Does real tech support still exist?

I've had to contact EVGA a couple times over the past several years to deal with returning a motherboard and more recently a power supply. Both times the person I talked to actually knew what they were talking about and knew how to properly troubleshoot the problem (granted, I had already done all that myself, but they also need to do it to 'OK' the RMA).

On the opposite end of the spectrum -- I hate Comcast's 'tech' support (when my net goes down) They just read from a manual and don't know a damned thing.

I used to work in a contracted call center for a big ISP

After a few months I was able to spot the problems just after a few specific questions, but sometimes the "scripted to do list if the net isn't working well" is great to check off what could be wrong

I am that type of tech support. Meaning, I get paid in part for my troubleshooting skills. In most companies I'd be working on the second or third tier of support., not the immediate front lines.

Now if I only got to deal with more customers who understand why I'm asking probing questions, and that I can't wave a magic wand to make their problems disappear....
I do find myself rattling off the same questions way too often anyway, but that's because people just aren't providing the details needed to identify the nature of the issue at hand.

Google is my eternal tech support.

Or shall I put it this way, I'm the tech support of myself thanks to Google-sama.

i have found more helpful to browse forums and google than asking a company for tech support or going to their physical store... it's a really sad world.

My university has 24/7 tech support. You call them up if you have issues and then they actually fix it.

I used to do tech support. A lot of those "stupid" questions are mostly just things we need to check off a list. Like, one of mine was to double check if your laptops charger was plugged in or that the laptop was charged. You would be surprised how many people would notice their laptop didnt turn on, call in, then realize they had forgot to plug in the charger or something stupid.

have good exp with bundlestars. heard good things about origin support..

Hmm, I'm not sure...

Until fairly recently I did admin stuff at a large warehouse for a big retailer. I actually knew the tech support staff quite well because they were based at the head office which was only about 5 miles away and they often popped in with requisition orders to take essential office supplies from the stock in the warehouse - boxes of pens, notepads, staples, chocolate bars, etc. And I had to chaperone them so the big nasty men in the warehouse didn't upset them. Especially one young pretty girl from a strict Indian family because otherwise who knows what might have happened to her?

But anyway, one time the kid I worked with couldn't log into his computer so he phoned up the tech support desk and it was this young girl that answered and she asked him his password. And this was on speaker phone and I nearly spat out my sausage, bacon, egg, mushroom and black pudding sandwich. Because I happened to know what his password was because I covered for him when he was on holiday.

And he asked if she was sure she needed his password and she said yes and so he told her. The first part of his password was an extremely vulgar term for a female opening. The second part of his password was 'pounder'.

And all was silent...

Is it plugged in?

I can't remember the last time I contacted Tech Support needing Tech Support. I can troubleshoot things on my own. I just need the damned RMA.

Yes, it does exist. I am one of those people you call. The last person I talked to on the phone who knew what they were doing worked for Fry's Electronics.

The last time I trusted tech support, they broke my computer D:. All DIY for me, now!

I used to work in a call center as tech support for a mayor US ISP, the level 1 techsupport suchs ( I was level 2 tech support). L1 was obligated touse scripted answers, and couldn't think outside those steps. I didn't have those scripted questions, Icould troubleshoot the issue as I wanted, as long as I attached a Knowledge Base Article, stating which was the problem, and how I solved it.

In the other hand, whenever I call my ISP, they freak out, because they are not expecting to talk with someone with more knowledge than them, they want to talk with the average Joe, that knows nothing about TCP/IP protocols, who only uses windows. Most of the agents, know nothing, and are not even willing to listen to what you say.

I also chatted recently with a printer/scanner/photocopier manufacturer, about configuring the device to scan to a network location, and the guy really knew what he was doing.

Story time, not mine through, read it on net.

So, there was this guy, it was morning, after long party, and he was hangover. And he couldn't find his pants.
Soo, he phoned some company's tech support and asked nice lady "Can you help me find my pants?".
She answered with "did you checked under kitchen's table?".
He went there and boom, there are pants.

So, yeah, good, helpful tech support do exist :P