We all know those people who run into technical trouble with their devices and just want them fixed. They're not interested in learning to help themselves, and you don't have time to help every time they get an error message. Luckily, there are ways to get them help they can turn to—help that isn't you. Here's how.
Most people are willing to learn enough to help themselves once you show them the way. Still, we all know that friend or relative who isn't. They just want their problems fixed, and would rather someone else fix them. Even worse, they call you every time they run into a problem. If you don't have the time or energy to be their full-time support, here are some options you can hand them off to.
Make a List of Support Services for Them to Call
If you have someone who constantly turns to you for tech support, your best bet is to build them a list of people to call other than you when they run into problems. If they're having issues with their phone, give them their carrier's support number. If they run into issues with their HP computer, jot down HP's customer support hotline. Give them a master list, but also consider adding easy-to-find labels or notes with those phone numbers around their gear too. That way the next time they have problems with their computer, the number for a fix will be right there on the side.
Of course, this won't help if the tech support you're handing them off to is universally terrible, but we have some tips on how to deal with that. If they're social media savvy, we have some tips for you there too. Similarly, it'll be difficult if they think it's just easier to call you instead of an 800 line, but that's easily solved: Just miss a couple of their calls or texts for a while, and ask them if they called support. It's a little underhanded, but feigning ignorance and recommending they call for proper support can go a long way. Those new phones, computers, TVs, and other gear all come with warranties and support— sometimes even the savvy among us spend more time trying to fix them than we do taking advantage of the free support, repairs, or replacements available to us.
Consider Extended Warranties and Support (or a Hardware Upgrade)
Speaking of warranties, if you find yourself struggling with aging gear, it may be worth your while to buy (or suggest they buy) an extended warranty or service plan. Apple's AppleCare program is a good example of this, although virtually every manufacturer offers one. Prices vary, but they almost always extend support out for several years beyond the included warranty. While we're normally not big fans of extended warranties and suggest using a credit card with warranty protection or putting that money into a warranty "fund" for future upgrades or repairs, it's worth considering if you're dealing with someone who's not interested in helping themselves—but is interested in keeping their gear for the long term.
Devices like smartphones or tablets that are upgraded every few years generally don't need this treatment. Instead of dropping cash on an extended warranty or support plan, steer your friend or relative to the horizon and their next upgrade—and the service plan or warranty that'll come with it.
Pawn them Off on Their Office IT (or a Freelance Tech)
I hesitate to recommend this one, but considering how often it happened during my days in office IT, you can always suggest that they ask their office IT what the issues with their devices may be. The key is to approach it properly. Remember that issues with non-work equipment are always tricky for office IT workers to solve, and any protection afforded to them (usually in terms of "it's okay if we break it") doesn't extend to personal devices. However, when I was in IT, I found myself working on personal phones and computers just because people often used them for work. Remember though—if you're going to suggest they ask their office IT, do them a favor and remind them that their office IT worker will be doing them a huge favor, and may not be able to help at all.
Better yet, suggest they ask their office IT worker (or team) if they're interested in freelance side work. It can be messy doing off-hours support for someone they also support during the day (or may be forbidden outright.) However, I've worked with plenty of techs who had lucrative gigs with coworkers who needed their help with their personal computers, home entertainment systems, or kids' laptops. Just make sure that when they approach it, they do it nicely and don't hound their poor desk-side support tech with every Snapchat error message they get (unless they're paying an hourly rate to them for it, of course.)
Consider Premium Support Services
If your friend or relative is willing to put their money where their mouth is, they have a few options for premium support anytime they need it. It often doesn't come with desk-side support, but having someone to call can often mean the difference between them getting a quick answer to their issue versus them calling you. Here are a few options:
- Microsoft Answer Desk : Answer Desk is a Microsoft support service for Windows computers. In addition to basic operating system support, they also support specific applications, can perform PC "tune ups," will handle virus or malware removal, and more. You could just gift them a year of premium support and call it a day. If you have a Microsoft Store in your area, they offer in-person services, too.
- Costco Concierge : If you (or your friend) are Costco members, Costco's Concierge service offers technical support, troubleshooting, and help setting up and configuring a wide array of electronics, from computers to HDTVs to pressure washers, and everything in between. Be mindful of their hours, but you will be able to talk to someone who can help you with your issue. They offer phone support only, but often that's more than enough to get the problem solved—and get you off the hook.
- Geek Squad : Ah yes, there's always Geek Squad. Experiences with the service vary widely, but they don't stay in business by doing universally bad work—just by getting people to pay for things that normally wouldn't take much time or energy to do on their own. Still, as we mentioned, this isn't for the DIY-inclined, this is for the "i just want it fixed" crowd. Some people will (often rightfully) argue that the company takes advantage of the non-tech savvy, and it doesn't take much Googling to find horror stories. Others note they've had good experiences, and point out that a few bad support agents shouldn't tar other good techs who genuinely want to help people out. They do offer a wide array of services, including in-home consultations and repairs, on all sorts of devices, from personal computers to smartphones to home entertainment systems. They can be pricey though, and costs vary depending on whether you're paying a one-time incident fee or go with a subscription.
- Yelp : Stick with me here. Yelp isn't going to fix your friend's busted smartphone, but it will direct them to reputable local tech support services and independent contractors that live in your community and are willing to help. Odds are there are tons of small businesses or individual technicians in your community willing to provide walk-in, phone, or at-home support for a modest fee anytime your friend or relative needs them. Plus, the advantage of them being local is that they can probably help you out sooner, and you can check their references. Remember, treat tech support companies like any other contractor, and vet them before hiring them.
Beyond this, the folks at PCMag tested some other phone support services worth checking out, including Geek Squad, and reported their experiences. Some of them are very capable, but they're also pretty expensive, so a friend or relative interested in quick answers (and willing to bug you with their questions) may not be willing to drop a monthly subscription just in case they have problems.
Similarly, many office supply stores, like Staples and Office Depot, have their own support services that you can recommend. They have per-incident prices for those one-offs, and they can be invaluable if the person you're dealing with just wants someone else to look at their computer for them. Just be careful they don't see an error message and suggest your friend buy a new laptop—although that may be a good option, both price-wise and convenience-wise (new hardware is cheap these days, and like we mentioned, comes with support and a warranty.)
However you handle those tech hangers-on, do it tactfully. You'll have better results getting them to depend on someone else if you don't just dump them. Instead, prep them and let them know what their new helper will and won't be able to do. Do a little research, too—don't let them fall for tech support scams just to get them off your back. It can be tough letting go if you're the tech-savvy one everyone turns to with their technical troubles, but the time and energy you'll save—even if you roll your eyes when you hear what Geek Squad said they should do—is likely worth it.
Title photo by milo827 (Shutterstock), evryka (Shutterstock), and Yohei (Shutterstock). Additional photos by Clare Bell, trenttsd, John Marino, and Rob Lawton.
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