Tech Support Orientation (for Admins/Staff)

Introduction

Perhaps they can start by checking out this [howto?]

Volunteer Agreement

• Volunteer Agreement (Tech Support)
• Volunteer Intern Contract

General Support Guidelines

• Who's covered and who is not
• What's covered and what's not (link)
• When its okay to go above and beyond
  • Adopters are highest priority, followed by grantees, followed by store customers
  • If you choose to go above and beyond, the most important rule is that you make it clear that you are making an exception and that this will likely not happen again (don't throw other techs under the bus).
• When to charge people
  • Always charge when out of warranty for anything other than a parts install
  • You can leave charging folks to the coordinator, if you are uncomfortable.

Lists, RT, and Database

• Support Techs List - Add intern to list. Explain uses of list including:
  • Auto-generated RT ticket summary (of the tickets you created)
  • Cool stuff in linux, tech
  • Where you let folks know you are sick and not coming in
  • Advise others when you become aware of new documentation or bugs
• RT -- This is the main one all support techs must have. Generally by the time a tech starts, his or her email is already in RT as a user. Find the email, change the username from the email to something suitable, give the account privileges, have the tech put in a password. Then once the account is privileged, add it to the fgcore group.
• Wiki -- Techs need a wiki account because part of their job is to update the Tech support knowledge base.
  • Encourage techs to get involved early. Even wording/formatting cleanup on existing documents and testing links is very helpful.
• Application server -- This allows them to log in to their own account on the terminals, and provides a place for them to store files.
• Database -- Get intern a database login. Show how an intern would find the date of the beginning of warranty.

Procedure for Phone Calls

• Name (as in, ask the customer their name)
• Ubuntu? From Free Geek?
• When acquired?
• RT ticket made when you advise a customer to come in

Intake Procedure for Drop Offs and Others

• Intake Form (please use RT if your handwriting is not legible!) Show where extra forms are
• RT tickets introduction
• Place on shelf with form
• Use lots of tape

RT Training

• Subject headings and description of problem (name - what's not working)
• Put user description of problem in quotations. i.e. "what's not working".

Hard Drives with No Home

Any hard drive floating around without some clear explanation of its purpose is to be handed to a key holder immediately. Please label all drives you intend to set down on a counter for more than a minute. (A good time to show where sharpies and tape are).

Mean or Unreasonable People

• Cadets don't have to deal with them. That's what the coordinators are for.

Walk Around

• Meet keyholders and regular staff
• Get RT login from technocrat
• Show parts available in build
• Show laptop area and advise getting all parts from instructors