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- Use your customer service skills and technical knowledge to help solve customers' problems
- You'll need excellent communication skills and the ability to solve problems
- There are increasing numbers of opportunities to do this work flexibly from your own home
As a technical support agent you'll help users of technology products and services to solve problems they are having or give advice on how to use the product.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
Most technical support agents work using phones, email, or increasingly live chat or social media to engage with customers and help solve their problems. In many cases you'll be trained on the job and provided with manuals and information to help you advise customers, but in some cases you may be required to have deep technical knowledge.
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
You'll normally work shifts which may include evenings and weekends for some organisations, and you might be based in a contact centre, but increasingly these jobs are being offered to people who work from home and who 'log on' at a particular time and take calls and respond to messages from their own home. This can make the work ideal for those who have other commitments or challenges that prevent them from travelling to and from a place of work.
You'll need
This role would suit someone who is able to engage and get on well with people, who is able to calmly and reassuringly deal with customers who have problems and who may be frustrated, and someone who is able to follow the steps to solve a problem effectively.
Depending on the kind of products or services you are working with, you might need higher or lower levels of background technical skills and knowledge.
This work can be highly flexible, and many employers will provide you with all the training you need on the job, but gaining some experience in a customer service role and/or a qualification in IT or computer science may help you gain roles in some industries. Second language skills might also be useful for companies who operate across multiple territories. In most cases you can apply directly to employers and posts are often paid by the hour.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience, you could progress to become a team leader or manager, or specialise in a more technical area. You can also become self-employed.