Technical Support Representative Job Description

Technical Support Representatives

Technical support representatives answer incoming calls and help callers with computer problems. They listen to customer issues and figure out how to fix them. Technical support representatives need to have a degree information technology or a related field to work for many employers.

Some employers train technical support representatives as entry level professionals and do not require further education beyond a high school diploma or GED. The length of training varies based on a candidate's education or experience with tech support. Technical support representatives and senior support professionals work together to learn how to take customer calls, look up problems in the solutions database, and log calls into the system during training.

Technical Support Specialists

A technical support specialist is a professional who provides IT hardware and software support. Their duties include installing new hardware, operating systems and software programs. Technical Support Specialists help senior support staff by taking care of daily server maintenance and monitoring tasks.

They can work for an IT maintenance company that provides support for multiple clients, or they can work for an organisation that provides in-house support. The level of experience a Technical Support Specialist needs will depend on the position. Candidates with basic IT skills can be hired for junior positions.

Experience in user administration and support of specific operating systems is required for more advanced positions. It is important that Technical Support Specialists obtain professional qualifications to stay up to date with the latest developments in IT. Candidates can choose from a wide range of accredited certifications courses.

Technical Support Specialists work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Technical Support Specialists may need to work on-call after hours as computer systems have to be up and running all the time. Maintenance and installations can be done after hours on weekends.

Technical Support Engineers

The technical support engineer is a mid-career position that provides high levels of job satisfaction. Technical support engineers work in the field for 20 years before moving into other tech roles. If you want to work for a company that offers technical support, you should get a degree in computer engineering, computer science, engineering or technical discipline.

The customer support team is called the technical support team depending on whether the customer is internal or external. There is no one size that fits all flow chart to describe how technical support should be structured. Some offices have an IT department with technical support engineers.

Others have a network that is ready to be used for customer support. The responsibilities of the technical support engineer are the same regardless of the size of the team. Hardware and software problems are included.

A senior team-lead technical support engineer is likely to only handle Tier 3s and above. They spend most of their time working with monitoring tools, implementing system updates and upgrades, developing big picture tech support strategy and ensuring team success with accountability measures. Technical support engineers must constantly monitor systems and software.

Technical support engineers can use a variety of monitoring tools. The goal is to be proactive before issues occur. Technical support engineers usually have a long queue of issues to resolve.

Tech Support Reps: Career Opportunities in the FlexJob Database

Technical support representatives are needed to make things right for people with tech-related difficulties. If you enjoy interacting with others, you could be a good tech support rep. Customers are frustrated by tech problems.

Tech support reps are sympathetic with customers. They are calm and positive, and that shows that the company cares and that you will help them solve their problem. Tech support reps need to think through problems.

They must try other routes when one path doesn't work. Developing a solid knowledge of the product is valuable. More technical roles, such as those that fix computer issues, may require an associate's degree or a bachelor's degree.

Understanding the underlying technology is important for the support rep to follow. Tech support representatives make a median salary of over $37,000. Tech support reps are often hired for tech support roles because of their technical prowess and knowledge of the company's products.

Tech support reps can be found in call centers or at home and report to a supervisor. Some may travel to deal with a client. There are a lot of listings for technical support representatives in the FlexJobs database.