Chapter 9, Part 1 Satisfying Customer Needs A+ Guide to Hardware: Managing, Maintaining, and Troubleshooting, Sixth Edition Chapter 9, Part 1 Satisfying Customer Needs

When customers contact you, they are already distressed and frustrated Remember: When customers contact you, they are already distressed and frustrated A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Your Goal: A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Lesson Objectives Learn about some job roles and responsibilities of those who sell, fix, or support personal computers Learn what customers want and expect beyond your technical abilities Learn how to interact with customers when selling, servicing, and supporting personal computers Learn how to customize a computer system to meet customer needs A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Lesson Overview This chapter explores proper procedure and behavior when working with customers and coworkers. You will learn how to handle unique situations involving customers of different backgrounds. Lastly, the customization of a computer to meet various requirements is discussed. A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Customer Service Skills For the most part: High level of technical proficiency alone Is not enough to sustain a career in computer service For most service jobs: Good customer service skills Are just as important as good technical skills For any job: Are a MUST for those who work directly with the public! A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Typical Customer Service Skills Educate Inform Relate Deliver goods and services Support A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Typical Customer Service Skills Educate the customer by providing Useful and practical information Problem resolution Support A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Typical Customer Service Skills Inform the customer about Goods Services A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Typical Customer Service Skills Relate to the customer Learn their Needs Concerns A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Typical Customer Service Skills Deliver goods and services in a Timely manner Form desired by the customer A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Typical Customer Service Skills Support the customer to the degree that They feel supported But not overwhelmed A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Geek Squad Case File #12143 A customer calls with a RAM problem that has been common in a particular model of computer being sold. What should you tell the customer about the product? a. “Oh yeah, we have that happening all over. We’re getting everyone fixed up ASAP.” b. “We’ve had a whole batch of bad RAM in those machines.” c. Troubleshoot the problem as you would any other phone support problem. d. Offer to send the customer replacement RAM. A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Consider what that means as a tech… A person is not only responsible for what he/she does, but also for what he/she does not do” -Lao-tzu 570-490BC Consider what that means as a tech… A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Chapter 9, Part 2 Satisfying Customer Needs A+ Guide to Hardware: Managing, Maintaining, and Troubleshooting, Sixth Edition Chapter 9, Part 2 Satisfying Customer Needs

Job Roles and Responsibilities PC support technician Works on site, works closely with users and is responsible for ongoing PC maintenance Prepare for a problem by performing routine preventative maintenance, keeping good records, and making backups of data A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Job Roles and Responsibilities PC service technician Goes to a customer site in response to a service call Usually not responsible for ongoing maintenance but do interact with users Also known as computer repair technician or field service technician A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Job Roles and Responsibilities Technical retail associate Work in a consulting role to advise customers about the best technology to meet their needs, how to apply the technology, and maybe how to configure it A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Job Roles and Responsibilities Bench technician Works in a lab environment, might not interact with users, and is not permanently responsible for them A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Job Roles and Responsibilities Help-desk technician Provides telephone or online support Remote location puts them at a disadvantage A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Geek Squad Case File #37170 You are sent to set up a desktop publishing computer for a publisher, and you discover that the company is using a publishing program that you know does not have all the features of a competing program. You’re sure that the company could be much more productive using the other program. How do you convey this to the customer? a. You don’t because the company is installing a new program and does not need to be told this isn’t the best. b. Get the supervisor alone, and recommend the other program in private. c. Mail an advertisement of the better product to the manager. d. Tell the operators about the features of the other product in confidence so that they will know what to look for the next time A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Certification and Professional Organizations Certification and advanced degrees: Proves competence and achievement Improves job opportunities Creates a higher level of customer confidence Qualifies for promotions and other training or degrees A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Certification and Professional Organizations Computing Technology Industry Associate (CompTIA) – most significant certifying organization A+ Certification – first choice for certification as a PC technician Microsoft and Cisco offer vendor specific certifications to support their products A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Record-Keeping and Information Tools Resources, records, and information tools: The specific application, OS, or hardware you support must be available to you to test, observe, and study Use to re-create a customer’s problem when possible Digital or printed copy of the same documentation the user sees Any technical documentation available from manufacturer (beyond user manuals) Online help targeted to field technicians and help-desk technicians A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Record-Keeping and Information Tools Resources, records, and information tools (cont’d): Expert system – software that is designed and written to help solve problems Poses questions about a problem to be answered by technician or customer Responses trigger more questions until solution is suggested Help desk tracking software – allows you to create, edit, and close calls for help (tickets) A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Figure 9-4 Spiceworks Help Desk Software allows you to create, edit, and close tickets used by technicians A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Chapter 9, Part 3 Satisfying Customer Needs A+ Guide to Hardware: Managing, Maintaining, and Troubleshooting, Sixth Edition Chapter 9, Part 3 Satisfying Customer Needs

