Just landed a job as an ISP tech support... suggestions?

[j03h4gLund]

I just got a job and will be working in a call center helping customers resolve their internet issues.

I am familiar with setting up my own home network but on a very basic level. And from the sounds of it, this place is going to send me into the wolves. I want to be prepared to answer the most common questions customers may have so that I do not have to send calls I receive to tier 2 tech support.

Is there anyone who could elaborate on some common problems customers may have? I need to better prepare myself for this because I think it could be a great opportunity for me.

Please help, I'm a little nervous and scared that what I know(that has been self taught) will not be enough to send a good message to my new employer.

 

[MichaelD]

You got hired as Tier 1 tech support. They will give you a script to read from with all 100 of the common questions and answers. You will be the guy that says "Sir, is your MODEM plugged into an approved, grounded outlet? Is the power switch on your MODEM turned to the ON position? Do you see the POWER light on the TOP of the MODEM on?" You will be trained that if the answer is not on your script, you elevate to Tier 2. At your level, it's not about actually helping the customer solve the problem, it's about how many calls you take.

Congrats on the job. Don't be nervous. You got hired b/c they felt you had the skills they were looking for. You will do fine. You already probably know 10x more than the average person who will call you. There will always be a "smarter person" who knows what they are talking about when they call you. Don't be afraid to elevate the call.

True story:
Years back I called my ISP (biggest one in a city of 3 million people) to say their DNS servers were down. I explained to Tier 1 support WHAT a DNS server was and that I could get to my domain web pages by IP address, but not by the name. Same for CNN, Yahoo, etc. They put in a ticket and 10 minutes later I got a call from Tier 3 thanking me. They had not seen the alert on their OpenView that there was a problem. It was fixed 5 mins later. True story, brah.

 

[j03h4gLund]

Thanks. I want to make a career out of this - any suggestions on maybe some books I can read or things I can do to learn the next level?

so I can become tier 2..

 

[dma0991]

Ask the obvious questions first like cable connection, turning on the device and keying in password/username before actually going into detail about setting up. Can be somewhat frustrating with some less knowledgeable users but you're paid to listen, be patient and answer them in a proper manner.

 

[M0RPH]

Get ready to deal with lots of stupid people that will drive you crazy. Good luck.

 

[MichaelD]

Gaining practical experience is your job as Tier 1. There may be certifications you'll have to get (A+, possibly Network+, Security+) to move up, but that's company-dependent.

Others will chime in with what to read. I'm not too good with references.

 

[MichaelD]

Get ready to deal with lots of stupid people that will drive you crazy. Good luck.

The first time I heard "Yeah. The internet is broke" I laughed. Now I want to choke people. Customer support is not for me.

True story: Years ago I'm at the help desk. Get a call from someone who can't find their "T" drive (Network share) b/c her desktop link doesn't work.

Me: OK, on your desktop click My Computer.
Her: My computer IS on my desk, Sir.
Me: No, on your screen, click My Computer
Her: I'm in my email.
Me: OK, go to the desktop.
Her: How do I do that?
Me: Click the "minus" button" at the top right of the screen.
Her: OK, I see my icons.
Me: Click My Computer
Her: Where is it?
Me: Most probably in the upper left-hand corner of the screen.
Her: MY LEFT, OR YOUR LEFT?

My brain basically fell out of my mouth. It was then I knew, that direct customer support was not for me. I do much better in the basement with the machines. They are simple.

 

[j03h4gLund]

Thanks again for the replies. That makes me feel a little better - I was getting really nervous

 

[j03h4gLund]

Her: MY LEFT, OR YOUR LEFT?

My brain basically fell out of my mouth. It was then I knew, that direct customer support was not for me. I do much better in the basement with the machines. They are simple.

Lmao

 

[classy]

A good A+ book will help you a lot to get started, but then move on from there. Congrats, Good Luck, and welcome to headache world .

 

[Jeff7]

The first time I heard "Yeah. The internet is broke" I laughed. Now I want to choke people. Customer support is not for me.

True story: Years ago I'm at the help desk. Get a call from someone who can't find their "T" drive (Network share) b/c her desktop link doesn't work.

Me: OK, on your desktop click My Computer.
Her: My computer IS on my desk, Sir.
Me: No, on your screen, click My Computer
Her: I'm in my email.
Me: OK, go to the desktop.
Her: How do I do that?
Me: Click the "minus" button" at the top right of the screen.
Her: OK, I see my icons.
Me: Click My Computer
Her: Where is it?
Me: Most probably in the upper left-hand corner of the screen.
Her: MY LEFT, OR YOUR LEFT?

