A large virtual job fair that we helped launch last week brought home some interesting lessons to our tech support -
- when a job candidate is anxiously searching for a job, you want the technical support to be not just technically sharp, but also demonstrate empathy
- it is wrong to assume that everyone is comfortable with their computers.
- virtual users often crave a reassuring human voice
- when someone contacts Tech Support with a question "How do I" or "where is" it means we have not factored in the lowest common denominator, in a manner of speaking, for deciding the usability of the virtual fair.
At iTradeFair.com we take pride in the kind of technical support we offer to users of our clients. Compliments are very common.
- "All looks ok now; kudos on the excellent response time and efforts.
- "Today's event went very well. My compliments and thanks to you."
- "I too want to thank you and your team for your hard work. The event appeared to go very well and I like the new look of the virtual trade show.
- "We are receiving very positive feedback on your support from the participants. We thank you for that!"
Often, they are unspoken.
When requests for support come in, especially if it is a usability issue, participants typically tend to blame themselves for not having noticed a certain link or button. However, we accept responsibility for not having taken their needs into account in our design. We treat their problem as a signal to improve the user interface and make it more intuitive. We engage the participant in the process through a phone call or with an email exchange. We have learned that when a support request is met with a phoned response, participants are not only more patient and appreciative of the benefits of the virtual fair, but they are also very forthcoming with tips on how to improve the usability. The learning never ends.
Coming back to the support request of last week, our tech support crew member had to walk the job candidate through to help in finding specific keys on the candidate's own computer keyboard. The case was handled with utmost patience and empathy, until the job candidate was able to enter the virtual job fair and start on the job search. At one point the tech support crew also opened a screen-sharing session to see the user's screen and make sure that nothing was being mis-typed. When it was all resolved, the job candidate expressed relief and gratitude. Our support crew was patient and extremely helpful, and also very understanding of the candidate's discomfort with the computer including the keyboard. I do not know if our clients are aware of this specific ticket or how well our crew handled it, but it does not really matter. Simply knowing that someone breathed easier and hopefully got a job opportunity, made our day!