What Customers Want: Beyond the Technical Know-How A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

7 Traits of a competent and helpful technician: A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Trait 1: A positive and helpful attitude A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Trait 2: Listening without interrupting your customer A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Trait 3: Proper and polite language Business Language! A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Trait 4: Sensitivity to cultural differences A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Trait 5: Taking ownership of the problem A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Trait 6: Dependability and Reliability A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Trait 7: Credibility A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Trait 8: Integrity and Honesty A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Trait 9: Know the law with respect to your work Observe the laws concerning use of software A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Trait 10: Looking and Behaving Professionally A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Geek Squad Case File #41217 You arrive on a service call, and the office supervisor turns on the malfunctioning machine. She begins to explain what she thinks the problem is, but you can tell from the operation of the machine that it is something else. What course of action should you pursue? a. Listen to the explanation until she is finished, and then fix the machine. b. Sit down and fix the machine while she is describing the rest of the problem to you. c. Begin troubleshooting the problem she is describing until she leaves, and then fix the problem. d. Stop the explanation, and tell her that you are pretty sure that you already know what the problem is. A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Chapter 9, Part 4 Satisfying Customer Needs A+ Guide to Hardware: Managing, Maintaining, and Troubleshooting, Sixth Edition Chapter 9, Part 4 Satisfying Customer Needs

Safety Is Essential A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Stay Safe and Keep Others Safe Electrical equipment damaged physically, exposed to water, moisture, or electrical shorts Unplug immediately A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Stay Safe and Keep Others Safe Other Dangers Chemical burns Cables that can cause people to trip Heavy equipment that can hurt a technician’s back Sharp edges in and around case A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Planning Ahead A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Planning for Good Service To provide good service there must be a plan that covers the entire service situation From the first contact with the customer to closing the call A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Chapter 9, Part 5 Satisfying Customer Needs A+ Guide to Hardware: Managing, Maintaining, and Troubleshooting, Sixth Edition Chapter 9, Part 5 Satisfying Customer Needs

Good Customer Relations A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Good Customer Relations A good practice is to learn your customers by name and greet them by name. Collect business cards and include copies in customer folders – have them in your pocket during the call. Always deal with them as individuals, not by stereotypes such as order entry person, receptionist, manager, and so forth. A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Establish Rapport A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Geek Squad Case File #62156 The technician received a telephone call from a customer who buys thousands of dollars of computer equipment from his company each year. The purchaser cannot get the company’s computer to work with a printer that was purchased through another supplier. She wants the technician to get the system running. How should the technician react? a. “I’m really sorry, but we can’t work on equipment purchased from another vendor.” b. “Sure, how can I help you?” c. “Let me clear this with my supervisor.” d. “You’ll have to tell my supervisor that you want me to do this. I’m sure that it will be all right because you do so much business with us.” A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Chapter 9, Part 6 Satisfying Customer Needs A+ Guide to Hardware: Managing, Maintaining, and Troubleshooting, Sixth Edition Chapter 9, Part 6 Satisfying Customer Needs

