A customer calls in because her wireless speaker keeps dropping audio. She can’t determine the cause of the issue. What should you say? “That must be frustrating. Did you drop the speaker?”
A “I’m sorry to hear that. When did this start happening?”
B “I’m sorry about that. Check your systray and tell me if your Bluetooth is enabled.”
C “Can you bring your computer and speaker into a store? We can troubleshoot better there.”
D “I get this problem all the time. It’s probably a broken soundcard.”
CUSTOMER: My computer has been running slow for a few days. I’m sure it’s a virus! What should you say?
E “That might be the case. Would you mind running a virus scan?”
F “This might be just a software bug. Can you reboot your computer in safe mode?” “This comes up often, and it’s usually not a virus. What else do you think it might be?”
G “Can you open up your task manager and see which processes are using high CPU?”
H “Let’s see if we can rule that out. Can you tell me more about what you mean by running slow?”
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
Wireless Speaker Issue
Correct Answer: B – “I’m sorry about that. Check your systray and tell me if your Bluetooth is enabled.”
Explanation:
This response is empathetic, acknowledges the customer’s frustration, and provides a logical starting point for troubleshooting. Wireless audio dropouts are often caused by issues with the Bluetooth connection, such as interference, range, or disabled Bluetooth. Asking the customer to check their systray (system tray) ensures they verify the most likely cause without jumping to conclusions.
Option A assumes physical damage without evidence, which might upset the customer.
Option C unnecessarily inconveniences the customer. Most speaker issues can be resolved remotely.
Option D is inappropriate as it gives a speculative and misleading diagnosis.
Computer Running Slow Issue
Correct Answer: H – “Let’s see if we can rule that out. Can you tell me more about what you mean by running slow?”
Explanation:
This response is the most effective as it encourages the customer to provide more specific details about the issue, which helps in accurate diagnosis. “Running slow” can mean different things (e.g., slow application loading, internet issues, or overall system lag), and understanding the context is essential. It also avoids reinforcing the customer’s assumption about a virus, which might not be the case.
Option E prematurely validates the customer’s virus theory without investigation.
Option F assumes a software bug and asks the customer to perform a potentially unnecessary and intimidating task (rebooting in safe mode).
Option G is overly technical and could overwhelm the customer, especially if they aren’t familiar with task manager processes.
The correct responses prioritize understanding the customer’s problem, offer empathetic and actionable advice, and avoid jumping to conclusions. These approaches also ensure clear communication and build customer trust.