Help With High-Tech Gifts

Ok, so you've unwrapped that shiny new digital camera, multifunction printer/scanner/fax machine or DVD burner, or perhaps a new cell phone. Now what? Getting these devices to actually work can sometimes be a daunting task.

There are no magic bullets, but here are some tips.

First, read the manual. I realize that sounds obvious or maybe even condescending, but you'd be surprised how many phone calls to tech support are to answer questions that are already answered by the documentation that came with the product. One hint: There is often a "trouble" section at the back of the manual that attempts to solve the most common problems.

Next, go to the company's Web site. Most technology companies have technical support areas on their sites and often a Web address is printed in the manual. If not, go to Google or some other search engine and type in the company's name, followed by "support"; or go to their main Web site and look for the support link. Links to the more popular companies are included at the bottom of this article. The Web site may have a searchable "knowledge base," as well as some "frequently asked questions" (FAQ). You'll need to know your model number and, perhaps, your serial number.

If these techniques fail, it's time for the dreaded phone call to tech support. But before you can get any satisfaction from this route you have to overcome several obstacles. First, you have to find the phone number. This may not be as easy as it seems. If you're lucky, the support number will be prominently displayed in the manual, maybe even referenced in the index under "support" or "technical support."

Increasingly, however, companies try to discourage phone calls so it may be hard to find.

The next place to look is on the company Web site, either in the support section or under "contacts." If you still can't find it, here's a hint: Call their sales department (that number is usually easy to find) and ask them to either connect you to support or refer you to the right number.
Once you get the number, your next hurdle is getting through. This usually requires having to answer a long series of questions from the automated answering and call routing system. You may even have to punch in your serial number, model number or your zip code. So far, I've never been asked for my blood type, but I wouldn't be surprised if that's next.

Next you may have to wait. If you're lucky it's a toll free number. If not, you may have an unpleasant little extra on your long distance phone bill. If you can't get through, keep trying and vary the times of day that you try. Sometimes you're better off waiting until early in the morning, late at night or mid-afternoon. Timing depends on where in the world they're located and the type of product. With consumer products, your best bet is often during the business day because that's when it's most inconvenient for consumers to call, ergo fewer callers.

There's even a chance that they'll have the audacity to charge for support by demanding a credit card or having you dial a 900 number. Usually, however, companies offer free support for a limited period of time and then start charging.

Eventually, you may even get to talk to a real person who may or may not be able to help you. Don't be surprised if that person speaks with an Indian, Irish or Scottish accent. An increasing number of support people are located overseas. Try to state the problem as clearly as possible and hope that the person can help you. In some cases, these people are well trained and actually have experience with the products; in others, they have a manual and access to some computerized standard response. You may be better off on the Web site.

If you're still having problems, try going back to the drawing board. Press buttons, click on icons and pay attention to what's in front of you. With a little patience, you can sometimes figure things out on your own. If it's a matter of connecting wires, look for obvious pairings. If it's a PC add-on product, chances are that it plugs into a USB port on your computer. Those are the little rectangular shaped holes on the back. Plug it in, wait a couple of minute and look for a prompt on the screen. It might ask you to insert a CD for necessary drivers or software.

If you're still in the dark, trying going to a store that specializes in whatever it is you're having problems with. That might not help if it was bought at a discount department store, but there remain a few specialty shops staffed by people who actually know something about digital cameras, PCs, printers and other technology devices. If it was bought there, you're probably in luck. If not, you might try to throw yourself at the mercy of someone there or even offer to pay for help.

Finally, ask around among your friends and family. Somewhere in your circle of friends there must be someone who actually knows how to use this thing or has a clue as to how to figure it out.

If none of the above works, then you still have one recourse: Send the product back for a refund or exchange it for something else. A company that can't support its products probably doesn't deserve you as a customer anyway.

Tech support Web sites:

AppleCare Service & Support [USA] (www.info.apple.com/)

Canon U.S.A., Consumer Products Tech Support (www.usa.canon.com/html/conCprTSIndex.jsp)

Dell Support: www.support.dell.com

eMachines Support: (www.emachines.com/support)

EPSON America, Inc. – Support: www.support.epson.com

Gateway Support www.support.gateway.com

HP Support & Drivers: (www.hp.com/support)

Lexmark Technical Support: www.lexmark.com/US/corporate/customer/index.html

Microsoft Holiday Season Support Center: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=holiday

Nintendo - Customer Service (www.nintendo.com/consumer/

Sony Online Support (www.ita.sel.sony.com/support/)

Toshiba Technical Support : www.csd.toshiba.com