The Business of Broadband

Your customers will rely on your tech support team for a little...okay, maybe a lot of guidance in setting up their new smartphones.

Now that your customers have enjoyed opening presents and survived the after-Christmas shopping frenzy, the new year is here, and it’s time for everyone to get back to the business of work. Whether they are dragging into the office cringing at the sight of the old coffee stains in the break room or jubilantly organizing the monogrammed sticky notes given to them by the kids at Christmas, they will need to stay connected. What better way to do this than with a smartphone?

Whether they are tech savvy or novice users, your customers will rely on your tech support team for a little…okay, maybe a lot of guidance with these new mobile devices.

Smartphones Here, Smartphones There

Because smartphones have become increasingly popular, there are an abundance of models to choose from that may suit many of your customers’ needs. Of course the Apple iPhone is a pillar among smartphones and flies off store shelves and out of online shopping carts right into the hands of those who crave ‘hip’ technology along with dynamic applications.

Research In Motion offers up its Blackberry in all flavors of practicality from the sleek Bold to its latest touchscreen innovation, Storm2. Touchscreen fanatics and those who don’t mind being ‘finger-printed’ can seek out HTC’s TouchPro2 and Droid Eris followed up by a dash to the nearest hand-sanitizer counter. For customers who like compact smartphone functionality and personalization, the Palm Pixi and Pre are available leaving those who like the timeless classics of Motorola that can be found in the Motorola Q and newcomer Motorola Droid.

World Wide Web Anyone?

Smartphones will allow your customers to access the Internet and use web-based applications, and most often, they will look to your support team on how this is done and for the most plausible options. Of course, they need to be aware of the data plan that they are subscribed to or the usage fees can become astronomical. Customers may need to be provided with general navigation and feature information on operating systems such as Microsoft Windows Mobile and many of the other proprietary smartphone operating systems including iPhone OS, Palm OS, and Blackberry OS. With each operating system, web browsers are available, and although your customers may be excited about web access, they may not have the slightest clue about using the mobile browser application. They are accustomed to accessing web browsers on a computer and will need to develop some familiarity with the condensed versions that are standard on smartphones. Understanding the functions of different mobile web browsers such as Microsoft Internet Explorer and Safari can assist your customers with their browsing needs.

You’ve Got Mail

Email is probably the most commonly-used feature on smartphones, and customers will want to stay connected whether it be for work, family, social networking or just plain old fun. Your customers will contact your support team for assistance in setting up mobile email applications as the applications and their setups will vary depending on the smartphone manufacturer. Popular mobile email client applications include Microsoft Outlook and iPhone Mail. Many smartphones also contain applications that allow emailing from popular web-based email such as Yahoo Mail, Google Gmail, AOL, and Microsoft Live Mail. Your customers will often need setup instructions including mail server information, so having this information readily available will ensure that customers ‘email needs are addressed.

Links to setting up mobile and Wi-Fi connections, setting up email accounts, and installing mobile apps for the most popular smartphone brands are available on the smartphone page at 24HourSupport.com.

Smartphone technology is sure to continue advancing, so being prepared for your customers’ basic needs will ensure that your customers have a pleasant and rewarding support experience. Please leave your comments below, and we’ll help you find information you can use to help your customers with smartphone issues and concerns.