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Tech Help Isn't Everything - It's the Only Thing
The Travel Technologist · October 25, 2001

Interested in buying a new laptop? If you travel a lot, chances are you'll check the price, peripherals, and programs, like any other computer shopper. Maybe you'll pay close attention to the PCs weight.

But then, when you've had a chance to mull everything over, you'll buy a new machine based on…its technical support.

That's what Ron Greenberg does. "IBM's service and warranty is tops in my book," says the San Ramon, CA, data processing manager. Big Blue's portables are considerably more expensive than rival computers, but that doesn't matter to Greenberg. He cares more about turnaround time on repairs (usually less than a week) accessibility of support staff (the company issues a local phone number for help when he's overseas), and flexibility (IBM once sent a technician to his home for an emergency, same-day fix).

Amber Blecker also resists the less expensive laptops because she knows that Big Blue will come through for her when she's in trouble. "As a computer owner for the past 17 years, I'm no novice in dealing with computer hardware and software issues, and they treated me with respect, without talking down to me or presuming I was without skill," says the Aurora, CO, real estate agent. When her ThinkPad's hard drive clicked out of commission recently, Blecker says IBM shipped a replacement with few questions asked. "I can't even begin to say how happy I am," she adds.

Now before this starts to sound like an IBM ad, let me interrupt my column for a reality check. Not all IBM users are happy campers. Plus, there are plenty of other PC manufacturers that offer excellent customer support. Just a few weeks ago I worked with one of the most knowledgeable help-desk associates at Gateway, who coached me into successfully disassembling and then reassembling a Gateway Solo that I've been evaluating.

Point is, tech support isn't just one of several criteria in selecting new technology. For travelers it's often the only criteria. Road warriors know the importance of reaching a real person when their PC fails at the airport, when their personal digital assistant goes dark or when their cell phone shuts down. If we were at home or in an office, fixing a gadget problem might be as simple as switching to another machine, but we don't have that luxury on the road.

So where do we go to find out if a manufacturer provides adequate tech help? Perhaps the best-known tech support ratings are offered by the Service & Support Professionals Association (SSPA), a trade organization that represents more 14,000 members. The SSPA's Software Technical Assistance Recognition honor - or STAR - is awarded to manufacturers for their "customer service excellence."

I don't know very much about how the SSPA decides which company deserves a STAR, but I know travelers who would probably argue with its list. For example, Hewlett-Packard recently got a STAR "for delivering exemplary technical support to its customers." But Richard Eppig, a Winchester, MA, consultant, says HP's support is woefully inadequate. His last HP computer came loaded with malfunctioning hardware and buggy software, which the company's tech help department seemed powerless to help him with.

"Their tech support is, from my perspective, absolutely the worst in the industry," he says. "The people are incompetent, they're inflexible and the 'hold' times are ridiculous. I'll never buy another HP computer."

That's not to say the SSPA's awards are untrustworthy. I don't know enough about them to make that determination. But it's a reminder that you probably shouldn't lean too heavily on an industry award when deciding which gadget to buy. Ask around. Search the newsgroups and the Internet. Most importantly, talk with your friends, family, and colleagues about their tech support experiences.

When you're ten time zones from home with a fried motherboard, you'll be glad you did.

Christopher Elliott is a travel commentator based in Key Largo, Fla. All e-mailed questions may be edited, condensed or republished at the site's discretion. The Travel Technologist appears weekly on this site. This story was also published on SmarterLiving.com.