Phones vs. Email

Tech Support takes multiple forms these days - it used to be that the only way to get assistance was by calling a phone number, waiting on hold, and then talking to someone.

Now you have telephone support, and then support via email, instant messaging, chat, even social media outlets like Twitter.

While Tech Support will always be, at its root, the art of helping someone use something they don't fully understand, there are some differences between email and telephone support.

Email (or chat, message board, instant messenger, IRC channel) support has the advantage of an unspoken, but generally understood time delay.  You don't have to maintain a continuous dialog with the customer, and that can give you the chance to review what you want to say, polish it, edit and then send the email, post the message, send the IM.   The disadvantage is that you are communicating entirely in text - you do not have the advantage of communicating through pitch, tone and timing that speaking with someone on the telephone permits.

Telephone support is the most "immediate" form of support - the clock is running from the moment you answer the call. You need to be able to think on your feet, and if you need to put the customer on hold you need to set that customer's expectations as clearly as possible.  On the other hand, you can make a more direct connection on a social level through how you say what you say - it adds another level of communication beyond conveying information.

Most techs have a preference - phone or email. It's a good idea to build your skills in both media, that way you won't have issues no matter which media you work in.