Simple Ways to Streamline Your IT Support Requests

We’ve all been there. You’re attempting to send that crucial email, access your corporate application, or print an urgent document when unexpectedly… Zow, nada, niente.

Your initial reaction is to call IT support, usually with a message such as:

“My computer isn’t working.”

This is okay but it doesn’t describe the problem to your IT provider very well. The more details you provide, the easier it is for your IT provider to identify and fix the problem.

Great news: it isn’t difficult to submit a good IT support request. Several simple pieces of information can make life easier for your IT department, saving them from having to ask pesky questions and giving them more time to fix your issue:

Why Clear Support Requests Matter

Every problem in IT can almost be viewed as one big puzzle.

• Your IT technician needs to work out:
• What has happened?
• When did it happen?
• Who is affected?
• What changed?
• Can the issue be reproduced?
• Is it preventing work altogether?

The more your ability to give in terms of pieces of the puzzle the faster they can determine the cause.

• A detailed support request often means:
• Faster response times
• Quicker diagnosis
• Fewer follow-up questions
• Less downtime
• A better experience for everyone
• Describe the Problem Clearly

Describe precisely what you’re going through rather than the reason you think is responsible.

For example, instead of saying:

“The internet is broken.”

Try:

Websites are not loading but Microsoft Teams is functional.

Or instead of:

“The printer doesn’t work.”

You could say:

The printer is saying ‘Paper Jam’ but there actually is no paper trapped in the printer.

All minor hints give techs the way to go right away.

Include Error Messages

Error messages can be a bit bewildering but they are, in fact, a great source of information.

If you encounter one, use the words verbatim if you can.

For example:

• “Access Denied”
• “Unable to connect to server”
• “Printer Offline”
• “File is in use”
• “Incorrect username or password”

Even better, provide a screenshot.

A picture usually solves many emails… Getting to explain more…

Explain What You Were Doing

Context is very useful.

• Tell your IT provider:
• Which program you were using
• What you clicked
• Each time this happens?
• Whether it worked previously

For example:

When I opened Outlook, and pressed Send, the email remained in my Outbox.

That’s far more useful than simply saying:

“Email isn’t working.”

Tell Us Who Is Affected

Being able to determine whether the issue is specific to an individual or going to impact the entire business is huge.

For example:

• Just your computer?
• Everyone in the office?
• One department?
• Remote workers only?
• Mobile phones as well?

This can help you determine if its something small or part of a larger issue.

Mention Any Recent Changes

The way a lot of IT problems come to light is fairly soon after you make a change.

Examples include:

• New software installed
• Windows updates
• Password changes
• New hardware connected
• Office relocation
• Broadband changes
• Power cuts
• New employees

It’s a nice change even if it seems totally unrelated1.

Let Your IT Provider Know How Urgent It Is

Some issues are more critical than others.

For example:

Critical

Nobody will have access to your Emails.

The server is down.

The internet is currently not working for the entire office.

High

One worker is not available today.

Business software refuses to open.

Printer corner has failed.

Low

Second monitor needs calibration.

Request for software to be installed.

General suggestions.

By being honest about how urgent it is, you allow your IT provider to distribute jobs fairly.

Include Your Device Details

If possible, mention:

• Laptop or desktop?
• Windows or Mac?
• Office or home?
• Connected via Wi-Fi or network cable?
• Company device or personal device?

This significantly limits the causes.

Screenshots Are Your Friend

An image is worth a thousand words (For the IT Technician).

Capture:

• Error messages
• Pop-up windows
• Login screens
• Unexpected behaviour

A good picture with your phone of the above without taking a screenshot will do just as well.

Avoid Guessing the Cause

It is quite common to attempt it yourself.

However, rather than saying:

“The server has crashed.”

It’s more helpful to describe what you’re seeing:

I am unable to access the shared drive, email remains functional.

This enables your provider to look into it without any preconceived ideas.

Don’t Wait Too Long

Small issues tend to turn into big ones.

If your computer has been sending obscure messages for a few weeks, report it immediately.

Early intervention often prevents:

• Hardware failure
• Data loss
• Malware infections
• Extended downtime
• Keep Contact Details Up to Date

In the case of your IT provider needing to contact you in a rush, be sure they have the following:

• Your direct phone number
• Mobile number (if appropriate)
• Current email address

When to call when you are away from your desk Best time to call if you are away from your desk

Generally, faster communication allows for faster resolutions.

A Good Example of an IT Support Request

Instead of:

“Computer broken.”

Try:

Hello, I haven’t been able to get any jobs to the office printer all day today. I’m on my Windows 11 laptop in the Ipswich office, connected to Wi-Fi. The printer is “Offline” but everyone else has successfully printed.

I’ve tried restarting my laptop and the printer, with no success.

Please see attached screenshot of the error.

That one message contains almost all they need, one scan, one error report.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

This can hit support in several ways: 1) Here are some habits that can slow a support team down without meaning to

Failed to report problems early. Ignores problems until days or weeks later.

Leaving out error messages

Forgetting to mention recent changes

Choosing the phrase “nothing works” without describing what you’ve already attempted

Marking every request as urgent

SPAMING Multiple tickets. No changes are made to a transaction until all of the tickets in a troubleshooting session are resolved.

Closing your laptop immediately after contacting a remote support.

By steering clear of these rather obvious blunders, you will enable your IT supplier to fix problems more quickly and efficiently.

IT Support Is a Partnership

The aim of any IT support provider should always be to ensure your business is running again in no time at all.

That plays a big role to get that when communication between users and techs is good.

A well-defined support request allows your IT team to spend less time retrieving information and more time solving the issue.

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to be an IT guru to submit a great support request.

A lot of the time, just what has occurred, when it began, who it impacts and providing details of any error messages or screen captures can greatly reduce diagnosis time.

Spartan IT Systems services clients locally and nationwide, providing friendly, tailored, rapid response IT support to businesses throughout Suffolk. We aim to fix every problem first time, whether remotely or on site, and offer all types of managed IT services.