The computer support industry is one of the fastest-growing fields, and there is every indication that this growth will continue. This program uniquely prepares you to work as a support specialist by focusing on the business needs of the customer, establishing credibility and trust, and handling the most difficult customer scenarios. You'll learn about problem solving and troubleshooting, team dynamics, and interpersonal communication skills. You'll also get a broad overview of the back-office operations of a support center, and the common industry tools and technologies used in providing exceptional customer support.

Upon registering, you're given an initial six months to complete the program. Should you need more time, you may request a six-month extension at no additional charge.

By completing the Help Desk Analyst: Tier 1 Support Specialist Online Training Program, you'll understand how to:

• Improve support-center productivity
• Provide exceptional customer support
• Handle difficult customer situations
• Implement best practices for problem solving
• Exhibit assertive confidence while reducing job stress

1. Essential Communication Skills
   1. Introduction to the Support Industry
   2. Understanding Customer Satisfaction
   3. Telephone Communication Skills
   4. The Call-Handling Process
   5. Dealing With Difficult Customer-Service Situations
   6. Developing and Practicing Assertiveness in Customer Support
   7. Human Resource Issues in the Support Environment
   8. Ethics in the Workplace
   9. Team Building Practices, Principles and Issues
2. Tools, Problem Solving, and Processes
   1. Staying Current in the Industry
   2. Tools and Technologies for the Support Center
   3. Overview of Network Administration
   4. Disaster Recovery Procedures
   5. Understanding Computer Telephony Integration
   6. Creativity and Problem Solving
   7. The Five-Step Problem-solving Process
   8. Support Processes and Process Integration
3. Certification Qualifying Exam
   1. Exam Preparation
   2. Qualifying Exam
4. Performance Outcomes Assignment
   1. Competency Development Using T1SS Compentency Model
   2. Scheduled Iterative Performace Evaluations

There are no specific prerequisites for this program, although six months of support industry experience is recommended. The Help Desk Analyst: Tier 1 Support Specialist Online Training Program is designed for support professionals seeking greater understanding of their job and better performance in doing their job.

This program is compatible with the Windows XP and later operating systems and IE 7 and later browsers.

This program can be taken from either a Mac or a PC. There are no specific computer requirements other than an Internet connection, Windows Media Player (available as a free download), and Adobe Acrobat Reader (also available as a free download). Students should use the latest version of Internet Explorer in place of other Web browsers.

All program materials are available online.

Eric Svendsen, Ph.D., is CEO of SCInc. For over a decade, he taught on the faculty of Ziff Davis Education (ZDNet) and Help Desk Institute, where he consistently ranked as one of the highest-rated and most sought-after consultant/instructors. Eric developed the original seminars and course materials for the first industry-accredited and internationally recognized help desk certification seminars, and he was personally involved in the development of certification standards and exams for the support industry. He has also provided both technical and professional consulting and training to hundreds of organizations. Eric speaks regularly at computer-industry events and has written numerous articles for industry publications such as Support Solutions magazine, LifeRaft magazine, and Support World magazine. He has also written several books, including Presentation Skills and Accelerated Learning Techniques for Computer Trainers. More recently, Eric contributed to the Thomson Course Technology book, A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Third Edition (2004).

Please use the following log-in information to view the demonstration:

Username: demo (Case-sensitive)
Pass: demo11 (Case-sensitive)