FURTHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING CERTIFICATE:

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT

ID 78965 LEVEL 4 – CREDITS 165

Resolve computer user`s problems

LEARNER GUIDE
SAQA: 14919
Learner Information:

Details Please Complete this Section

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Date Started:
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Learner Guide Introduction
About the Learner This Learner Guide provides a comprehensive overview of the of
Resolve computer user`s problems and forms part of a series of Learner
Guide…
Guides that have been developed for Further Education and Training
Certificate: Information Technology: Technical Support ID 78964 LEVEL 4
– CREDITS 163. The series of Learner Guides are conceptualized in
modular’s format and developed for Further Education and Training
Certificate: Information Technology: Technical Support. They are
designed to improve the skills and knowledge of learners, and thus
enabling them to effectively and efficiently complete specific tasks.

Learners are required to attend training workshops as a group or as

specified by their organization. These workshops are presented in
modules, and conducted by a qualified facilitator.

Purpose The purpose of this Learner Guide is to provide learners with

the necessary knowledge related to Resolve computer user`s
problems

Outcomes At the end of this module, you will be able to:

• Receive computer user's problems.
• Investigate computer user's problems.
• Implement solutions to computer user's problems.
• Close resolved computer user's problems.
• Forward unresolved computer user's problems to appropriate area.
Assessment Criteria The only way to establish whether a learner is competent and has
accomplished the Learning Outcomes is through an assessment
process.
Assessment involves collecting and interpreting evidence about the
learner’s ability to perform a task.
This guide may include assessments in the form of activities,
assignments, tasks or projects, as well as workplace practical tasks.
Learners are required to perform tasks on the job to collect enough and
appropriate evidence for their portfolio of evidence, proof signed by
their supervisor that the tasks were performed successfully.
To qualify To qualify and receive credits towards the learning program, a
registered assessor will conduct an evaluation and assessment of the

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 learner’s portfolio of evidence and competency
Range of Learning This describes the situation and circumstance in which competence
must be demonstrated and the parameters in which learners operate
Responsibility The responsibility of learning rest with the learner, so:
• Be proactive and ask questions,
• Seek assistance and help from your facilitators, if required.

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 1
Resolve computer user`s problems

Learning Unit

UNIT STANDARD NUMBER : 14919

LEVEL ON THE NQF : 4

CREDITS : 5

FIELD : Physical, Mathematical, Computer and Life

Sciences

SUB FIELD : Information Technology and Computer Sciences

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PURPOSE: The learner achieving this unit standard will be able to implement a data collection
plan in the agricultural sector. S/he will be able to effectively analyze, interpret and
evaluate agricultural data and be able to communicate findings accurately. In
addition to this, the learner will be able to recognize, interpret and report on a
range of deviations in data collection processes.

Learners will be well positioned to extend their learning and practice into other
areas of information management and dissemination in the agricultural sector.
Competent learners will understand the value of accurate data collection to the
agricultural sector and be able to implement best practices in the area of
information gathering.

Learners will understand the importance of the application of business principles in

agricultural production with specific reference to information systems and
technology.

They will be able to operate farming practices as businesses and will gain the
knowledge and skills to move from a subsistence orientation to an economic
orientation in agriculture. Farmers will gain the knowledge and skills to access
mainstream agriculture through a business-oriented approach to agriculture.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE:

It is assumed that a learner attempting this unit standard will demonstrate competence against unit
standard
NQF 3: Supervise the Collection of Agricultural Data.

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 SESSION 1.
Receive computer user's problems.
Learning Outcomes
• The request received identifies the users and their terms of support so that the
response procedure can be determined.
• The request received records sufficient information about the problem to
begin an investigation.
• The contact with users of the request received employs personal
communication techniques which allows users to feel that the problem will
be resolved to their satisfaction.
• The request received is assigned a timeframe and priority to the problem
according to organisation standards and the terms of the support
agreement for each user.

It is always better to focus on solutions rather than on problems. Sometimes,

however, you cannot find the right solution to a problem unless you spend some
time making sure that you understand the problem as well as you can. Often,
once you have defined and analysed a problem, you realise that is a much
smaller problem than you thought it was. As a result, it becomes much easier to
solve.
In this session you are going to find out how to define and analyse problems.
You will first investigate how to define a problems. You will first investigate how to
define a problem. After that, you will learn how to make sure that you have
collected the right facts about the problem. Finally, you will learn how to make
sure that cultural factors are not affecting your ability.

How to define a problem

In this section, you will look at what different problems have in common. All
problems have a type, parameters and possible causes.

