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After the Sale: Troubleshooting and Reducing Returns

Last post 05-13-2008 8:24 AM by Bill Fisher. 7 replies.
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  • 03-26-2008 3:39 PM

    • Bill Fisher
    • Top 10 Contributor
    • Joined on 03-20-2008
    • Portland, OR
    • Posts 764
    • Points 9,946
    • 2_advocate
      SystemAdministrator

    After the Sale: Troubleshooting and Reducing Returns

    Fantastic advice from a Windows Mobile Regional Trainer: 

    Memory Management

    Proper memory management will ensure that your Windows Mobile device operates at peak efficiency.

    • Closing programs does not necessarily remove them from your Windows Mobile device memory
    • As more applications are opened and remain in memory, performance may be affected
    • You can close programs from your device’s memory by:
      • Using Task Manager (Standard)
      • Using the Memory Settings (Professional)
      • Using a third party application (Professional)
      • Using memory cards to store e-mail attachments, files and to install applications on will help free up device memory for programs to use.
    • Periodically delete the Temporary Files, History and Cookies from Internet Explorer
    • Keep 1,500 contacts or less on your device

    Battery Management

    Simple changes to your Windows Mobile device settings can dramatically increase battery life.

    • Turn off wireless functions that you are not using
      • Infrared
      • Bluetooth
      • Wi-Fi
    • Decrease screen brightness when on battery power
    • Adjust your e-mail and data synchronization settings to synchronize less frequently
    • Force exit programs you are not longer using using memory management

    ActiveSync/Device Center

    Make sure customers are using latest version of Active Sync/Device Center.

    • Refer them to http://www.microsoft.com/downloads

    Find out if the customer plugged in device before they installed software.

    • If they plugged in device first, have them delete and re-install Active Sync/Device Center then follow directions to plug in device.

    Troubleshooting for other problems that might arise:

    • ActiveSync:
      • http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/help/activesync/default.mspx
    • Device Center:
      • http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/devicecenter/troubleshooting.mspx

     

    Filed under: ,
    • Post Points: 15
  • 04-02-2008 10:07 AM In reply to

    Re: After the Sale: Troubleshooting and Reducing Returns

    I also like to make sure the customer knows that there are tons of mobile websites out there, to make the phone more useful and to lessen churn on data features.

     As part of AT&T's 2-2-2 followup, I ask my smartphone customers for their e-mail address, then I send an e-mail with the following attachments:

    A list of some of my top mobile sites (Word format)

    My "big" list of sites (Excel)

    Reminders about using AT&T's tutorial pages.

     

    I like the idea of closing programs and reminding about battery usage.  I'll add that in my e-mail as well!

    Filed under:
    • Post Points: 10
  • 04-02-2008 10:18 PM In reply to

    • Bill Fisher
    • Top 10 Contributor
    • Joined on 03-20-2008
    • Portland, OR
    • Posts 764
    • Points 9,946
    • 2_advocate
      SystemAdministrator

    Re: After the Sale: Troubleshooting and Reducing Returns

    Awesome idea. It's got to be cool for a customer to get their first e-mail on the phone with lots of great links and tips. 

    • Post Points: 10
  • 04-05-2008 7:40 AM In reply to

    Re: After the Sale: Troubleshooting and Reducing Returns

    Yeah, it also helps them to use Mobile Office too.  (That's why I use .xls and .doc files)

    • Post Points: 10
  • 04-05-2008 8:37 AM In reply to

    • Laura Rooke
    • Top 10 Contributor
    • Joined on 03-27-2008
    • Northern California
    • Posts 1,692
    • Points 17,540
    • 3_expert
      Microsoft Windows Mobile MVP
      Moderator
      Small Business Specialist
      Specialist

    Re: After the Sale: Troubleshooting and Reducing Returns

    That's such a great idea - thanks for posting this info here.

    Laura Rooke
    MVP - Mobile Devices
    My Devices..........
    IPAQ 3650
    IPAQ 5450
    IPAQ 4700
    IPAQ 2795
    Jasjar
    Motorola Q
    T-Mobile Dash
    AT&T TILT
    • Post Points: 5
  • 05-12-2008 9:57 PM In reply to

    • Andre Bilan
    • Top 100 Contributor
    • Joined on 05-13-2008
    • Toronto
    • Posts 4
    • Points 76
    • 1_colleague

    Re: After the Sale: Troubleshooting and Reducing Returns

    I'd like to add a couple things that have caused RMA / device exchanges or a whole lot of customer support calls that have gone on for hours when this stuff  was not necessary at all...

      (1) Customers report the touch response of their Pocket PC 5.0 or Professional 6.0 device is so impossibly bad, they can no longer even get to Start > Settings > System tab > Screen and do the alignment utility. They hard reset the device, and the screen response to tapping is still horrendous. Technician's think their only option is to exhange the device. 

