As a technician, you are a very busy person. It is important for your own well-being to use proper time and stress management techniques.
Workstation Ergonomics
The ergonomics of your work area can help you do your job or make it more difficult. Because you spend a major portion of your day at your workstation, make sure that the desk layout works well. Have your headset and phone in a position that is both easy to reach and easy to use. Adjust your chair to a height that is comfortable. Adjust your computer screen to a comfortable angle so that you do not have to tilt your head up or down to see it. Make sure your keyboard and mouse are also in a position that is comfortable for you. You should not have to bend your wrist to type. If possible, try to minimize external distractions, such as noise.
Time Management
It is important to prioritize your activities. Make sure that you carefully follow the business policy of your company. The company policy might state that you must take “down” calls first, even though they might be harder to solve. A down call usually means that a server is not working, and the entire office or company is waiting for the problem to be resolved to resume business.
If you have to call a customer back, make sure that you do it as close to the callback time as possible. Keep a list of callback customers and check them off one at a time as you complete these calls. Doing this ensures that you do not forget a customer.
When working with many customers, do not give favorite customers faster or better service. When reviewing the call boards, do not take only the easy customer calls. See Figure 1 for a sample customer call board. Do not take the call of another technician, unless you have permission to do so.
Stress Management
Take a moment to compose yourself between customer calls. Every call should be independent of other calls. Do not carry any frustrations from one call to the next.
You might have to do some physical activity to relieve stress. Occasionally, stand up and take a short walk. Do a few simple stretch movements or squeeze a tension ball. Take a break if you can, and try to relax. You will then be ready to answer the next customer call effectively. Figure 2 lists some ways to relax.