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What do we mean by problem type, problem parameters and possible causes?
Let us explore an example of a problem to explain these.
Think about an example of a company that publishes tourism books about South
Africa. The company is getting ready to move to a bigger building because it
needs more space for its new employees. The company’s computer supplier is
going to deliver the new 20 computers you ordered in three day’s time.
However, you are moving premises in a week’s time, so you need to find a
suitable storage space for the new computers. This is difficult because
employees’ files and boxes that are ready to be moved to the new offices have
already taken up most of the storage space. How do we define this problem?

Problem type

In the above example, you saw how two factors make your problem. The first
factor is space. This is because you cannot put the new computers into the
storage areas of the old building. The second factor is time. This is because all
the company’s computers need to move at the same time. So this type of
problem is a space and time problem.
Why do you think it is important to identify the type of problem when you define
a problem? Well, if you do not know what type of problem you need to solve,
you cannot solve it. In the example above, you know that problem involves
space to store the new computers for the time between when they are
delivered and when the company is going to move.

Problem parameters
When you define a problem, you also need to identify its parameters.
Parameters are fixed limits that control the way in which you need to do
something. For example, what do you think are the parameters for using a gas
stove safely? Firstly, you need to make sure that the gas the gas bottle is not
leaking and that it has enough gas inside it. Secondly, you need to make sure
that you d not light the gas stove anywhere near things that can catch fire, such

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as curtains or chemicals. And thirdly, you need to make sure that you switch the
gas stove off.
Before you solve a problem you need to collect the information you need to
start thinking of solutions. For example, when you identified that the problem
about moving was about time and space you collected information about
storage space and moving and moving dates. When you identified the problem
parameters, you collected information about what the company would be
prepared to do to solve the problem. And when you identified possible causes
of the problem, you collected information about where the problem came from
in the first place.
Once you have collected information about the problem, the next step is to
make sure that the information meets the requirements. This means that the
information you have collected needs to be able to help you to solve the
problem. For example, collecting information about the storage space at the
company’s present building. And collecting information about what software
the new employees will need on their computers will not help you to solve the
problem either.
But suppose that you have a meeting with the person organising the move to
discuss your. At that meeting, you learn that the company’s big boardroom
desk and chair set is moving to the new building on the night before the new
computers are going to be delivered. This is because the boardroom desk
needs to be varnished first before it can be used again in the new building. So
you learn that the boardroom is going to be empty on the morning of the
scheduled delivery. This information is very useful, because you might be able to
put the new computers in the boardroom until the move. This information meets
the problem requirements. This second stage in solving problem is illustrated on
the next page.

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 Step 1b Define
the problem

Identify the Make sure that

problem type, the facts you
parameter and have collected
possible causes meet the
problems
requirements

Determining a course of action

Once you have identified the problem type and parameters, and thought
about some possible causes, you need to start thinking about what to do to
solve the problem. The things you do to solve a problem are called courses of
action. In this step, you do not actually start taking action yet. However, you
start to from ideas about what you are going to do to solve the problem.
Let us look at the above example again. When you determine possible causes
of action to solve your storage problem, you consider packing the new
computers into the boardroom when they arrive. You cannot actually pack the
computers there yet because they have not been delivered yet and the
boardroom table is still in there. But you determine that storing the computers in
the boardroom is a possible course of action. This is the third step in solving a
problem, as illustrated.

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 Step 1c Define the
problem

Identify the Make sure that the Determine

problem type, facts you have possible
parameter collected meet the actions to
and possible problems take
causes

Evaluate Solutions

Have you ever had a problem that has more than one solution? If you think
about problems carefully, most of them do not have only one possible solution.
There are usually a few things u could do to solve one problem. But how do you
know which solution is the best one?

Common PC Problems

There are thousands of problems that your PC could have, from an endless list of
possible error messages to various hardware failures. Most of those problems
might have several possible causes as well. Luckily, the majority of these
potential issues are rare. The problems most computer users see are common
errors and failures seen by many, many others.

Every PC user has a computer problem now and then. Even the most stable,
secure machine is not safe from buggy software, failing hardware, or even the
occasional loose wire. PC problems can be a huge headache, bringing
productivity to a halt and potentially costing you money. Here are some of the
most common computer problems, and their possible causes.

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Insufficient Memory

• Processor-intensive programs also demand a lot of memory. Random

access memory (RAM) aides the central processing unit (CPU) by storing
instructions linked to common operations. Without enough RAM, software
crashes and slowdowns can occur.

