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Technical support, commonly shortened as tech support, is a form ofcustomer service provided to assist users in resolving problems with products such asconsumer electronics andsoftware.[1] Technical support is typically delivered throughcall centers,online chat, andemail services.[2] In addition, many companies operateonline forums or discussion boards where customers can providepeer-to-peer assistance, a practice shown to reduce the workload and costs of formal support channels.[3]
With the increasing use of technology in modern times, there is a growing requirement to provide technical support. Many organizations locate their technical support departments or call centers in countries or regions with lower costs. Dell outsourced its technical support and customer service operations toIndia in 2001; some of these jobs were later moved back to theUnited States.[4] There has also been a growth in companies specializing in providing technical support to other organizations, often referred to asManaged Service Providers (MSPs).[5]
For businesses needing to provide technical support,outsourcing allows them to maintain high availability of service, especially during peak demand or product launches. Such arrangements may reduce operational costs and enable core employees to focus on primary responsibilities.[6] It also provides access to specialized personnel with technical expertise beyond the internal workforce.[7]
Technical support is often subdivided into tiers, or levels, in order to better serve a business or customer base. The number of levels a business uses to organize their technical support group is dependent on the business's needs regarding their ability to sufficiently serve their customers or users. The purpose of a multi-tiered support system is to improve efficiency by matching issue complexity with technician expertise.[8] Success of the organizational structure is dependent on thetechnicians' understanding of their level of responsibility and commitments, their customer response time commitments, and when to appropriately escalate an issue and to which level.[9] A common support structure revolves around a three-tiered technical support system.Remote computer repair is a method fortroubleshooting software related problems viaremote desktop connections.[10]
Tier I (or Level 1, abbreviated as T1 or L1) is the first technical support level. The first job of a Tier I specialist is to gather the customer's information and to determine the customer's issue by analyzing the symptoms and figuring out the underlying problem.[9] When analyzing the symptoms, it is important for the technician to identify what the customer is trying to accomplish so that time is not wasted on "attempting to solve a symptom instead of a problem."[9]
Once identification of the underlying problem is established, the specialist can begin sorting through the possible solutions available. Technical support specialists in this group typically handle straightforward and simple problems while "possibly using some kind ofknowledge management tool."[11] This includes troubleshooting methods such as verifyingphysical layer issues, resolvingusername andpassword problems, uninstalling/reinstalling basicsoftware applications, verification of properhardware and software set up, and assistance with navigating around application menus. Personnel at this level have a basic to general understanding of the product or service and may not always have the expertise for complex issues.[12] They are expected to resolve most straightforward problems, typically 70–80% of reported cases.[13]
Tier II (or Level 2, abbreviated asT2 orL2) is a more in-depth technical support level than Tier I and therefore costs more as the technicians are more experienced and knowledgeable on a particular product or service. It is synonymous withlevel 2 support,support line 2,administrative level support, and various other headings denoting advanced technicaltroubleshooting and analysis methods. Technicians in this realm of knowledge are responsible for assisting Tier I personnel in solving basic technical problems and for investigating elevated issues by confirming the validity of the problem and seeking for known solutions related to these more complex issues.[14] However, prior to thetroubleshooting process, it is important that the technician review the work order to see what has already been accomplished by the Tier I technician and how long the technician has been working with the particular customer. This is a key element in meeting both the customer and business needs as it allows the technician to prioritize the troubleshooting process and properly manage their time.[9]
If a problem is new and/or personnel from this group cannot determine a solution, they are responsible for elevating this issue to the Tier III technical support group. In addition, many companies may specify that certain troubleshooting solutions be performed by this group to help ensure the intricacies of a challenging issue are solved by providing experienced and knowledgeable technicians. This may include, but is not limited to,onsite installations or replacement of various hardware components, software repair,diagnostic testing, or the utilization ofremote control tools to take over the user's machine for the sole purpose of troubleshooting and finding a solution to the problem.[9][15]
Tier III (or Level 3, abbreviated as T3 or L3) is the highest level of support in a three-tiered technical support model responsible for handling the most difficult or advanced problems. It is synonymous with level 3 support, 3rd line support, back-end support, support line 3, high-end support, and various other headings denoting expert level troubleshooting and analysis methods. These individuals are subject-matter experts who support both Tier I and II personnel and contribute to developing solutions for new or previously unresolved issues.[16] Note that Tier III technicians have the same responsibility as Tier II technicians in reviewing the work order and assessing the time already spent with the customer so that the work is prioritized and time management is sufficiently utilized.[9] If it is at all possible, the technician will work to solve the problem with the customer as it may become apparent that the Tier I and/or Tier II technicians simply failed to discover the proper solution. Upon encountering new problems, however, Tier III personnel must first determine whether or not to solve the problem and may require the customer's contact information so that the technician can have adequate time to troubleshoot the issue and find a solution.[14] It is typical for adeveloper or someone who knows the code orbackend of the product, to be the Tier 3 support person.
In some instances, an issue may be so problematic to the point where the product cannot be salvaged and must be replaced. Such extreme problems are also sent to the original developers for in-depth analysis. If it is determined that a problem can be solved, this group is responsible for designing and developing one or more courses of action, evaluating each of these courses in a test case environment, and implementing the best solution to the problem.[14]
While not universally used, a fourth level often represents an escalation point beyond the organization. L4 support is generally ahardware orsoftware vendor.[17]
A common scam typically involves acold caller claiming to be from a technical support department of a company likeMicrosoft. These scams have often originated from call centers in various countries targeting users in English-speaking regions, though increasingly they also operate domestically.[18][19] The scammer will instruct the user to download aremote desktop program and once connected, usesocial engineering techniques that typically involveWindows components to persuade the victim that they need to pay in order for the computer to be fixed and then proceeds to steal money from the victim'scredit card.[20]
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