I wanted to share with you all the experience I felt only a few minutes ago when I just wrapped up my very first support session (I am certified in Windows, Office and General Proficiency). I just finished providing support to Samantha Colbert, who was having trouble with her video software from Pinnacle. The reason I wanted to blog about it is because there is no better learning experience than using one’s own product.

First of all, I must say, it was exhilarating. What an experience to work for such a long time on something, and finally see all the pieces fall into place for it to work. I had tested the system countless times by now, but this was the first time I actually had a real customer.

I found the chat rather easy to use. Samantha was very welcoming to the remote desktop support (I was very cautious to explain exactly what was going to happen, what she was going to see, and how she had to accept), and it was very fast and saved us tons of time in having to explain what to do. All I needed to do was download a file and install the update on her computer. I found that toggling back and forth once I was using remote desktop was a little cumbersome. I think this might improve when we have the “blinking” effect when a chat arrives.

The connection was rather fast, and although technology is my life, I will never cease to be amazed at how I can be sitting in Europe, connected remotely to a desktop in Tallahassee, Florida with such ease.

I was surprised by how positively Samantha reacted to my reassuring words. I let her know that we were here to help, and I would do anything it took to get her problem resolved. It seemed to me like she was confident that she had an expert (and I’d say I’m at the bottom of the pyramid when it comes to our tech team!) who was there to help, any time of the day. How simple and important words can be, especially when someone is seeking help.

I also found that once I was on Samantha’s computer, I was able to see many other services that she might need. I suggested to her that she should clean up her computer and remove some unused software. She liked the idea and even said she’d come back to us to get it done.

Overall, I was incredibly impressed how simple it was to use. And I sensed that she was too. I did feel like phone support would make the session much more enjoyable, save her money and allow me to deliver a better service. I’ve heard it coming from the community, and now I’ve finally experienced it myself.

So guys and gals, I’m rolling up my sleeves — expect phone support sooner rather than later.