My brain basically fell out of my mouth. It was then I knew, that direct customer support was not for me. I do much better in the basement with the machines. They are simple.

You should've said "my left" and see where it went from there.

One of my constant issues is right and left click. Whenever right-click is brought up in a conversation, some people forget how to use a mouse. Then every time right-click is used, and I follow with, "now click on this," it's answered with "Right click or left click?".
And every time I have to explain (multiple times), "If I say click, I mean left-click. If I say right-click, I mean right-click."
Several seconds later, those conditions have been completely forgotten.

Then there are those too who forget how to do everything at a computer, even though I know that they've done this before.
- "Type microsoft.com in the address bar."
"What's the 'address bar'?"
- "....Just go to Microsoft's website like you normally would."
<User in question immediately goes to the address bar and types in www.microsoft.com>
"Like that?
- "Yes...and that there is the address bar." Just like it has been for the past decade.


Tech support not fun.


(Side thing: Customers who don't even read the quick-start guide, except perhaps to find a phone number for tech support. Some call in for help, and part of their opening problem statement includes, "I didn't get around to looking at the manual yet, but this thing isn't working. It's got two wires sticking out of it labeled 'hot' and 'neutral.' Do those get connected to anything?"
A short time later, "Oh hey, it works now!"
Yup, giving it power is fairly necessary. And the install guide is only a half-page that's mostly diagrams.)

 

[spidey07]

The whole "power everything down, wait at least one minute, turn on modem, wait at least one minute, power router, wait one minute, then power up computer" really is there for a reason and resolves most troubles. It allows various timers and tables to clear out. So always begin with that, the timing is there for a reason and isn't just smoke.

 

[bobdole369]

You aren't going to deal with any networking other than the obvious - Did your computer get an IP? Why Not?

If you are working for a Cable provider it gets more fun with docsis image files, MAC addresses and the like. DSL and its variants are a bit easier. You'll get exposed to things like "provisioning" - which is very difficult to explain to somebody (but as head of provisioning at an ISP I think I can break it down if you don't already know). Various systems in the head end need to be prepared for your customers device to begin service. With a cable ISP its more like "MAC address entered into allowed database, and associated with package "x"". This normally reserves a public IP and a private IP or 2. Opens an email account and creates web space though that is uncommon anymore (at least in the USA, but we still do it outside the US). All this stuff should be automated but complex systems break down complexly(sp? is that even a word?)

You'll likely get to deal with packetcable phones which is another layer of complexity.

DSL is a little different - signal quality issues will abound and people do really weird stuff to their phones. Less equipment issues on that side, its fairly black box anymore to get dsl or one of its variants to someone.

When I started as a tech on the phones back in 97 (for a big (no longer existing) PC company) I got 3 out of a promised 10 days of training, then sent to the wolves. First couple weeks is script/script/script, how your phone works, how the DB works, etc, next couple weeks is learning how your system works and the various problems you see over and over, after that you just get good and worry about call times.

it ain't a bad life - I worked at one for 5 years and I eventually ended up working for the call center company as an IT drone which basically started my career.

Have an even keel. Under no circumstances take anything personal - you are the only "face" these customers probably ever deal with. Your bread and butter is keeping them paying your company. Your actions are a reflection of that company, so if you get mad or frustrated, don't let it show. Mute is your friend, but our quality department could hear through mute - (at least they claimed that, still dunno and I never got dinged for it).

 

[j03h4gLund]

very cool.

im excited for the opportunity and look forward to making a career out of it. my bosses seem pretty cool too so thats always a plus.

thanks again for the comments - i have a slight load off my shoulders knowing now a little better what im getting myself into.

the thing that worries me is if a customer that is smarter than me gets on the phone and just starts fucking with me and belittleling me. i have a hard time with those types of people - i used to work in sales at circuit city and would have the rare customer come in who liked to pick my brain on stuff totally irrelevant to pc sales - then boast when he stumps me and acts like im inferior.

i did however learn to not take things personally there and enjoyed the job except for the pay. $9.00/hr + 0 commission and high expectations selling service plans/warranties.

with this company ill be making $10/hr and will have minimal sales - however when the opportunity arrises with a customer wanting to buy something - ill get commission

 

[spidey07]

How to deal with those? You're getting paid to listen to him puff up and he isn't. Therefore you win no matter what.

 

[bobdole369]

the thing that worries me is if a customer that is smarter than me gets on the phone and just starts fucking with me and belittleling me. i have a hard time with those types of people - i used to work in sales at circuit city and would have the rare customer come in who liked to pick my brain on stuff totally irrelevant to pc sales - then boast when he stumps me and acts like im inferior.