Initial Contact With a Customer Customers expect both technical and interpersonal skills A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Initial Contact With a Customer Technicians should: Know the problem to be addressed The urgency of the situation What computer, software, and hardware need servicing Arrive with a complete set of equipment needed Greet customer in a friendly manner and shake hands Listen and ask questions A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Initial Contact With a Customer Beginning a phone call professionally Identify yourself and your organization Ask for and write down name and number of caller Follow company polices to obtain further information Be familiar with your company’s customer service policies Open up the conversation for the caller to describe the problem A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Interview the Customer A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Interview the Customer Questions that can help identify the problem: What error messages, unusual displays, or failures did you see? Describe the problem. When did the problem start? What was the situation when the problem occurred? What programs or software were you using? Did you move your computer system recently? Has there been a recent thunderstorm or electrical problem? A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Interview the Customer Questions that can help identify the problem (cont’d): Have you made any hardware, software, or configuration changes? Has someone else used your computer recently? Is there some valuable data on your system that is not backed up that I should know about before I start working on the problem? Can you show me how to reproduce the problem? A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Interview the Customer After you have interviewed the user: If you don’t understand what customer is telling you, ask open-ended questions to try to narrow down the specifics of the problem Re-create the circumstances that existed when the problem occurred in as much detail as possible Make no assumptions Use diplomacy and good manners A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Set and Meet Customer Expectations Important to create an expectation of certainty with customers A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Set and Meet Customer Expectations Establish a timeline with your customer for completion of a project Keep customer informed of progress A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Set and Meet Customer Expectations Give the customer an opportunity to make decisions about repairs Repair or replace? Help them decide which is to their advantage A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Chapter 9, Part 7 Satisfying Customer Needs A+ Guide to Hardware: Managing, Maintaining, and Troubleshooting, Sixth Edition Chapter 9, Part 7 Satisfying Customer Needs

Working With a Customer On Site A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Working With a Customer On Site Avoid distractions Don’t accept personal calls on your cell phone Answer calls from work, but keep call to a minimum If you must excuse yourself, explain to the customer and return as soon as possible A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Working With a Customer On Site Be as unobtrusive as possible as you work Keep tools and papers out of customer’s way Protect customer’s confidential materials Ask customer if they would like to put confidential materials away A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Working With a Customer On Site When working at a user’s desk, follow these guidelines: Don’t take over the mouse or keyboard without permission Ask permission to use the printer or other equipment Don’t use the phone without permission Don’t pile your tools on top of user’s papers Accept personal inconvenience to accommodate the user’s urgent business needs If user is present, ask before making a software or hardware change A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Working With a Customer On the Phone A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Working With a Customer On the Phone Requires more interaction with customers Must be able to visualize what the customer sees Patience is required if dealing with novice user If call is disconnected, call back immediately Give customers a callback number or way to contact you in the event the call is dropped or a problem reoccurs. A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Working With a Customer On the Phone Don’t eat or drink while on the phone If caller must be put on hold, tell them how long it will be before you get back to them Speak clearly and slowly Keep small talk upbeat and positive A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Geek Squad Case File #02140 While working with a relatively inexperienced customer over the telephone, you become aware that the customer is having great difficulty following your directions. How can you help the customer even though he cannot see you? a. Send the customer fax drawings of steps to perform b. Ask the customer if you can talk to someone else to get a fresh perspective on the problem. c. Check your conversation, and try to communicate more clearly. d. Ask the customer to fax you drawings of what he is experiencing. A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Chapter 9, Part 8 Satisfying Customer Needs A+ Guide to Hardware: Managing, Maintaining, and Troubleshooting, Sixth Edition Chapter 9, Part 8 Satisfying Customer Needs

