Some tips when calling for support

We encourage using E-mail for support questions if possible, since it's often easier to answer a question if we can direct you do an existing article that exactly answers your question.  Sometimes we can even answer E-mails faster than phone calls (especially in problem cases like mentioned below).

However if you need to call or simply prefer using the phone, here are some tips for getting faster and friendlier support.  

1. Keep in mind that most of the time (and I mean 98% of the time), you will only get voicemail -- often it's because we're already busy helping someone else (either on a call or answering an E-mail) and will not interrupt one to answer another, but sometimes we're simply away from the phone for awhile but will get back to you ASAP if you leave a message.

2. Call once and leave a message.  It sounds simple, but sometimes people keep calling over and over thinking they will eventually "get through".  It won't happen, and is simply annoying when we're trying to help someone else.

3. If you don't hear back within 30 minutes to an hour then go ahead and call again and leave another message, just in case something went wrong with the first one and we didn't receive it or couldn't understand it.  But don't keep leaving messages over and over -- the more times we have to listen to your message, the more time it takes to get through them and the further back in the queue you will get.

4. If we call back and you "just missed" the call, don't immediately hit re-dial or call back -- most likely we'll be in the middle of leaving you a message so you won't get through anyway! Wait a couple minutes and check your messages (sometimes your question will already be answered in the message), then return the call if needed.  If the timing is right and we see that you're calling back, we may be able to answer directly.  Sometimes we've already moved on to the next call and you still need to leave another message,  but if you call back too soon then all that does is make us keep playing message-tag and missing each other, wasting time for both of us.

5. When leaving a message, explain who you are, who you're with and the nature of the call -- and don't forget a phone number!!  If we have to look up your information, that can delay a callback for up to 4 hours, and that's assuming we can figure out who you are and have the right number in our database.  We will not use caller ID to return calls even if it's available, and it isn't available if we're on the phone when you call.  Be sure to enunciate clearly to overcome the bad sound quality of phone lines (especially cell phones) -- many times 2's and 3's sound the same, 0's sound like 1's or 4's if you say "oh" instead of "zero", etc.  It also helps to say the number twice in case of static and cell phone dropouts -- preferably once at the very beginning of the message and again at the end.