Tech Support: How Do You Deal With Lazy Customers?

That's your value add! :)

I am only half joking. Maybe they really appreciate and buy from you because you are willing to help them like that. It could be a competitive differentiator.

I'll leave it to people with more tech support experience to offer specific advice. Good topic!

This is why RMR is so important. The more complex the system the more portential questions or programming changes a client may have. We adjust RMR based on system size and complexity and look at it the same way an insurance company looks at term life insurance. We might have a few customers who just won’t stop calling and others who don’t call that much. All of them paying us helps to keep our tech support and customer service teams strong and providing great service all around. 

We also try and sell only the most user friendly systems to help reduce the load. Our newest clients have few technical support needs than clients on older systems where the UI isn’t as intuitive. We spend a lot of time having random people test out systems before we sell them to help us make decisions about what we offer.  

Back in the 80s, I was the software guru for the security product we were selling. We didn’t have a tech support line so our techs in the field would call me.  There was one tech that fits your description.  Being a nice guy (I have since learned that nicety can encourage stupidity).  So, when he called with a question, I would open the tech manual and tell him that the answer was on page 126, or wherever.  I thought he would get the hint.  After a few of these responses, he called and ask what page he could find the answer to his question – at that point I dropped the subtle approach!

We have also created a great knowledge base and are continually building it for clients. When they email in we send a response with a link to that section of the knowledge base and than when a tech support person follows up half the time they figured it out. 

oh no, we have help guides and tons of info available, and these guys know its available. But the guys im referring to dont even care to take a look. Their thought process has always been to call us as opposed to learning how to fix it themselves. We even mention that the information is on an easy to understand guide available on our website. Their response is "well im onsite and would really like if you could help me out with it" Which I dont mind, maybe the first few times.......

I want to say
"well sir it seems like you call us about needing help for setup on every single job, when are you actually going to learn this so you can do it on your own?"

I dont mind helping out when there is an issue, but I have problems holding professional installers hands for what seems like EVERY SINGLE JOB

One technique that works for us reps when we get calls from "lazy" dealers (and distributors) is to try to get them some training, either at their office, at a counter day, or on-line.  More manufacturers are requiring dealers to obtain some level of "certification" training, and we find this helps, especially if it is free or very inexpensive.  

I think its how you structure your service agreement and your support. As far as the integrator is concerned, I agree with JH, being in touch with the client is a good thing....as long as you are getting paid. You are also there for the MACs that your customer may require and, most importantly,  you keep the relationship between you and the guy representing his company. Finally, you may think your customer is lazy, but really, its more of a lack of interest in his system. Exploit this as a revenue stream.    

No matter what type of business you are in, you will always have lazy customers. Your attempt to help them will bring your overall rating higher in the mind of the customer which most times they will tell other people. Then in the big picture you will end up with more customers in the long run.