Technical Support for Users with Limited Technical Proficiency: 1. Support personnel should be well-versed in foundational skills and primed to address prevalent issues. 2. It's imperative for the support team to possess a foundational understanding of the business operations and objectives. 3. The support team should exemplify empathy and attentiveness when interacting with users. 4. Support personnel must ensure that comprehensive user-guides for elementary troubleshooting are readily available. 5. Engaging training sessions, augmented by visual explanations, should be provided for these users.

Pay attention to understand the background of the issue condition. List out Known and Unknown and possible causes. Once it’s clarified; then conclude with simplest and clear explanation. Not to be too technical sometimes it leads to another problem. Always capture the lesson learned for each issue which you have handled.

One of the things I found as a tech is that we tend to use terms that the average user is not familiar with. Replace that vocabulary with words the average user is accustomed to hearing.

Hold Lunch and Learn sessions where the end users can see the technology in action. Have a Q&A at the end of the session, provide the presentation materials and have a point of contact where end users may follow up.

Over the decades, I've noted that the art of user support pivots on effective communication. Identifying a user's tech proficiency isn’t merely for tailoring instructions; it’s a bridge to mutual understanding. By discerning their comfort with tech jargon, we do more than adjust our vocabulary. We also predict potential pitfalls and pre-emptively address them. Notably, this step underscores an underlying truth: each user interaction is unique. While one might appreciate a metaphor relating to familiar software, another might find comfort in a more tactile analogy. Ensuring that the foundation of our support—understanding the user—stands strong, paves the way for smoother resolutions and enhanced user trust.

When you are approaching a user that’s experiencing any technical issues, I always found it important to walk them through their issue as well as the resolution process especially, if it’s an easy fix and one that would save them time by first trying. In doing so, you must speak to the user’s experience omitting jargon and if you use it take time to explain it and if there’s any documentation you can provide them do so as well.

One thing I've found helpful is open communication and ask for help if you're in need of it. Sharing of experiences enhances knowledge base and helps accomplish goals in a timely fashion.

Sorry, I am reading various contributions here and am not wowed by the corp speak. They aren't technical so they cannot speak in the same terms you might want. Have them take out their smart phone and take video and screenshots to convey. This isn't rocket science folks.. dang

There are a few components: 1) Know your stuff. Fumbling around reduces their confidence in you and your answers, and they already lack confidence in their own. 2) Find their level. Ask questions - about what they know, about what they've tried. 3) PATIENCE. It can be difficult, sometimes, to be patient with someone who appears to be stumbling, who doesn't have direction, who doesn't know what you think should be obvious. Be patient. Frustration is easily telegraphed, and that turns them against you. Take the journey with them, don't just stand on the finish line tapping your foot and pointing to your watch.

The less words the better, but at the same time avoid ambiguity. Avoid leaving your words open for multiple interpretations. If you think there are ways you could be misunderstood by what you are trying to say then go the extra mile to add a few more granular steps to narrow down possibilities until what you are saying seems completely focused on one thing and one thing at a time.

Empathy isn’t just a value; in IT support, it’s a strategy. With every interaction, we’re reminded that behind every query is a person seeking understanding. Amidst the rush of daily tickets, it’s paramount to recall that our role isn’t merely to resolve, but to reassure. The subtle cues, the hesitations in a user's voice, or the overt distress—they all signal opportunities for us to exercise patience and demonstrate understanding. An empathetic stance not only mitigates user anxiety but invariably leads to more efficient resolutions.

In my experience, I've learned that empathy and humility are crucial when working with individuals with limited technical expertise. Recognizing that no one is an expert in everything is key to understanding the challenges faced by end-users with low technical skills. To navigate these situations effectively, it's important to let the end-user take the lead in the interaction and proceed at a pace that suits them.

I’ve found that patience starts with acceptance. Accepting that the user may want a desired outcome that is out of scope. Or even accepting that the user has limitations. Let the user lead and remember you are there to help or point the user to the desired outcome they seek. Perhaps suggesting a better alternative, but accepting that the user may not desire that alternative outcome.

Empathy is a cornerstone of effective technical support, particularly for users with limited technical skills. By cultivating empathy, technical support representatives can foster a supportive and non-intimidating environment, empowering users to overcome technical challenges and building stronger customer relationships.