Dealing With Difficult Customers A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Dealing With Difficult Customers When trying to solve a problem over the phone and the customer is not knowledgeable: Be specific with your instructions Don’t ask the customer to do something that might destroy settings or files without having them back up first Ask customer what is displayed on the screen to help track keystrokes A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Dealing With Difficult Customers When trying to solve a problem over the phone and the customer is not knowledgeable: Follow along at your own PC Give the customer plenty of opportunity to ask questions A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Dealing With Difficult Customers When trying to solve a problem over the phone and the customer is not knowledgeable: Compliment the customer whenever you can If customer cannot help you solve the problem without a lot of coaching, tactfully request that the caller have someone with more experience call you A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Dealing With Difficult Customers When the customer is overly confident: Compliment the customer’s knowledge, experience, or insight Slow the conversation down Don’t back off from using problem solving skills Be careful not to accuse the customer of making a mistake Even though the customer might be using technical jargon, do not use jargon back to the customer A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Dealing With Difficult Customers When the customer complains: Be an active listener, and let customers know they are not being ignored Give the customer a little time to vent, and apologize when you can Start conversation over from beginning Don’t be defensive Know how your employer wants you to handle a situation where you were verbally abused A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Dealing With Difficult Customers When the customer complains: If the customer is complaining about a product or service that is not from you company, don’t say “That’s not our problem” If the complaint is against you or your product, identify the underlying problem if you can A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Dealing With Difficult Customers When the customer complains: Sometimes simply making progress or reducing the problem to a manageable state reduces the customer’s anxiety Point out ways you think communication could be improved A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Geek Squad Case File #21137 A customer who has picked up a repaired computer from your store brings it back within a few hours, complaining that it doesn’t work. What should you say? a. “What happened to it?” b. “Sometimes I can’t believe our technicians can find their way home at night. I’ll get this thing fixed up for you.” c. “It was working when it left here. I don’t know what could have happened to it. Let’s take a look at it.” d. Offer to send the customer replacement RAM. A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Chapter 9, Part 9 Satisfying Customer Needs A+ Guide to Hardware: Managing, Maintaining, and Troubleshooting, Sixth Edition Chapter 9, Part 9 Satisfying Customer Needs

The Customer Decides When the Work Is Done When you think a problem is solved, allow customer to decide when the service is finished A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

The Customer Decides When the Work Is Done Complete these tasks before closing the call: Reboot PC to make sure you have not caused a problem with the boot Allow the customer enough time to be fully satisfied that all is working Ask user to verify any restored data Review service call with the customer Explain preventative maintenance to the customer A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Listen to the Customer One of the attributes that makes a good customer service or repair person is the ability to actively listen to the customer. Real listening means not just hearing what the customer has to say, but trying to pin down what they mean. A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Do Your Best Doing an efficient, professional, and complete job does more to ingratiate you to customers than almost anything else you can do. D O Y U R B E S T ! A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Geek Squad Case File #51403 An irate customer calls, complaining that a technician from your company has recently performed a software upgrade on his system and now the modem will not connect with other modems. How should you handle the customer? a. “I’m sure none of our technicians would have left a condition like that. Let’s see what the problem is. b. “Give me the technician’s name, and I’ll have him get back to you as soon as he returns to the office.” c. “Please describe the symptoms to me, so I can see what might be causing the problem.” d. “This is really easy. Take the top off of the computer, and check to see that the card is installed securely.” A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

If You Need Help A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Sometimes You Must Escalate a Problem Every technician does not know how to solve every problem with a PC Sometimes, a problem needs to be assigned to someone higher in the support chain If that happens, follow through to make sure the customer and new support person have made contact A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Be Proactive A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Chapter 9, Part 10 Satisfying Customer Needs A+ Guide to Hardware: Managing, Maintaining, and Troubleshooting, Sixth Edition Chapter 9, Part 10 Satisfying Customer Needs

Do the Paperwork Keep good records A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

The Job Isn’t Finished Until the Paperwork Is Done A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

