Anyone that is into macro photography knows the saying, “The devil is in the details.” The same can be said for a support email. The details provided could mean the difference between an hour long troubleshooting call and a week of sending logs back and forth. Anyone that has ever worked in support has gotten this email before:

Support,

I need help, please call ASAP.
-Doug

Though understandable, an email (or voice mail) like this is essentially unhelpful to anyone trying to aid you in solving your IT dilemma. No details about the problem were included, in addition to the fact that no company name, phone number, or even last name of the contact person were left to clue in tech support. This approach to software troubleshooting will only consume more time. The key things you want to remember to include in the initial contact should include:

• Company Name
• Contact Info
• Product Name
• Version Number of both server side and client side software (if applicable)
• What OS the server and the client is running
• As much detail as possible about the problem
• Is this a server based problem or client based problem?
• Is this happening for every user or just a few select users?
• If it is happening for just a few users, do they have anything in common (permissions, same program)?
• Is this happening with a RDP or ICA connection?

Having these key details included in your inquiry will not only help speed up the time it takes to find a solution, but will also encourage the tech to treat your case as more of a priority.