Adware

• Mysterious pop-up messages and random banner ads that hamper

computer performance are symptoms of adware. The only purpose of
adware is to violate computer screens with advertising. Adware is
annoying, but is generally easy to remove.

Slowdown

• Computers are supposed to perform processes faster and better, which

makes the occasional bout of slowdown more pronounced. Video out of
sync with audio, longer than normal load times and stuttering mouse
movement all indicate either a fragmented hard drive or an overtaxed
CPU.

Weird Noises

• Whirling fans are sometimes accompanied by other clicks and flutters that
could signal either a pending mechanical failure or that a part is loose.
The problem is usually minor and can be fixed by shifting a wire's path or
by tightening screws.

Failing Power Supply

• A computer that suddenly shuts off or has difficulty starting up could have
a failing power supply. Without sufficient power, a computer will not
operate.

Overheating

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 • Computer components generate heat during operation. If the case lacks
a sufficient cooling and ventilation setup, the computer parts could burn
themselves out. Under rare circumstances, when the electrical system is
damaged, the computer could become a fire hazard.

Bad Hard Drive Sectors

• Over the course of a hard drive's life, parts of the hard drive begin to fail.
Mechanical problems are possible, but the hidden threats are bad
sectors. Data stored in bad sectors can become corrupted and can
cause problems with data and settings throughout the computer.

Rootkits

• A rootkit gives a remote user complete control over a victim computer.

The computer bearing a rootkit often becomes a tool to attack other
computers, and at worst implicates the unwitting user in the crimes of
someone else.

Spyware

• Spyware can monitor computer processes and log key strokes. Banking
records, passwords and other forms of private information are recorded
and then exported, and this could result in identity theft.

Viruses

• Viruses are computer programs designed to debilitate a computer and

then use it as a carrier to spread the virus to other computers. An infected
computer is a danger to itself and every computer on its network. No
computer is truly immune to viruses.

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 SESSION 2.
Investigate computer user's problems.

Learning Outcomes
• The investigation uses information sources to identify known problems.
• The investigation use industry recommended procedures to identify the
cause of the problem.
• The investigation records symptoms of unresolved identified problems to be
forwarded to technical support services to resolve.
• The investigation advises users of progress according to the terms of their
support agreement.
• The investigation advises third parties of progress according to the terms of
the user's support agreement.
•

How to troubleshoot a computer problem

What steps do you go through in order to diagnose a computer problem? There's

more than one correct answer, of course, but here's one way to work through the
troubleshooting thought-process.
We all have our methods to identify and correct computer problems. Most of us
probably have certain things we go through, or steps we follow, and so on. I'm
not suggesting that there's only one right way to diagnose and fix a problem,
but they probably all have some commonalities. Moreover, different
environments, applications, and countless other circumstances will influence
any troubleshooting methods, so your particular circumstances might dictate
something otherwise. Nonetheless, here's an outline of the process when
approaching a computer problem.

User support problems usually fall into one of the following categories: Hardware
failure: This could actually be a failed component -- a bad motherboard or hard

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drive, for example - or it could be a matter of an unplugged cable, a router or
modem that needs to be recycled, or some other such thing.

Software issue: This would include the operating system, something affected by
a Windows update, an application update, or an actual software bug.

User-created problem: These are usually of the unintentional variety where a

user might inadvertently disable something, change something, delete
something, and so on.

Training or documentation: Often times there is no real problem, per se, except
for a lack of knowledge or understanding about something. In these cases, it
might be that training is needed or documentation needs to be updated.

Outside vendor issue: As much as I hate hearing the buck being passed around
from one support group to another, it's sometimes real and justified. A custom
software application or a supported piece of hardware might be experiencing
some issues. High-end and high-output printing devices often fall into these
categories. In my case, the support obligation usually ends at the printing or
plotting device itself (except for low-end desktop printers), and short of
restarting the unit, there isn't much I can do to troubleshoot and fix the problem.
Such units are seldom sold alone, and they almost always come with a use-and-
support agreement.

One thing I always do, however, when calling on such outside support help is to
make myself available to assist in whatever way necessary. I would never say (or
seldom say), for example, this is your problem that you need to fix. But rather I'd
approach it as a joint problem that we, together, need to address until the issue
is resolved.

I try to identify into which category the problem falls as quickly as I can. It is
possible, I suppose, for a problem to actually have two (or more) underlying
reasons, which can make finding the solution even more of a challenge; and in
such cases, the fixes would probably have to be addressed in that order --

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hardware first, then software (drivers, etc.), then user issues (configuration, etc.),
followed by training or documentation. Nonetheless, I try to isolate the problem
into one of those categories as quickly as possible.

