Technical support

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

_{(See also - Information Technology)}

Technical support (also tech support) is a range of services providing assistance with technology products such as mobile phones, televisions, computers, or other electronic or mechanical goods. In general, technical support services attempt to help the user solve specific problems with a product—rather than providing training, customization, or other support services.

Most companies offer technical support for the products they sell, either freely available or for a fee. Technical support may be delivered over the telephone or via various online media such as e-mail or a Web site. Larger organizations frequently have internal technical support available to their staff for computer related problem . The internet is also a good source for freely available tech support, where experienced users may provide advice and assistance with problems. In addition, some fee-based service companies charge for premium technical support services. ^[1]

1 Coverage of support
2 Cost of technical support
3 Remote PC Repair
4 Remote Assistance
5 See also
6 References

Coverage of support

Technical support may be delivered by different technologies depending on the situation. For example, direct questions can be addressed using SMS, email or fax; basic software problems can be addressed over the telephone or using remote support; while more complicated problems with equipment may need to be dealt with in person.

With the increasing use of technology in modern times, there is a growing requirement to provide technical support. Many organizations locate their technical support departments or call centers in countries with lower costs. There has also been a growth in companies specializing in providing technical support to other organizations.

Cost of technical support

Like any service, the cost of support can vary. For example, some companies offer limited free support when their product is purchased; others charge by premium-rate telephone calls. Some are free by using forums, live chat, or email. Others offer support contracts.

Remote PC Repair

Remote PC Repair is troubleshooting common computer errors online via remote desktop connection which works by logging in to the remote PC with the username and password.^[2] The person owning the computer uses it as himself, apart from the fact that it is being controlled over the Internet. The technology is being embraced by many people as it saves them from hauling their PCs to a shop and wait weeks to get it back. Another benefit is the lower cost.

Remote PC repair services are extremely cost effective and generally offered with a free policy which means that customers don’t have to pay if the issue is not resolved. These repairs are popular as technical support, online computer help, and onsite technical support. With an increase in online resources, there are many companies to get exclusive remote support at competative prices.

Common repairs available with online computer support providers are computer virus and spyware removal, computer optimization, registry repair, device driver issues and Web related issues.

Not all repairs can be fixed using remote PC repair. It can be of no help to computer hardware with physical damage. Remote repair is ineffective for computers that are not able to reboot.

Remote Assistance

Remote Assistance is a feature of Windows XP for Remote PC Repair that allows a user to temporarily control a remote Windows computer over a network or the internet to resolve issues. ^[3] ^[4] As it can be inconvenient for system administrators to personally visit the affected computer, Remote Assistance allows them to diagnose and often repair problems with a computer without ever personally visiting it.

Image:Remote Assistance XPsystem.PNG

Remote Assistance in Windows XP

In Windows Vista, Remote Assistance is a full-fledged standalone application that is not tied to the Help and Support Center. Connnectivity across a NAT been enhanced significantly using Teredo and IPv6 and it supports command-line switches so that custom shortcuts can be deployed. Remote Assistance in Vista requires less bandwidth than the Windows XP version allowing for a better experience on low-speed connections. It also supports a pause feature and creates an XML based session log. Remote Assistance continues to be integrated with Messenger and supports chat and file transfer. Remote Assistance is configurable using Group Policy .