Every family has that one person they count on to provide some level of tech support. Like many, I’m the go-to guy when my parents have an issue with their tablet, printer or TV.
I was happy to help provide tips to the The Wall Street Journal for their article Are You the Family Tech Support? My tips for those asked to help our their family with tech issues:
- Reassure your parents: Fear, not smarts, is the biggest hurdle.
- Find out what your parents were trying to do when the problem happened. Understanding the end goal can help diagnose what went wrong.
- When possible, have parents do the actual troublehsooting themselves. Knowledge is power – and comfort.
- Ditch technical terms. Talk in clear, everyday language. When explaining something, us an analogy.
- Try Skype or Facetime for problem solving from afar. Remote-access programs may also be helpful.
- Know your limits. If a problem is outside your comfort zone, call a professional.