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Getting the Most From Customer Service

Posted on by Chris Eddy in Tips

We’ve been hearing a lot lately from friends and customers about their customer service experiences, and they haven’t all been good!  As you can imagine, Chris had had more than his fair share of dealing with various customer service departments and has a few tips.

  1. Remember that the person on the other end of the phone is human.  They are probably not being paid very much, and they don’t get a lot of breaks.  Be kind to them.
  2. Also, the Reps do have scripts that they must follow.  Although it may seem like a waste of time, be polite and let them get through it.
  3. If you are having a hard time understanding the Rep, ask them to speak more slowly and to enunciate their words more clearly.  (I especially have problems with Indian accents and have found that a slower cadence helps me.)  If you’re still having a hard time, ask to speak to someone else.  If they refuse, hang up and call back again.
  4. If you don’t feel like you’re making progress after two to three minutes, hang up and call back again.  It’s possible that the Rep is just having a bad day and you need to talk to someone who is not.
  5. If you’re calling about a service outage for your phone, cable, or other service, request a refund (or credit) for the period the service was out.  Some companies will offer a higher value coupon for a different service as compensation.  If you’re not going to use that service, or you’re not interested, let them know.  If the Rep says they can’t offer a refund or credit, ask to speak with their supervisor.  If they still refuse to provide a refund for a service outage, let them know you’ll be reporting them to the Public Utility Commission and/or the Better Business Bureau. http://cdn.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/DORA-PUC/CBON/DORA/1251614750747  http://www.bbb.org/

If you’re still having issues and want some help, give us a call.  Chris will be your advocate to get the support you need.

Information about Geek For Hire, Inc.

I’ve created a Free Report on what to look for to protect yourself from “phishing” scams. Click here to receive it!

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has been providing computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PCs for the past eighteen years. Angie’s List and the BBB rate Geek For Hire very highly.  You can find more on our website, or give us a call 303-618-0154. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3 support) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area as well as remote service throughout North America.

We’ve been using Amazon Prime for the past few years.  We like the free and fast shipping.  With Prime, we have access to online streaming too. Prime is usually $119/year, but you can get a free 30-day trial by clicking on this link: Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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How to Make Your iPhone More Efficient

Posted on by Chris Eddy in Tips

Sometimes my iPhone gets sluggish and doesn’t respond as quickly as I’d like it to.  Or it runs out of battery power more quickly than expected.  I’ve learned a few tricks that might help you too.

  1. Turn your iPhone completely off.  To do this, hold down the power button on the top right of your iPhone until it says “Slide to power off”.  Slide the button over, wait five or ten seconds, then power it back up again.  I know Steve Jobs said that only Microsoft computers need to be turned off to reset themselves.  But sometimes Apple products need to be reset too.
  2. Close down any applications that your iPhone is running, but you’re not using.  Double click on the Home button and it will show you all the apps you’re running.  (The Home button is the one on the bottom of the screen, in the center.)  Select the apps you want to close and, with your finger, simply slide it up and off the screen.
  3. If there are apps on your iPhone that you’re not using, delete them entirely.  That will free up some space.  Find the icon for the app on your screen.  Place your finger on the icon until it starts wiggling and a small “X” appears in the top left corner of the icon.  Press the “X”.  Your iPhone will ask you to confirm that you really want to delete it. Remember to press the Home button when you’re done.
  4. You can free up a lot of space by deleting photos and videos after you’ve backed them up to your computer.  Photos are generally saved under “My photos”
  5. Put your iPhone in Airplane mode.  Click on Settings and slide the button over.  When your phone is in regular mode, it is constantly checking the location of nearby towers.  It doesn’t do that in Airplane mode, so you can charge your phone much faster.  If you know you’ll be in an area without reliable cell service, putting the iPhone in Airplane mode also conserves your battery.  Remember, you can still use WiFi even with the cell service turned off!

Information about Geek For Hire, Inc.

I’ve created a Free Report on what to look for to protect yourself from “phishing” scams. Click here to receive it!

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has been providing computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PCs for the past eighteen years. Angie’s List and the BBB rate Geek For Hire very highly.  You can find more on our website, or give us a call 303-618-0154. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3 support) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area as well as remote service throughout North America.

