Technical Support Engineer
Technical Support Engineers provide information, advice and technical support to a variety of clients, both professional and amateur, about problems arising from the increasing use of digital equipment and techniques. They are highly trained within their specialist areas, and must be able to communicate technical information, clearly and concisely, to a wide range of clients.
Responsibilities
Technical Support Engineers provide a service to a wide customer base, both amateur and professional, diagnosing problems and offering advice and solutions. There are two methods of providing this service:
Call centres offer responses initially via a Frequently Asked Questions Information service. In-depth technical requirements are passed on to more technically advanced staff, who provide detailed one-to-one information and advice.
The alternative approach, offered by many professional support companies, is to provide a full on-line or telephone support service using fully qualified engineers. This approach benefits the client by ensuring that they receive a one-stop solution to their problem. Requests for assistance may range from difficulties with the simple installation or operation of a basic product, to more serious situations requiring staff to replicate the problem within the technical support facility before providing the client with a same-day solution.
Skills
Technical Support Engineers need good analytical skills to provide swift diagnoses of problems. Equally essential are excellent customer care and communication skills, and an awareness of the varying levels of their clients’ technical competency. It is also important to appreciate the pressures clients may be under if they are trying to complete professional assignments whilst struggling with malfunctioning equipment.
Excellent IT skills, and a sound working knowledge of both Mac and PC platforms are essential as many problems with digital products are due to connectivity issues.
Experience / Qualifications
Most employers specify the need for an electronics qualification, e.g., City & Guilds, BTEC, etc. In addition, a working knowledge of photo imaging processes is useful. The overriding requirement is a sympathetic customer care profile.
Training is generally provided on the job, with product specific training provided by manufacturers and suppliers.
