TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
At 04:46 PM 03/07/2000 -0800, Jeanne A. E. DeVoto wrote:
>1. Pick up ringing phone. 2. Answer customer's question
>or solve customer's problem... Customer service is not an
>easy job, but it's usually pretty straightforward, at least
>at the level of "what to do when a customer service
>representative receives a call from a customer".
True, but you've also got to address the level and depth of help to be
provided. (For example, if you've got 10,000 users and a 4-person Help
staff, you can't spend 4 hours helping each user. And that's not an
unthinkable example, it occurred at my last job.)
To do this, you've got to set very clear policies for the Help staff ...
e.g., unhesitatingly do anything needed by the CEO or CEO's secretary --
but, if anyone else trills "I never read manuals or onscreen directions",
tell them that you never help people who never read manuals or onscreen
directions.
I'm not trying to be facetious ... These are very real issues in very real
offices.