    The fix?  At least on some models (ex. HTC Kaiser / TyTn II and cousin models) you can press the Internet Explorer launch button at the same time as the center button of the 5-way navigation pad. This short cut pops you into the screen calibration. Then the customer absolutely must use a stylus precisely, not tap the calibration targets with a big fat inaccurate thumb.

     (2) Customers are driven mad when they find that their contacts in the device won't synchronize to their computer's Outlook. They don't see any specific error messages either, it's like ActiveSync is miffed or something. They phone tech support and may go through endless call backs agonizing over this symptom.

    The reason? Apple iTunes has a Contacts and Appointments component that is an Outlook COM add-in on Windows XP and Vista computers. Those iTunes conduits may prevent ActiveSync or WMDC from communicating contacts and calendar data to Outlook. You have to go into Outlook's Tools > Options > Advanced Options (or in Vista, Tools > Trust Center > Add-ins) to knock out the pesky iTunes conduit.

    (3) Bluetooth headsets are a constant source of tech support nightmares for Windows Mobile users. Regretably, there's no single easy fix. Often the user ends up blaming the device, not the Bluetooth headset (and they may have tried a couple headsets) -- so they demand a replacement of the Windows Mobile device on the theory that it's Bluetooth radio is somehow weak or defective.

    Sometimes the Bluetooth headset is not getting initialized correctly, there's usually a button that has to be pressed for a few moments and a blinking light, etc. but the process varies depending on the manufacturer.

    Past that simple "user error" situation, there are some 2007 models of Windows Mobile 5.0 devices that don't support the Extended Synchronous Connection Oriented (eSCO) Bluetooth profile used by some Bluetooth headsets. You just won't be able to get these to play together nicely, there will be problems.

    Another thing is that some device models in combination with some Bluetooth headsets have quirks that surprise users -- the behavior goes against their expectations so they assume somehting is broken. For example, you may find you cannot initiate a 3-way conference call from the Bluetooth headset, even though it is the control interface for regular calls. Or you may find that if you answer a call by touching the screen of the device, the Bluetooth headset gets upset and won't let you do the audio of the phone call through the headset. Or you try to, on the fly, transfer an active phone call from the device to the Bluetooth headset, and it won't take over the audio. All these symptoms are "features limitations" -- not out and out malfunctions.

    Lastly on Bluetooth headsets: complaints of low audio volume. This is often due to low battery on the headset or merely weak cell phone signal inside a building (i.e. enough signal to make a call, but amplification is challenged). But often the quality of the (older?) Bluetooth headset is just not good. If you do Internet search engine queries such as these, you can get an impression of what other users have experienced with a given headset model:

    • <headset model> low volume -battery
    • <headset model> not hear
    • <headset model> audio quality

    -----

     Anyway, those are three pain points I've seen. Obviously this forum is not like "Windows Moble Owner's" forum where detailed troubleshooting is done, but I thought I'd mention some heavy hitters that I have seen for some time. 

    Andre Bilan
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    • Post Points: 41
  • 05-12-2008 10:03 PM In reply to

    • Laura Rooke
    • Top 10 Contributor
    • Joined on 03-27-2008
    • Northern California
    • Posts 1,692
    • Points 17,540
    • 3_expert
      Microsoft Windows Mobile MVP
      Moderator
      Small Business Specialist
      Specialist

    Re: After the Sale: Troubleshooting and Reducing Returns

    Andre Bilan:
    The reason? Apple iTunes has a Contacts and Appointments component that is an Outlook COM add-in on Windows XP and Vista computers. Those iTunes conduits may prevent ActiveSync or WMDC from communicating contacts and calendar data to Outlook. You have to go into Outlook's Tools > Options > Advanced Options (or in Vista, Tools > Trust Center > Add-ins) to knock out the pesky iTunes conduit.

     

    I've never seen this solution before to this problem that is haunting so many people - thank you !!!

    Laura Rooke
    MVP - Mobile Devices
    My Devices..........
    IPAQ 3650
    IPAQ 5450
    IPAQ 4700
    IPAQ 2795
    Jasjar
    Motorola Q
    T-Mobile Dash
    AT&T TILT
    • Post Points: 5
  • 05-13-2008 8:24 AM In reply to

    • Bill Fisher
    • Top 10 Contributor
    • Joined on 03-20-2008
    • Portland, OR
    • Posts 764
    • Points 9,946
    • 2_advocate
      SystemAdministrator

    Re: After the Sale: Troubleshooting and Reducing Returns

    Thanks for the great tips, Andre! And welcome to the Connection.

    • Post Points: 5
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