Possible steps to seek a solution:

Reboot: Try this preferably before support is called. I actually had a user who
posted a message to himself that he taped along the edge of his
monitor: Reboot first, call Joe second. Of course, on one hand, there's the
situation where a reboot actually fixes a problem. On the other hand, however,
requiring a reboot might really be a symptom of a deeper underlying problem.
Rebooting once and being done with it is one thing, but if it becomes necessary
to reboot too frequently to fix the same problem, then digging a little deeper to
find the underlying problem would be required.

Replicate the problem or issue: Make the problem happen again, see the error
message, etc. Experience the problem yourself to get a better feel.

Retrace user steps that led up to the problem: What did the user do immediately
leading up to the problem? What was changed? What was installed (or
uninstalled)? The answer is usually, “I did nothing different,” or something along
those lines. But it's amazing how often we actually can identify
that something really was changed by simply asking questions of the user.

Device Manager: This is such a quick and easy way to get an overview of the
hardware status. A quick look for the yellow or red warning tags might quickly
identify the source of a problem.

Error logs: Like the Device Manager, the error logs might reveal the source and
frequency of a problem.

Isolate the problem: Is it unique to this one computer, or are more people
experiencing the same issue? For example, is it only one computer that can't
print versus all of them that can't print?

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Seek obvious solutions: Unplugged cords and cables are often the cause of a
problem or failure. Sometimes the most simple and obvious solution is the
hardest to see. I recall having received a support call telling me that a
computer hard drive had failed, but upon further investigation I discovered that
a prankster had put a floppy disk into another user's floppy disk drive, and since
the BIOS boot order was set as such, it was looking for a bootable floppy disk.
Since floppy disks are used so seldom any more (in fact, many computers don't
even have floppy disk drives), it was an easy thing for the user to overlook.

There's no one right way to troubleshoot all computer problems, and none of my
outlined steps are necessarily in any correct order. But this is pretty much my
own mind-set when I approach problems in my environments. Please share your
own thoughts and comments.

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 SESSION 3.
Implement solutions to computer user's problems.

Learning Outcomes
• The implementation ensures that the user's system is returned as soon as
possible.
• The implementation uses reference data sources to identify known solutions
to known problems.
• The implementation designs solutions for any new problems identified.
• The implementation records the action taken in sufficient detail to allow it to be
repeated.
• The implementation monitors progress of a solution so that users may be advised of
progress according to the terms of their support agreement.

Implement Solutions

Before you implement a solution you have to assess several options that you can
use to solve your problem. In this section you will find out how to implement
solutions to problems. You will first learn how to monitor your solution to make
sure it is effective. After that, you will learn how to make sure that you involve
everybody who needs to be involved in solving the problem.

Ensure that solutions are effective

What makes a solution effective?

Have you ever taken something back to a shop to be fixed, only to find that it
breaks again after a few days? You will agree that a solution does not last is not
effective. To be effective, a solution needs to solve the problem problem
properly. How can you make sure that a solution to a problem is effective? Let
us look at how to do this.

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How to trail and monitor solutions for effectiveness
Suppose that an employee in the tourism book company example asks you to
solve a problem he is having with his mouse. The roller is not working smoothly, so
the pointer on the employee’s screen is difficult to move around. You remove
the roller from the mouse and clean it. When you return it to the employee, he is
happy with the way the mouse works. But two weeks later, he reports the same
problem to you again. He says that the mouse has not working properly for a
few days. You know that the roller could not have become dirty in such a short
time. When you investigate the problem again, you find that the cable is faulty.
So you replace the mouse with a new one. In this example you thought that you
had solved the problem when you cleaned the roller. But your solution did not
last very long. This is because you did not follow up, or trail, your solution.
If you had trailed the solution by asking the employee how his mouse was
working after the first week, he would have told you that the mouse was starting
to give him problems again. You could then have looked at the mouse again,
and solved the problem properly.

Reviewing and modifying solutions

Once you have followed up the solution that you have implemented, you need
to review and modify it. You might also need to standardise some of the
practices regarding the solution. What do we mean by review, modify and
standardise? Let us take a closer look.

