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I finally stopped giving overly technical answers after a user told me 'I just need to know which button to press'
About six months ago, I was helping someone reset their password over the phone. I started explaining the difference between local and cloud authentication, and they cut me off. They said, 'Look, I'm late for a meeting. I just need to know which button to press.' That stuck with me. Now, I always ask if they want the quick fix or the full explanation first. I start with the simplest step-by-step instructions, like 'click the link in the email, then type your new password twice.' Has anyone else had to learn to simplify their explanations on the fly?
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tylerj2212d ago
But what if the quick fix just causes the same problem later? Giving the full picture helps people actually understand their tech. Sometimes you have to explain why things work, not just how.
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ray_miller8412d ago
Yeah, that's the trap I always fall into. I'll give someone the simplest fix, then three months later they're back with the same issue because they never learned the root cause. I guess I'm just too lazy to explain it all properly half the time. My bad advice probably creates more tech support calls than it solves.
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How do you figure out when someone actually wants the full story? I used to be totally on @tylerj22's side, thinking a real fix needed the whole explanation. But after getting that same blank stare a few times, I realized most people just want their thing to work right now. My rule now is to give the one-button answer first, then ask if they want to know why that worked. It saves everyone a headache.
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