“My internet doesn’t work.”
“My computer won’t start.”
Sadly, such complaints are inescapable in a digitally dominated age. Yet the language we use to describe them is devastatingly, exasperatingly vague.
In the past, when we all were working in offices, we could bring our computer or phone to the I.T. guy, or he could swing by our desk in person. Covid-19, of course, has rendered that convenience a distant memory.
So what’s the solution? I’m not here to recommend an app or website; I’ll leave those decisions to others who are more technical than I am.
What I can share is an obvious trick that will utterly transform your experience with tech support forever. The next time you run into a computer problem — be it with your computer, phone, tablet, watch, or anything else with a screen — don’t panic. In such scenarios, there’s often an error message; computers, designed by engineers, are meant to be transparent and logical.
So, before you pick up the phone to call the help desk — or the relative who serves as such in your family — write down that message verbatim. If you can’t copy and paste, then use your phone to snap a pic of your screen.
This effortless gesture will not only facilitate a resolution; it also may help you resolve the issue on your own. After all, once you copy the message, you can plop it down in Google. In my experience, at least half the errors I encounter are solvable via one quick Google search.
