Interview with Daniel Schwalb, Technical Hotline

Every retailer in the telecommunuications branch knows the following situation all too well: a customer is in store and requires immediate help with a technical problem. But unfortunately you don’t have a suitable answer on hand or it is the very first time you have heard of a case like this. This is when good - and above all quick - advice is expensive. In the interview with Daniel Schwab, you can read how the Brodos hotline for technical issues can help in instances like these.

Hello Daniel, what does the technical hotline do?

First and foremost we help our retailers with any questions or problems they may have which they cannot deal with themselves or which go beyond their expertise. Especially for customers who are themselves very into technology, it is important that the retailer knows he can rely on our hotline to give him any extra assistance if the case arises.

Why is the technical hotline important?

The technical hotline has been in place for over 10 years now, as nowadays the growing diversity of products makes it virtually impossible for even specialist retailers to know everything there is to know. We are here to assist them with a tool giving high quality answers in just a short time, helping retailers offer their customers an even better service. For me, it is especially important that we explain technical issues simply and quickly in a way that even an end customer can understand straightaway. We look at each case individually and look for a solution best suited to that particular instance.

How much do retailers make use of the service?

Last year we took a total of 1,550 calls, if you count calls to our new mobile phone transfer service. We have taken more than 100 questions concerning the transfer of contact details and emails just since our mobile phone transfer service was launched last October.  In general, the number of calls has risen steeply in recent years thanks to the improved quality of the hotline. We have noticed that customers trust us to provide them with a quick and accurate answer. Another reason for the increase in queries is of course the growing complexity and increasing diversification of products.

What are typical problems retailers phone you with?

One of the most “popular” issues is when end customers have problems accessing their devices, for example after forgetting the pattern for unlocking the screen. Another common topic is installing and setting up email accounts, Google accounts or iTunes. We have also noticed an increase in the number of queries concerning apps, such as how to keep your picture memory smaller using Dropbox or, in the case of Android, how to transfer apps from the internal memory onto the memory card.

There are two cases which I can remember particularly well. In one instance, I was able to help one of our retailers set up IP telephones. A few days later he called back, proud to tell me that he had been successful in acquiring a medium sized enterprise as a customer as a result. This is of course very positive feedback for us, making our job all the more enjoyable.

One of the more lighthearted situations I had concerned a customer who complained that an iPhone he purchased from us wasn’t charging. After talking to him for half an hour and going through all possible errors, it finally turned out that the charger simply hadn’t been plugged into the socket.

Is it not difficult to keep up to speed with ever more rapid technical advances?

It is of course absolutely essential for our work that we know the devices and their properties well. The differences between different versions of a particular model are often not so big, making it easier for us to get up to speed on the products.  If a complete new operating system is launched, however, it does take a certain time to get to know all the ins and outs. We are always in close contact with manufacturers for particularly complicated or unusual queries which we cannot solve immediately, checking back with them and increasing our knowledge base at the same time.

Thank you for the interview.

The technical hotline is available for all Brodos retailers:

- Monday to Friday from 9am - 6 pm

- Tel.: +49 91 33 / 77 70 - 4444

E-mail: technische-hotline@brodos.de

- Skype: technische_hotline_brodos