The Job Isn’t Finished Until the Paperwork Is Done Include in documentation sufficient details broken down by: Cost of individual parts Hours worked Cost per hour A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

The Job Isn’t Finished Until the Paperwork Is Done Make detailed notes so that you can use them later when solving similar problems Record initial symptoms of the problem, the source of the problem, how you discovered the source, and how the problem was solved A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Prohibited Content A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Dealing With Prohibited Content and Activity Many organizations have a code of conduct that applies to employees and/or customers Part of a technician’s job might include keeping track of software licensing to ensure that a company is not using pirated software Must ensure that unauthorized copies of original software are not being produced (software piracy) When you start a new job, find out how to deal with prohibited content or activity A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Dealing With Prohibited Content and Activity Things you need to know: Go through the proper channels when you suspect an infringement of the law What data or device should you preserve as evidence for what you believe has happened? What documentation are you expected to submit and to whom is it submitted? Proper documentation surrounding the evidence of a crime is crucial to a criminal investigation A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Chapter 9, Part 11 Satisfying Customer Needs A+ Guide to Hardware: Managing, Maintaining, and Troubleshooting, Sixth Edition Chapter 9, Part 11 Satisfying Customer Needs

Customizing Systems A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Customizing Computer Systems Important principles to keep in mind when customizing a system for a customer: Meet application requirements – consider any special hardware the applications might require Such as digital tablet for graphics applications Balance functionality and budget Put the most money on hardware components that are most needed for primary purpose Consider hardware compatibility Start with motherboard and processor A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Graphics or CAD/CAM Workstation Graphics-intensive applications perform complex calculations and require high-end workstations with high-end video cards A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Graphics or CAD/CAM Workstation Requirements for high-end workstations: Use a motherboard that provides quad channels for memory and plenty of memory slots (for lots of RAM) Use a powerful multicore processor with a large CPU cache Use fast hard drives with plenty of capacity Use a high-end video card A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Figure 9-18 This ultra-high-end video card by NVIDIA costs almost $4,000 A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Audio and Video Editing Workstation Audio and Video editing workstations require a mid-range to high-end workstation: Use a motherboard that supports dual, triple, or quad channel memory running at least 1600 MHz RAM speed Use a Core i7 or higher processor Install at least 16 GB RAM; more is better A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Audio and Video Editing Workstation Audio and Video editing workstations require a mid-range to high-end workstation: Select a good video card that has a GeForce GTX graphics processor or better Use a double-sided, dual layer DVD burner Install one or more fast and large hard drives A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Virtualization Workstation Virtualization: one physical machine hosts multiple activities that are normally done on multiple machines Requirements for a virtual machine computer: Processor should be a multicore processor Need extra amounts of RAM when a computer is running several VMs Each VM must have an OS installed Make sure you have adequate hard drive space for each VM A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Virtualization Workstation Virtualization: one physical machine hosts multiple activities that are normally done on multiple machines A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Virtualization Workstation Requirements for a virtual machine computer: Processor should be a multicore processor Need extra amounts of RAM when a computer is running several VMs Each VM must have an OS installed Make sure you have adequate hard drive space for each VM A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Gaming PC Gaming PCs require powerful processors and high-end video and sound cards Some gamers overclock their CPUs or use dual video cards Must also ensure cooling methods are adequate Today, gamers can purchase PCs built specifically for gaming enthusiasts A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Figure 9-21 A group of Intel Core i5 or Core i7 gaming PCs A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Home Theater PC A custom-built HTPC needs to include: Applications software HDMI port to connect video output to television Cable TV input Satellite TV input Internet access Remote control A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Home Theater PC A custom-built HTPC needs to include: Low background noise Surround sound Case form factor – small enough to fit on a shelf of an entertainment center A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Home Server PC Home server PC is useful to share files among several computers on a small home network A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Home Server PC Features and hardware to consider: A processor with moderate power Storage speed and capacity need to be maximized Network transfers need to be fast, especially for streaming videos and movies Printer sharing Onboard video works well Windows 7 can be used, but Windows Home Server 2011 is a better option A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