How to review a solution

When you review a solution, you evaluate or analyse it. You examine it carefully
to see whether you need to make any changes to the solution you have
implemented. For example, suppose that you have completed a project for one
of your subjects at college. When you have finished the project, you do not just
hand it in straight away. You go back and read through the project from the
beginning to the end. You check it against the information your lecture gave

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you about he or she expected from you. And you make that it includes all the
information that it needs to include. When you do this, you are reviewing the
project before you hand it in to be marked.
When you review a solution to a problem, you look at your original assessment of
the problem. You look at what you wanted the solution to achieve. And you
know the solution achieves those things. For example, suppose that your
bedroom cupboards were very untidy. This was causing the problem of you not
being able to find the clothes you were looking for when you wanted to get
dressed in a hurry. Your solution to the problem was to tidy your cupboards so
that you were organised in the mornings. Once you have implemented your
solution by tidying your cupboards, you review your solution by asking question
such as:
• Do the tidy cupboards save me time in the mornings?
• Can I find the clothes I am looking for more easily now?
• Now that I have solved the problem, does my solution work as well as I
expected it to work?
Once you have answered those questions, you have reviewed your solution.

How to modify a solution

Once you have reviewed your solution, you know if it is working as well as you
expected it to work. But what if you find that your solution is not working as well
as you expected it to work? In this case, you need to change, or modify, your
solution so that it does work as well as you expected it to work. For example
when you tidied your bedroom cupboards, you might have put your socks on a
shelf that is high up in your cupboard. So now you know where your socks are,
but you cannot reach them very easily. Os you modify your solution by putting
your socks on a lower shelf, where you can reach them.

How to standardise a solution

A good example of a standardised solution can be found in any supermarket.

As you know, eggs break very easily. So to make sure that it does not sell broken

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eggs to its customers, the supermarket packs them in to special protective
boxes. This means that the egg packaging has been standardised. When you
standardise something, you make it the Same as a group of other things. School
uniforms, for example are way of standardising the clothes that children wear to
school.

When you standardise a solution to a problem, you are saying: This way of
solving a problem works the best. So I am going to use it to solve all problems of
this type.

Consulting stakeholders during implementation

Imagine that you are part of a group doing a project for one of your college
subjects. Everyone in the group has a different task to do for the project to be
completed. You complete your task on time, but when you work as group you
might require more time.

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 SESSION 4.
Close resolved computer user's problems.

Learning Outcomes
• The closure presents a report on the resolution of each problem to the user,
so that they may judge that the problem has been satisfactorily resolved.
• The closure records resolution of the problem according to organisation
standards and procedures.

Close resolved problems

Imagine that your car has been in workshop for repairs. The workshop phones
you to tell you that your car is ready to collect. You go to the workshop, where
the workshop manager gives you a copy of the job card. The job card is
document that records everything the workshop did to your car. You sign the
job card, and get your car keys. You are now ready to leave with your car and
the repair job has been closed. How does this process work for computer
problems?

In this session you will find out how to round off or close a user’s computer
problem. You will first learn how to tell a user his or her computer problem was
resolved. After that you will learn how to record the way that you resolved the
problem.

Reporting a resolution

What do we mean when we say that the computer problem has been
resolved? What is a resolution? To resolve something is to find a satisfactory way
of dealing with a problem. So a resolution is a kind of solution that closes a
problem.

Take the example of the car repair introduction above. What is the workshop
manager doing when he or she hands you the job card and tells you what the
workshop did to your car? He or she is telling you how the job was done so that
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you can judge whether the mechanics did the job properly. If for example you
had asked the workshop to replace your front tyres but the job card shows that
this was not done, then the repair has not been resolved properly. But if the job
card reports that the tyres were replaced, and everything else that you asked
for has been resolved properly.

To report the resolution of a computer problem to a user, you would tell the user
exactly what you did to repair the computer. You would mention which parts
you replaced and which parts you repaired or serviced. In particular, you would
mention how what you did to the computer has solved the problem.

Record a solution to organisation standards and procedures

The way that you record how you fixed a computer problem differs from
company to company. The company that you work for probably has its own
methods and documents that it wants you to use for recording the resolutions to
problems. However, in general, the record should show the following important
factors:

• What the original problem was.

• An explanation of the symptoms of the problem.
• When the user first told you about the problem
• An outline of all the steps you took to troubleshoot the problem.
• Whether you could fix the problem or whether you forwarded it to
technical support.
• If you forward the problem to technical support an indication of when as
well as an explanation of what happened while the computer was there.
• When you reported back to the user about how the solution
implementation was progressing and.
• When you returned the computer to the user as well as an explanation of
what you did to fix it.