We’ve been using Amazon Prime for the past few years.  We like the free and fast shipping.  With Prime, we have access to online streaming too. Prime is usually $119/year, but you can get a free 30-day trial by clicking on this link: Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

My Favorite Websites to Plan a Trip

Posted on by Chris Eddy in Tips

When I’m off on a road trip, there are a few websites that I have bookmarked for easy access. Many of you know how many road trips I take so these resources are invaluable for me! I hope you find them useful too.

Google Maps:
This is actually my favorite site.  It helps me plan road trips that get to all the places I want to go.  If I want a quick highway-only kind of trip, I can do that.  If I want to stick to the local roads, I can do that too.  Google Maps tells me where the construction will be and how long the trip will take.

National Park Service:
Our country has so many amazing sights to see and the NPS has preserved many of them.  When I know I’m going to a particular Park, like Yellowstone, or the Sand Dunes, or Arches, I take a look at this website to see what I need to be aware of and how to best plan my trip.

KOA:
I’ll admit it.  My backcountry camping days are over!  If I am camping, I want a place with a shower and a real toilet!  I’ve been camping at KOA’s for most of my life as my parents took us around the country in our VW Camper in the early ’70’s.  This site helps me find a campground near where I’m heading.

AAA:
The American Automobile Association is invaluable. From providing road side assistance, to maps and guides, to guided tours and cruises, to helping you buy and insure a car, AAA is a one stop place for most of my travel needs. http://www.colorado.aaa.com/

Google:
Of course Google. It’s how I find out just about everything.  (Plus I love the Google Doodles.)

Local Chamber of Commerce sites:
Once I’ve decided on a destination, I search for the local Chambers.  What activities are going on?  Which businesses cater to tourists?  Are there any coupons?  What funky tourist attraction is this town known for?

Yahoo!Travel:
This site is helpful when I’m planning to stay at a hotel on the way.   I’ve even found that Yahoo!Travel has access to lower prices than some of the other “discount” sites.

Information about Geek For Hire, Inc.

I’ve created a Free Report on what to look for to protect yourself from “phishing” scams. Click here to receive it!

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has been providing computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PCs for the past eighteen years. Angie’s List and the BBB rate Geek For Hire very highly.  You can find more on our website, or give us a call 303-618-0154. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3 support) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area as well as remote service throughout North America.

We’ve been using Amazon Prime for the past few years.  We like the free and fast shipping.  With Prime, we have access to online streaming too. Prime is usually $119/year, but you can get a free 30-day trial by clicking on this link: Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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Top Ten Ways to Use Siri

Posted on by Chris Eddy in iPad, iPhone, Siri, Tips

I’ve had a number of friends tell me recently that Siri is worthless and never gets anything right. “And besides,” they say, “I can just do it faster myself than asking Siri!”

Granted, Siri had her challenges when she was first rolled out, and many of them remain. But if you just ask her to do simple tasks, she’ll generally get them right.

Here are ten things I frequently use Siri for:

  1. Call people:  For example, ask Siri to call your Mom. (If you haven’t’ set up relationships within your contact settings, here’s an article that teaches you how to do that.)
  2. Email people
  3. Text people:  I especially like this feature. I will dictate the message to Siri and she’ll type and send it.
  4. Set timers and alarms Just be aware that Siri sometimes hears “60” as “16”. I will instead ask for a timer for “61 minutes”.
  5. Check on the weather
  6. Show most recently received email
  7. Search emails:  You can find emails with specific text in them or emails from a specific person
  8. Find out the time and weather in another city:  Don’t forget, these are two separate questions!
    1. Siri, what time is it in London?
    2. Siri, show me the weather forecast in London.
  9. Search for a local business When you ‘re looking for a specific business, ask Siri to look it up for you. She’ll generally respond with a map and all of their contact information.
  10. Open an application on your phone:  Simply ask Siri to open the map application or the FitBit application, etc.

Siri still has her flaws, but if you know what they are and can work around them, she’ll serve you well. (In a limited capacity!)

Information about Geek For Hire, Inc.

I’ve created a Free Report on what to look for to protect yourself from “phishing” scams. Click here to receive it!

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has been providing computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PCs for the past eighteen years. Angie’s List and the BBB rate Geek For Hire very highly.  You can find more on our website, or give us a call 303-618-0154. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3 support) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area as well as remote service throughout North America.

We’ve been using Amazon Prime for the past few years.  We like the free and fast shipping.  With Prime, we have access to online streaming too. Prime is usually $119/year, but you can get a free 30-day trial by clicking on this link: Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.