two TV programs at the same time Figure 9-22 Dual TV tuner card with IR remote lets you watch and record two TV programs at the same time A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Figure 9-23 The AVerMedia AVerTV HD DVR (CO27) video capture card has two HDMI input ports and uses a PCIe x1 expansion slot A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Thick Client and Thin Client Virtualization server: provides a virtual desktop for users on multiple client machines A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Thick Client and Thin Client Thick client (also called fat client): regular desktop computer or laptop that is used as a client by a virtualization server A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Thick Client and Thin Client Thin client: a computer that has an OS but has little computer power and might only need to support a browser used to communicate with the server Server does most of the processing To reduce costs, configure it to meet only the minimum requirements for Windows A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Figure 9-26 A virtualization server provides a desktop to each client computer or appliance A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Table 7-1 Minimum and recommended hardware requirements for Windows 7 A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Chapter 9, Part 12 Satisfying Customer Needs A+ Guide to Hardware: Managing, Maintaining, and Troubleshooting, Sixth Edition Chapter 9, Part 12 Satisfying Customer Needs

At Work A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Working With Co-Workers Put business matters above personal matters Do not be personally offended when someone lets you down or does not please you Keep negative opinions to yourself A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Working With Co-Workers Practice good organization skills Know your limitations and be willing to admit when you can’t do something Learn how to handle conflict at work Never give bad news or point out a fault by email Speak face to face or by telephone A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Chapter 9, Part 13 Satisfying Customer Needs A+ Guide to Hardware: Managing, Maintaining, and Troubleshooting, Sixth Edition Chapter 9, Part 13 Satisfying Customer Needs

SUMMARY A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Summary Five key job roles of a PC technician include PC support technician, PC service technician, technical retail associate, bench technician, and help-desk technician A+ Certification by CompTIA – most recognized certification for PC repair technician Customers want more than just technical know-how Customers expect their first contact to be professional and friendly Set and meet customer expectations with good communication A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Summary Deal confidently and gracefully with customers who are difficult Be aware of documented code of conduct for your organization A chain-of-custody document provides a paper trail of how evidence in a criminal case is handled As a technician you might be called upon to customize a system for a customer including a graphics or CAD/CAM workstation, audio and video editing workstation, virtualization workstation, gaming PC, Home Theater PC, home server PC, thick or think client A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Chapter 9, Part 14 Satisfying Customer Needs A+ Guide to Hardware: Managing, Maintaining, and Troubleshooting, Sixth Edition Chapter 9, Part 14 Satisfying Customer Needs

Review Questions A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Review Questions #1 What actions should be taken as soon as a situation goes beyond the scope of your position? A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Review Questions #2 If you suspect that a customer may not be trained properly to perform operations associated with the items you are being asked to fix, what actions should you take and at what level? A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Review Questions #3 List two traits that provide your best defense against customer dissatisfaction. A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Review Questions #4 List two items you should address in preparing to contact a customer or going to their location to work. A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Review Questions #5 Under what conditions would it be bad business to discuss new equipment or software with employees of companies you are working with? A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Review Questions #6 In terms of body language, what message is being sent if you keep your arms folded while a customer is explaining their problem to you? A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Review Questions #7 In terms of body language, what message is being sent if you fail to make eye contact with customers when they are talking to you? A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Review Questions #8 What is an effective way to help customers think through the problems they are experiencing? A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Review Questions #9 What is the best way to protect your accountability level with a customer? A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Review Questions #10 When dealing with an upset customer, what action can you take to prevent yourself from getting caught up in the emotions of the situation? A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

Review Questions #11 What items should always be included in the notes you keep from customer contacts? A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition

A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC, 8th Edition