ADVERTISEMENT

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®



  6 questions for vendors
Troubleshoot BeforeYou Buy

Due diligence protects your tech investments.

 		  


  BY MICHAEL ANTONIAK

How disenchanting it is to bring home your new technology purchase—with its promise to enhance your productivity—only to encounter set-up or operation problems.

Suddenly, the vendor’s tech support and warranty, not the product’s bells and whistles, become key features. If you can’t get the right solutions to your problems or a needed repair or replacement, the product is useless, and your investment is wasted.

Since tech support impacts the ultimate value of a product or service, weigh it with all the other features that guide your purchase. Answer these six questions as you evaluate vendor support so you can buy with confidence.

1. What does the warranty cover? Be clear on the length of the warranty period for parts and labor and whether an extended warranty option is available and for how much. Also find out whether you need to buy an extended warranty up front or can buy one later, just before the original warranty runs out. In addition, some vendors offer troubleshooting house calls—for more money, of course.

2. Where are the service centers? If you must ship a product to a regional repair center, you’ll very likely have to do without that technology for a while, so ask upfront whether the vendor has a loaner program.

3. How good is the product documentation? The quickest way to solve simple problems is to turn to the product’s manual. If possible, at the store, ask to see the manual before you buy. It should be thorough, easily understood, and illustrated.

Unfortunately, some companies now provide their manuals on CD-ROM in PDF (Adobe Acrobat) format. That’s not much help if the new computer you need to run the help software won’t work. Request a printed copy.

4. What support is available online? Many vendors devote a section of their Web site to customer service and tech support issues. Turn there first for help and to evaluate the company’s support program before you buy.

Good online support should include troubleshooting guides, product FAQs, a parts catalog, a directory of authorized service centers, and an e-mail link to pose questions to technicians.

Some vendors feature user groups or bulletin boards at their sites. This is one of the best sources for product usage tips and to learn about problems with the product or company. The other good sources are independent user groups, listservs, and Web sites devoted to user information and tips on specific technologies. (See “Where Else to Turn.")

5. Where do I call for help? The vendor should provide a toll-free number for tech support, at least for the warranty period. Find it at the Web site or by calling the customer service number. When you call, see how long you wait on hold. The length of time will speak volumes about the attention you’ll receive when you really need it.

Similarly, if you call or e-mail a company purely for sales information and a rep doesn’t respond promptly, you can probably extrapolate that treatment to the company’s tech support. Be warned.

6. What happens when the product is out of warranty? Expect that once the warranty period is up—often after a minimum of 90 days--you’ll pay for any assistance that tech support provides.

Some charge per incident; you pay a flat rate no matter how long it takes to resolve your problem. Others charge by the hour or minute for as long as the call takes. The clock is always ticking: The company is charging you even when the rep puts you on hold to look something up.

Remember, the coolest, most promising product isn’t in your best interest unless the company’s tech support will back it up.


Great Product, Lousy Support
So you love the product, but not what you’ve learned about the vendor’s tech support. What next?

The smart move would be to purchase your second- or third-choice product instead, the one with the best support program.

If you’re not ready to give up that easily on your dream gizmo, you can:
  • Inquire whether the retailer offers an extended warranty or product support.
  • Search online for user forums and Web sites devoted to the product and visit these. You’ll learn firsthand about customers’ experiences and frustrations with the product and vendor. (See “Where Else to Turn.")
  • Try calling or e-mailing the vendor once more. Everyone deserves a second chance.


When you call tech support
For the best service:
  • Rule out the obvious by checking your manual or the vendor’s Web site before you call.
  • Have the product model, serial number, and date of purchase on hand.
  • Know what version of the operating system and affected software you are using.
  • Be prepared to provide a detailed description of the problem and what you were doing when it occurred.
  • Immediately write down the name of the tech support person, a case number if you are given one, and the time of the call.
  • Find out if the person will call you back if your call is disconnected. If not, ask for a direct number to streamline your call.
  • Keep the product, cables, peripherals—whatever seems affected by or related to the problem—nearby so tech support can take you through a fix.


Where else to turn
Product vendors aren’t your best source for unbiased information about the company, its products, and aftermarket support.
When you’re looking for another view, buying tips, or help solving a particularly vexing problem, you may find the answers online. User groups and message boards put you in touch with others eager to share their experiences.

Ash Nallawalla's Master List of Computer User Groups provides a searchable database of computer user groups for all hardware platforms and operating systems. Yahoo!’s Technical Guides and Support section is a clearinghouse of popular Q&As, troubleshooting guides, and user groups.

For product reviews, comparisons and the latest pricing on computers and related hardware, as well as links to related product information, start with the Ziff Davis network or CNET. The Web sites of specialty publications, such as Mobile Computing or PC World magazine, often run articles comparing product features, providing how-to advice, and alerts on what to look for in your next purchase.

For digital camera users, the Web site, The Digital Camera Resource Page carries the latest information on digital cameras, reviews of products, and message boards where users can share their experiences.

Similar help is available to PDA users at PDAStreet. The site covers all handheld platforms and hosts message boards.

About.com hosts communities devoted to a variety of technology products. About Cell Phones and Pagers, for example, includes buyer’s guides to help you select the right model for your needs, calculators for comparing the price of phones and service plans, and a forum for posing tech questions.