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Problem Solving Techniques

As a computer technician, you do not need to identify possible solutions to

computer problems by yourself. You can use problem-solving techniques to help
you. Problem-solving techniques are the methods that can be used to solve
problems. Let us look at some problem-solving techniques.

Comparing a problem to information about previous problems

The first problem-solving technique is to compare a problem to information that

you have gathered about similar problems that you have solved before. For
example, suppose that you had a problem with the camera on your cell phone.
When you took a photograph it was not saved into your phone. You looked
through the user’s manual for the phone and found information about how to
save photographs now, you no longer lose because you know how to save
photographs to your sim card. So when you take photographs now, you no
longer lose them because you know how to save them correctly. You have used
information about a previous problem to solve the problem when it comes up
again.

Take the example of a tourism book company. Two weeks ago a user reported
a problem with her monitor to you. The monitor was displaying a black frame
around the outside and the information on the monitor was not centred. You
accessed the menu for changing the way in which the monitor displays
information by pressing the buttons at the bottom of the monitor. You used this
menu to fix the display problem.

Yesterday another user reported that his monitor display was very dark. He could
not see the information on the monitor very clearly. You remembered the menu
options you accessed on the monitor when you fixed the first monitor problem
two weeks ago. You then used that information to fix the contrast on the user’s
monitor when he reported his problem. In this way you have used information
about the previous problem to solve the similar one.

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Troubleshooting

The second problem-solving technique is troubleshooting. Remember

troubleshooting is a way of solving problems. It is based on the process of
eliminating or getting rid of all the possible causes of a problem until you are left
with the actual cause. You need to be very methodical when you troubleshoot
a problem.

Seeking Expert Help

Seeking expert help is the third problem-solving technique. One of the benefits
of the computer age is that many experts are available to help you solve
problems. Let us look at an example of seeking expert help. Imagine that your
Aunt has asked you to look after her new baby for the afternoon because she
has to go out. You do not know much about the babies, but you agree to help
her. She gives you some basic information about looking after babies. But when
she leaves the bay starts crying. You do everything you can think of, but the
baby keeps on crying. You decided to phone your mother for some advice. She
tells that the baby is probably hungry. So you give the baby a bottle, and she
stops crying. You have now sought expert help to solve the problem.

Where do you find expert help about computer problems? The internet,
software manufactures, Hardware manufactures and computer shops are good
place to start looking.

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 SESSION 5.
Forward unresolved computer user's problems to appropriate area.

Learning Outcomes
• The extension of the problem is reported to the user involved, according to
the terms of their support agreement.
• The extension advises third parties of progress according to the terms of the
user's support agreement.
• The extension records additional information on unresolved identified problems to
be forwarded to appropriate area to resolve.

In this session you will learn how to send computer problems that you are unable
to resolve to people who can resolve them. You will also learn how to tell a user
that his or her computer problem has not been resolved. After that you will learn
how to keep in contact with the user about how the resolution to the problem is
progressing.
Unresolved PC problems
Reporting unresolved problems to the user using a car example imagine that the
workshop manager phones you to say that they cannot fix you damaged car
seat because the workshop does not have the necessary equipment. The
workshop manager tells that the factory which they normally send car seat
repairs is closed for the next two weeks. The workshop manager also says that
she is looking for another place that can take your car for the seat repair it
needs.

You probably would not feel very happy about the news that your car can not
be properly fixed for a while. However you would be satisfied that the workshop
manager is doing everything she can to find another place for your car repair.
OS you do not mind waiting a bit longer to get your car back.

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But imagine that the workshop manager had phoned you and told you to
collect your car and find a place yourself that can repair seats. You would
probably be very unhappy about the way in which your problem was being
handled. You might get a bit angry and refuse to pay the workshop until the full
repair is done. You would not feel as if the problem was being handled very
well.
As you can see from the above example the way in which you report
unresolved computer problems to people is very important. This applies to
computer problems as well. If you are not able to fix a user’s computer problem,
find out who can. Contact that person before you phone the user. If possible,
arrange to have the computer looked at by an expect as soon as possible so
that you can give the user as much information as possible when you phone him
or her. If you put in some extra effort for unresolved problems, users will be
satisfied that you do everything you can to get their computers fixed.

Unresolved problems and Support agreements

As you can imagine, users with support agreements are unhappy when you tell
them that you cannot fix their computers in the time stated in their support
agreements. This is especially true of users who have spent money on special
warranties to make sure that their problems are fixed very quickly.

If you can not fix a user’s computer within the timeframe of the support
agreement, try to give the user a computer to use while an expect is looking at
his computer.

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