Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
Who hasn't had some nightmarish experience dealing with atechnology vendor? Maybe you've purchased a PC and had to waiton hold for what seemed like an eternity to fix a problem. Or maybeyou've experienced some software glitch and the only way thetechie at your Internet service provider (ISP) wanted to deal withyou was through e-mail.
Yet while we've become accustomed to grumbling about poortreatment from PC vendors, software companies and ISPs, there areforces changing all that. Industry insiders say that as the PC andsoftware industries mature, customer service is becoming moreimportant. And as competition continues to heat up among ISPs, somebelieve customers will make their choices based on reliability andservice rather than on price. The bottom line: Customer service isdramatically improving, which means you should begin to expect morefrom these companies.
A surprising factor contributing to improved customer serviceamong PC vendors is what Elena Christopher, industry analyst atWestborough, Massachusetts, research firm Dataquest, calls the"warranty take-back trend." While three-year warrantieswere commonplace just a few years ago, one-year warranties are nowstandard. Likewise, within the last year most hardware companies,including Compaq, IBM, Dell and Hewlett Packard, have moved fromfree lifetime technical support to a 30- to 90-day start-upperiod--and then charge for follow-up support at an average of $32per incident. With customers now paying for support, saysChristopher, PC vendors are feeling the pressure to providehigher-quality service.
"While the warranty take-back trend may initially comeacross as negative, in the long term it's going to place afocus on quality rather than quantity," insists Christopher."If fees are going to be charged, it's absolutely fair forcustomers to demand enhanced quality."
Similarly, while lengthy waits on tech support lines have longbeen the norm, many are taking steps to upgrade their services.According to Dataquest, which reports PC users placed some 200million calls to ask software questions in the past year, theindustry has reduced the average time on hold by 25 percent, toabout three minutes.
In addition to phone support, some companies are providingadditional support via the Internet and fax-back. But here,Christopher contends, consumers aren't holding up their end ofthe bargain. About 70 percent of end-users say they"always" use the telephone for service and support,leaving a small portion who use electronic options.
"If the goal is to get your questions answered as soon aspossible, [electronic support] is a means to do so yourself,"Christopher says. "You get instant access and no time on hold.It's a way to get free support that should be taken advantageof more often."
Supporting Role
If you have a burning computer question and tech support isnowhere to be found, let your fingers do the walking through theTech Support Yellow Pages (CyberMedia). The book offerscontact information for more than 2,000 software, hardware andservice companies to call with inquiries about how to use yourbusiness's various computer products and software programs.What's more, the Tech Support Yellow Pages containslistings for approximately 500 user groups you can get involvedwith around the country.
For those who prefer staying away from the phone lines, this300-page guide also comes bundled with a CD-ROM version. Users withexisting Internet connections can use the Yellow Pages on CD-ROM toaccess software and hardware companies' World Wide Web sites,pose questions and get help trouble-shooting online. Cost:$19.95.
Contact Sources
Sprint, Business Solutions Center, (800) 407-7434;
CyberMedia, 3000 Ocean Park Ave., #2001, Santa Monica, CA90405, (310) 581-4700;
Dataquest, 9 Technology Dr., P.O. Box 5093, Westborough,MA 01581, (508) 871-5000.
