Whether you have a friend or family member who is technologically-inclined, or need to contact your internet provider’s staff, there is a right way and a wrong way to tell them what’s happening. Asking for help in the correct way will ensure that any tech support person can get your computer up and running for you more quickly.
Speak Their Language
One of the best ways to ensure that you get the help you need is to know the lingo they speak. For example, calling your computer’s desktop the ‘main menu’ is enough to completely confuse any support person. Conducting a search for common computer or internet terms can be enough to give you the information you need to communicate effectively.
Mind The Details
In order to solve your problem, tech support needs as much detail as possible about your issue. You will likely need to know the version of Windows you are running, know what steps you’ve already taken to try to fix the issue, and what actions seem to trigger the problem, such as opening a program or loading a certain web page. But take care not to make your email too long. Keep it as concise and to the point as possible, and include a subject line that will be useful, such as ‘slow loading of Photoshop in Windows Vista’.