IT Essentials (CompTIA A+) Ch.

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Operational Procedures

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 Overview

• Customer Interaction

• Tools and safety

• Troubleshooting theory

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 Customer Interaction

• Appearance
– Appropriate
dress
– Hygiene

Figure 2.1 Casual Figure 2.2 Professional

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 Customer Interaction

• Honesty/integrity
• Honesty is telling the truth.
• Integrity means doing the right thing.

• Customer vs. in-house user

• Different standards apply to each, customers may fall
under company policies while in-house users do not.

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 Customer Interaction

• Follow the Ethic of Reciprocity (Golden Rule or “don’t

do anything that you wouldn’t want done to you”)

– Avoid prying into users’

personal files
– Avoid learning passwords
• Possibly ask the user to change a
password before you leave
– Always ask for permission
Figure 2.3 Don’t do this!

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 Customer Interaction

• Dependability/responsibility
– What’s the difference?
• A responsible person is answerable for the acts he or she does.
• A dependable person can be counted on to perform those acts.

– Take responsibility for your actions. For instance:

• Make sure there’s a dependable backup of any system before you
start to work.
• Ensure you have customer or company permission
• Be familiar with applicable policies and restrictions

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 Customer Interaction

• Adaptability/versatility
– User advocate: A tech only fixes computers; a user
advocate supports his or her users.
– Be technically and situationally adaptable.
• Sensitivity
– Be empathetic to your customer’s needs and expectations.
– Avoid personal calls or other distractions.
– Be culturally sensitive.
– Use appropriate professional titles.

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 Customer Interaction

• Paperwork
– Most companies require a signed Work
Authorization to perform work.
• Documents the name, billing information, date, and
scope of work
• May also save one from worry and litigation

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 Customer Interaction

• Assertive communication
– Repeat the customer’s problem without being accusatory.
– State what is needed to avoid the problem in the future.
– Use open and closed ended questions effectively

• Examples of assertive communication:

– After listening, “So let me make sure I understand” and
repeat key points.

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 Customer Interaction

• Respectful communication
– Always ask for permission to begin work.
– Actively listen to the customer’s problem.
• Don’t interrupt as the customer describes the problem.
• Listen and take notes.
– Stay professional; don’t take angry customer statements
personally.
– Avoid outside interruptions on customer time.
• What are some examples of
respectful communication?
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 Customer Interaction

• Eliciting answers
– Use non-accusatory communication.
• Not, “What did you do?”
• Instead, “When did it last work?” or “Has it worked in
the past?”
– Ask fact-seeking questions to stay on track.

• Explaining what you’re doing

– Avoid jargon, acronyms, and abbreviations.
– Use analogies and visual aids when possible.

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Customer Interaction

Figure 2.4 Never accuse!

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Customer Interaction

Figure 2.5 Keeping it friendly

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 Customer Interaction

• Expectations and follow-up

– Timeline: How long is this going to take?
• Provide a best estimate, not a guarantee.
• If the estimate changes, let the customer know ASAP.

– Know the options

• Provide alternatives and let the customer decide.

– Documentation
• Always the document time, day, problem, and solution.
• Always offer the customer any replaced parts.

– Follow-up
• Confirm that the customer is happy a day or two later. 14
Customer Interaction

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 Tools and safety

• Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is the passage of

a static electrical charge into your PC or a PC
component such as a RAM stick.
• ESD happens when two objects with different
potential of static electricity come into contact
• Static electricity can destroy sensitive parts of
a PC and is more prevalent in dry,
cool environments.

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 Tools and safety

• It takes 3000 volts for a person to feel ESD.

• 10,000 volts of ESD before it hurts.

• As little as 30 volts can

damage components.