I like to imagine putting myself in the shoes of taking a relative or neighbour who isn't so technically well versed through the task to help understand but also to make it easier to remain calm and understanding during the task - it's easy to forget how difficult some things can be when you do the tasks daily so grounding yourself while you take someone else through it and checking in to make sure you're not going to fast or if you need to go over anything again can really help

I disagree with this. End users often don't understand the core concepts and technologies behind the item they need support for. By providing more than one option, the end user may become more confused and frustrated than they already are. If there needs to be a policy or organization-wide change, you should schedule a meeting with policy makers/executives to present options to be applied across the board; however, YOU'RE the expert. The end user wants results and you need to deliver it as the product expert. Always lead with your recommendation for a solution. If the client can't/won't comply, then you can evaluate alternative options or refer back to the policy makers for further guidance. You're an authority, not a student. Act like it.

Recently I assisted a customer with logging in remotely and with other issues regarding their mail. The service I provided began with text messaging, then moved to a phone call, and was resolved with remote access. Not being flexible in servicing this customer would have created a negative impact to our business. Therefore, having multiple modes of communication can be key to providing the best service for your customer. As for additional resources, I would suggest that you would need to be able to accurately gauge the skill level of your customer and provide the appropriate information for them. Then follow up with confirmation that the info was received and understood. It may seem like hand holding but the alternative is worse.

Often, the perceived happy path could be blocked for whatever reasons. The user may not be able to follow the desired path due to their unique constraints or something else entirely. I find it invaluable to equip myself with more than one ways to achieve the same outcome. Like what if someone can’t open a shared location using a specific web browser, perhaps try using another, what if I can’t connect to a database using one specific DBMS tool then try another and so on.

Agreed, options can cause confusion. However sometimes they are necessary. Example, the real fix may take more time or cost than is available at the moment. A temporary fix may be needed to get things working and come back later when it is a good time to implement a permanent fix. Those are not technical questions but are operational/business questions.

Providing technical support to users with limited technical skills demands a flexible and diverse approach. By offering multiple communication options, utilizing visual aids, empowering users with self-help resources, and embracing omnichannel strategies, technical support representatives can effectively bridge the technical divide and foster a positive customer experience.

Follow-up and feedback are not mere formalities in technical support; they are crucial elements of building a customer-centric approach. By proactively reaching out to users, gathering honest feedback, and acting upon it, technical support representatives can demonstrate their commitment to user satisfaction, identify areas for improvement, and continuously refine their strategies to bridge the technical divide and empower users to navigate the ever-evolving technological landscape.

The journey of support doesn’t culminate with the resolution of an issue. The feedback loop is crucial. Not only does it provide validation to the users that their voice matters, but it’s an invaluable trove of insights for refining our support strategies. The power of proactive follow-ups lies in its two-fold benefits: ensuring user satisfaction and fostering continuous improvement.

When dealing with technical systems, some users often get intimidated and/or frustrated after going through an arduous and complicated attempt where a support personnel tried to resolve their issues and didn’t succeed. I’ve experienced some users that settle for a discovered workaround instead of making a fuss about unresolved issues. It then serves as a good reason to follow-up after a few days or so to see if further assistance is needed.

Feedback loop and follow ups are crucial to building a strong and resilient support team. This not only ensures ownership and issue resolution but also provides an opportunity to enhance the support processes and tailor them to suit the user base.

When working with users, it's essential to follow up and gather feedback on the solutions we provide. From my experience, users often have concerns and may be dissatisfied with our work. Due to their lack of technical skills, they might underestimate the potential impact of these issues. If left unaddressed, these concerns could become significant problems in the future. Regular follow-ups can help identify and mitigate these issues early, reducing the likelihood of major problems down the line.

Technical analyst should be empathetic and not use IT jargon. Analyst should also follow and make sure the issue is resolved.

In the realm of technical support, the skillful use of relatable metaphors and real-world examples becomes a powerful catalyst for effective communication. Through this artful practice, support agents make the complexities of technology accessible to users, shedding light on the root cause of issues and guiding them toward practical solutions. This approach not only improves the overall support experience but also empowers users with newfound self-help capabilities, ensuring they are better prepared to tackle similar challenges in the future. In essence, this approach transforms the support interaction into a knowledge-sharing endeavor, fostering a more informed and confident user base.

It is important to consider that many of the people with limited technical expertise probably don't see IT as a key part of their role and are probably avoiding doing the parts of their role that include IT components. It is important to set up training courses that improve their base skills and to some extent gamify their use of the equipment and software including things liking tipping competitions etc just to build their use up and build on base skills. Staff should be available to help them. Be patient though, skills improve slowly unless there is a willingness to learn and people must understand the benefits. It is also important to include incentives for improvement and ensure skill levels are articulated in position description.

Implementing user-friendly tools and interfaces can significantly reduce the barriers for individuals with limited technical knowledge. A well-designed interface can guide users and mitigate potential confusion