Have you ever called a help line and at the end of the call had a bigger problem than before you called? Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon.

Navigating the help line process can be a challenge for anyone’s patience. Here are a couple of tips you can try to make the process a little less painful.

Repeat Business

If you get someone that does a good job of solving your problem, ask them if you can contact them directly. You will begin to establish a rapport, and you’ll have an inside ally you can turn to. They’ll also begin to know your issues, the product you’re calling about, and how you use it. (If it helps, you can use a worksheet like this one to keep track of who you speak to.)

Fly First Class

Sometimes, it’s just worth it to pay for a higher level of access. You can check that out yourself, or you may have expert vendors you can tap to access their higher-level resources. By paying for a higher level of service, you can get priority service and access to more highly trained personnel.

If you can’t or don’t want to pay for higher-level service, though, there are other ways to contact executive customer support.

Learn the Language

How you communicate your request to the help line personnel can make all the difference in the world when it comes to saving time. To speed up the process, have the following things handy:

  • If you see an error message, take a screenshot or write down the exact wording or error code, if any.
  • If software is involved, be ready to let your technician know the operating system you’re on, what browser you’re using if the Internet is relevant, and other details that will isolate the problem.
  • Customer support may ask you what version you have.  You can find that by going into the Help menu, or they can walk you through it.

Using a note-taking app like Evernote or Simplenote may help you keep this information ready for when you call the help line in the future.

Call Off-Peak

For shorter wait times, try to call when no one else in calling. If you need hardware and software support, this may mean avoiding Mondays and rush hours. For questions to the IRS, it may mean calling earlier in tax season.

If you have no choice but to call during peak hours, a service like LucyPhone or GetHuman may help you save time.

Hire an Expert

Some of your vendors may have access to a higher level of support based on their connection with the company. For example, Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisors like us have access to an elite group of support technicians, and get priority services as well. Accountants have a special line to the IRS.

You may be able to save money and especially time by delegating these help line calls to those privileged vendors. And if we can help save you time and frustration in this area, please contact Innovative Financial Services today.