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 Tools and safety

• Antistatic wrist strap

– Keeps you and the PC at the same
electrical potential to prevent ESD
• Antistatic mat Figure 2.6 Anti-static
wrist strap in use
– Used temporarily to place parts taken
out of the PC
• Some of these antistatic
devices use tiny resistors.
Figure 2.7 Anti-static
wrist strap and mat
combination
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 Tools and safety

• Antistatic bags
– Specially designed bags that shed
static electricity when touched
– Should be used to store
electrical components from
your PC

Figure 2.8 Anti-static bag

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 Tools and safety

• EMI is two or more magnetic fields interfering

with each other.
Next Slide
– Not as dangerous as ESD
– Can cause permanent damage to
some components and erase data on
some storage devices

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 Tools and safety

• RFI involves radio waves that interfere with

electronics.

– Will not destroy, but can disrupt communication

– PC speakers and wireless networks, as well as
other components, are susceptible to RFI.
Next Slide

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Tools and safety

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 Tools and safety

• IT techs live in a dangerous world and need to

consider personal safety issues.
– Here are some threats we face:
• Network closet clutter.
• Heavy and awkward lifting.
• Hot, hazardous, or electrified items.
– Here are some best practices:
• ALWAYS remove power FIRST.
• Remove jewelry (secure loose clothing, long hair)
before preforming hardware repairs
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 Tools and safety

• Alert a building supervisor when cable

messes are a dangerous tripping hazard.

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 Tools and safety

• Lift heavy items with your legs, not back.

• Watch for trip hazards.

Figure 2.10 What a strange, bad trip it’s been. 26

 Tools and safety

• Hot or hazardous:
• Monitors, printers, or computers

Figure 2.11 Checking for hot cooling fans 27

 Tools and safety

• The basic tech toolkit contains a Phillips-head

screwdriver and a few other items
• It’s a good idea to also include:
– Magnifying glass
– Small flashlight
– Plastic tweezers
– Small plastic wedge Next Slde

• Any additional suggestions?

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 Tools and safety

Figure 2.12 Typical technician toolkit

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 Tools and safety

• There are Software tools to troubleshooting

almost every scenario.
– Tools for scanning for malware (malicious software, such as
viruses)
– Tool for checking memory,
and other diagnostic scenarios.

– Examples?

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Tools and safety

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 Troubleshooting Theory

• CompTIA clearly defines their vision of

Troubleshooting Theory into six logical steps.
• Troubleshooting systematically results in
efficient diagnosis and repair:
– More accurate diagnosis
– Timely diagnosis
– Saves money
– Reduces down time
– Increases proficiency

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 Troubleshooting Theory

• Ask the user about

Identify
recent changes and Establish theory
Test
Resolve
perform backups before Verify
Document
“fixing” anything.
– Don’t be accusatory.
– Offer to perform a backup
of all critical information. Figure 2.13 Tech asking nicely

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 Troubleshooting Theory

• Use information gathered to produce a

theory.

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 Troubleshooting Theory

• Don’t overlook obvious solutions; apply your

knowledge of the computing process

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 Troubleshooting Theory

• Test the theory to see if it fixes the

problem. Identify
Establish theory
Test
Resolve
Verify
Document

– Testing will verify that something is broken.

– If a theory is not confirmed, develop a new
theory.

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 Troubleshooting Theory

• Once you’ve identified the cause, determine

how you can implement corrective actions.
• If it’s beyond your skills, escalate the problem.
– Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Identify
Establish theory
Test
Resolve
Verify
Document

Figure 2.15 It’s OK to asks for help. 37

 Troubleshooting Theory

• Verify full system functionality.

– Watch the customer use the system for a few
minutes.

• As a LAST action,
educate the customer
on how to avoid this
problem.

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 Troubleshooting Theory

• The last step is to document.

• An incident report for an
accident provides details of
what happened and where it
happened.
– Allows you to track a machine’s
history, enabling long-term
decisions.
– Also helps fellow technicians if
they have to follow up.
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 Troubleshooting Theory

MEMORY AID NEUMONIC

1.IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM IS

2.ESTABLISH A THEORY EVERY
3.TEST YOUR THEORY T
4.RESOLVE THE PROBLEM REX
5.VERIFY/VALIDATE THE FIX VERY
6.DOCUMENT DANGEROUS

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So, What are the six Trouble Shooting Steps?

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 Summary

• Path of the PC Tech

• Customer Interaction

• Tools and safety

• Troubleshooting theory

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