So you’ve found a problem with your computer and decided that fixing it at home simply isn’t an option. That means you will be enlisting the help of a professional computer repair service to find and solve the issue. You will probably be calling ahead to ask about pricing and whether they have the ability to fix your computer problem. But when you call them, what are you going to say? It’s making a funny noise? The thingy is beeping? The doodad won’t turn on? Don’t panic, you don’t have to be tech savvy whendescribing your computer trouble to a professional in IT support. Here are some tech talking tips for you.
Be Calm and Collected
One of the least helpful things you can do when experiencing computer problems is to call a computer repair service hysterically crying or panicking. They won’t be able to understand you and you won’t be able to give a clear description of the problem. This will only serve to frustrate you AND your computer professional. Take a deep breath and give yourself time to pull it together and get to a quiet area with no noise or distractions. Then you will be able to describe the problem and your IT professional will be able to hear and start helping.
Give Specific Details
You don’t have to know the name of the problem you are having to describe it. Sit down and observe exactly what is happening when it occurs. It could be helpful for you to write down what happens so you can give organized and accurate descriptions. Some of the details you should be sure to note:
- When did you start having this problem
- Do you know how the damage occurred
- Has it gotten any worse, or has it been consistent
- Is there a weird noise, blue screen, smoke coming from computer, etc.
- If there an error message, and if so what exactly does it say
- Are there missing or moved files
By observing these things and writing them down, you won’t forget any important details and the computer repair person will have a much easier time understanding what is wrong. You can’t just say “It’s not working” and expect them to know what that means.
Let the Professional do the Job
Calling a professional when you aren’t sure how to fix something is smart if you let them do their job without interference. There are some common computer problems that you might recognize, but it is okay not to know. It’s acceptable to look up the problems you are having online to help you when describing your computer trouble to a professional, but that doesn’t mean you will be able to put a name to the problem. If you are calling a computer repair service with a problem you can’t easily identify then you should let them detect the problem based on the symptoms, rather than your suggestions of what the problem might be. Don’t tinker with anything if you aren’t sure what you are doing because this could make the problem much worse. Allowing the computer repair person to help you out in this situation will be better for you and your computer in the long run.