Service People Who Don't Like Serving...or People

I just had a wonderful experience with a service call (well, service chat actually). When was the last time you were able to say that?

Usually, when I find myself in the frustrating place of thinking I've tried everything I know and I just need to talk to someone in the service department, I suddenly feel my anxiety level increase. It's as if I will try anything, everything, several times, many times before resorting to the dreaded support department. I will even sometimes call friends who don't know anything about the situation just to reassure myself that it's not a dumb question...before calling support. By the time I finally do break down and contact the service line, I'm already defensive, feeling oh-so-stupid, and irritated (as I'm guessing 90 percent of all service call customers are).

What's with all the anxiety and defensiveness before calling service? Isn't service supposed to serve your needs and set you at ease? It's been suggested to me by friends who are in the service field that coming into the conversation from a more amiable starting point would probably help.

I did try being the nice, supportive one a few times. After all, this person on the other end probably hates their job, or maybe they didn't get enough sleep, or maybe they have childhood issues ....wait a minute...who is supporting who on this supposed-to-be-5-minute call? I just want to know how to do something that's your job to tell me how to do, If I knew how, I wouldn't have called.

So, the next phase was trying to be patient and assume the service person just doesn't understand my dilemma. They just need me to explain it again, right? Apparently not. You see, they already know my dilemma and are certain it has nothing to do with them, the company they work for, or anything really. Sigh.

I've resorted to the online support chat lately, whenever it's available. It's much easier to not notice the condescension or ambivalence in their voice when you can't hear their voice. It's also less personable, which you would think would not be good. But...some service people just don't want to be personable. I'll respect that. I just want my problem fixed.

So...I had to call support this evening. I went through all the contortions all day trying to solve the problem on my own. Then I posted a question in the appropriate forum. Just making sure I was posting to the correct forum takes more time than calling support. But I had to be sure I had exhausted all other options. The answers in the forum were what I dreaded....I needed to contact my hosting company.

OK...big breath...click on "live chat support" at HostMySite.com and watch the timer count down. Within seconds, Andrew types "hi". I type out my question as clearly as I can. Immediate response with a link to an article with step by step directions. But wait...(see it can't be this simple)...I got this far but I don't know the IP address...I know it's a dumb question, but I just can't find the IP address. Within seconds, Andrew gave me the IP address!!! Just like that. Not directions to finding it. Not someone else to ask. Not a reason why I should know it. THANK YOU Andrew!

I actually didn't have any further questions for Andrew, but I made one up so the chat could last a tiny bit longer.

Thank you to all you wonderful service people out there that love serving...and people!