Every second that your business website is down, your software isn’t working, or your hardware is offline costs you money and customers. You need to get back up and running as quickly as possible. And while a lot depends on what you need and the quality of your tech support, you can help make it all happen a little faster.

Here’s how:

Try to Recreate the Problem

If you get an error, or can’t get a feature to work, try rebooting everything and trying again. You may even want to try the same process on a different computer. If it’s a genuine problem that needs fixing, it should happen again.

And don’t forget the simple solutions. Make sure everything is plugged in, the right software is running, and any other programs that might conflict are closed.

Document the Problem Thoroughly

Take screenshots, gather system and software details, and put it all in one document. And don’t forget to include the steps you took to produce the problem. This lets you quickly give technical support all the information they need without you having to dig through everything.

Make All Tech Calls Productive and Efficient

When you are on a live technical support call, make the most of your time on hold by using a headset. Your hands will be free to keep working, and you can quickly gather any other information the tech needs without having to juggle the handset.

Schedule Regular Maintenance and Upgrades

Like most people, you probably hate being interrupted by seemingly unnecessary tasks, but don’t put off performing maintenance and upgrades. You’re much better off performing regular upkeep than losing hours at a time making repairs.

Each of these tips may only save you a few minutes, but combined they can greatly reduce the time lost when something goes wrong.

About The Guest Author: David Eisner is the President and CEO of Dataprise, a full-service IT consulting, network support, and help desk outsourcing company.