools is that when a support person answers a question it is posted for everyone to see. This is a good way to provide information, however every support person is different and will not always answer the questions correctly or with all the details. When these knowledge bases and forums are not monitored for accuracy and completeness of detail, the result is worse than having no support structure at all.
While I understand the need to limit costs, I also understand the concept that quality of product is most important whether it be an actual product or support document. This is another area where support information fails. Support documentation is not considered a product, however in actually it is. If it is being produced it is a product, even if the company is not the document business.
How to Improve Support Communication
By now some of you are thinking that improving support communications is difficult and costly, this is only partially true. Accurate and detailed support is not as difficult as you may think, all that is needed is a plan on how the material is created and communicated. A good plan can be basic steps at first with improvement steps over time.
Basic Steps to Improve Communication
Follow a predefined method for information gathering and document/posting creation - Every form of communication should have the same layout, create a template to follow as this will provide a way for everyone to create the document/posting in the same manner.
Gather information and then create the communication - It is difficult to provide accurate information if it is gathered on the fly.
Put steps to be followed in a list - Many times steps are put into paragraphs with commas separating them, this makes following the task difficult. By listing and numbering steps the reader can follow the information quickly and accurately.
Have the information proof read by a knowledgeable party - Due to human nature the expert is too close to the information and thusly can miss something in the content, by having the information proof read the lack of information and errors can be corrected before release. I am sure that even this blog has some items that are not correct due to the fact that no one is proof reading it.
Have a non-expert perform the tasks - As experts we know the basics behind functionality in general and may fill in missing information without even knowing it, when a non-expert can perform the tasks without help, then the communication is complete.
Make a list of the desired results of the communication - With a punch list, all points to be addressed can be checked for inclusion and accuracy.
Avoid posting on the fly answers as an official solution - When support personnel answer questions on the fly, the information is usually suitable to a particular situation. An official document or posting should contain information from several support calls and not a particular situation.
There is a lot more to this subject that I will not go into detail on in order to limit the length of this blog, providing more would also go beyond step 6 above. There are several ways to improve your technical operations for support. One way is to hire a consultant to provide a review of your current methods and then provide a solution that fits your company. If you are interested in improving your support, my company Wright Technical Solutions can provide those services. Feel free to review my website @ www.wrighttechnicalsolutions.com or look up other consultants.
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