That hardly ever happens. Few people actually would spend the time on hold to sit there with an agenda to screw with a technician. I would say 99.9&#37; of the calls are from people who are actually having a problem, be it themselves, your system, their computer, or whatever and they are calling you for help. You get the oddball from time to time but its so rare that its not worth thinking about. Don't let it stress you out - you work for the company, not the customer after all.

 

[llee]

Keep a positive attitude. I like to think humor helps keep people sane. Maybe you could start every conversation with "Denny Crane".

 

[Despoiler]

very cool.

im excited for the opportunity and look forward to making a career out of it. my bosses seem pretty cool too so thats always a plus.

No offense, but working in an ISP call center as a career is setting the bar super low. I did that when I was going to college. It's a means to an end not a career.

Read up on A+ and CCNA. Goto school for networking while you toil in the pits of hell known as technical support. You have about 5 years max before you will be burned out of your job.

 

[cmetz]

j03h4gLund, if your ISP is small enough that you're anywhere near the real network engineering folks, spend your downtime trying to make friends with them. It will help you in your L1 job, and it will help you get out of there.

L1 support is going to be a tough job, just try to make the best of it.

https://www.xkcd.com/806/

 

[spidey07]

j03h4gLund, if your ISP is small enough that you're anywhere near the real network engineering folks, spend your downtime trying to make friends with them. It will help you in your L1 job, and it will help you get out of there.

L1 support is going to be a tough job, just try to make the best of it.

https://www.xkcd.com/806/

Great advice. I was always willing (and enjoyed) to help mentor/teach folks who wanted to know more and were motivated to understand the "magic" behind it all. Magic is in quotes because it's really not.

 

[XLNC]

Just wanted to say good luck to you on your new job! Like others have said, you will be given pretty much everything you need to know. Get all the experience you can and get to 2nd or 3rd level. Lot less hassle, lot more pay.

 

[Lithium381]

ISP call center is low end, but it's definitaly experience that you can apply later. If you can excel here and move up quickly, GO! congrats on the job.

i called ATT support once and he said he coudln't determine my IP address because i wasn't on the web, and that websites give me my IP address. . . . . idiot.

 

[akahoovy]

Not sure where your experience level is at, but a few command line prompts to get familiar with that have helped me are tracert, ping, and pathping. Used like this:

tracert www.google.com or pathping www.google.com

Good luck to you.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Good luck, we need you guys in the front lines

Thanks for taking that bullet!

Some commands worth knowing, if you don't already :

http://ss64.com/nt/

 

[Mark R]

I'd be interest to hear how you think you might have handled my problem. My broadband was bandwidth capped erroneously, due to a bug in their network management system, and I tried to get them to release the cap.

I wrote the following letter to Customer services, which was simply forwarded on to Tier 1 support.

Dear Sir/Madam,
I wish to inform you of a systemic training failure within tier 1 technical support. Further, I also want to bring to attention to a persistent refusal to help with what I believe (and have substantial evidence for) a genuine problem.
I have made over 25 calls on this issue, which is a misconfiguration of your "BRAS" system: I have purchased an 8 MBps service, but only receive 512 kbps service. I have excluded a telephone line problem, or a problem with my equipment. Having spoken to multiple other ISPs that resell your product (and have access to the management consoles), they have confirmed that this is a "BRAS" misconfiguration, but that they are unable to reset it on my behalf. Further, I have received confirmation from senior engineers at these other sites which confirm that this "BRAS" problem is a known flaw in your implementation of this, and that your engineers sent out a circular to resellers explaining the problem and how to correct it.
I have explained this issue multiple times to your technical support staff. They are unfamiliar with "BRAS", even following my explanations. When they admit that they cannot help (a problem that I find difficult to believe, as there is a "reset BRAS" button on the front page of the support console), they have refused to escalate the matter to a higher tier. The only service that they were prepared to offer would be a site visit from an engineer, at my cost.
In light of these failings and technical support's refusal to cooperate, I believe that you are in breach of contract for provision of the service that I have paid for. I would be greatful if you could pass this message onto a senior engineer for action (As I have explained, please do not forward it to tier 1 technical support), and also explain why your training and staff attitudes are so poor.
Faithfully yours,
Mark R

As I said, this message was forwarded directly to tier 1 support. The question is, then, what do you do?
Hint: Sending an e-mail back, asking if my modem is plugged in, and the green light on - is not the correct answer; as it resulted in me going all medieval on the head of customer services ass. Didn't help my problem though, but felt good.

I did eventually solve the problem by building a high-voltage generator out of an old microwave oven, and frying the phone line and their equipment. When they replaced it, the automated fault logger initiated an automatic "BRAS" reset.