Know About the History of Tech Support, by Click4support

In the early stage of computer and technology, customer support meant you tell the issue to the shop owner and he would revert by saying that it is your fault. Then, telephones got invented and everything changed.

With the advancements in telephone, call centers emerged who are ready to listen to your issues calmly and respond accordingly as best as possible.

Let’s have a look at the little history of customer support: -

Customer support has come a long way in 1oo years. Since the invention of telephones, customer support agencies have integrated latest technologies to make the process of tech support as easy as possible.

Here is how the customer support evolved?

Pre 1870’s: - During this time customer support means face to face interaction. If you have any problem, then get on the horse and return to the original store. If repair is taking the time you would have to wait for days and even weeks.

1876: - Invention of telephones

1894: - Telephone switchboard invented. When the use of telephones expanded, switchboards were set up across the country.  Telephone switchboard means a system used in the public; it was used to switch telephone network and thus to interconnect calls between subscribers and exchanges. The switchboard was operated by a person called operator who used cords or switches to establish the connections.

1960: - Call centers emerged. Companies began investing in answering and receiving customer queries. Customer support centers were born and it became even more prolific with the advent of IVR (Interactive Voice Response).

1962: - Touch tone dialing unveiled. The American bell telephone was introduced and now people can dial phone with tones rather than rotary dialing. It makes a computer able to recognize the call and hence respond.

1967: - Toll free number (1-800) invented

Late 9070’s: - Evolution of IVR. Interactive Voice Response was incorporated in customer care centers.

1989: - Business Outsourcing started. Companies started focusing on their cost-saving measures. In a business, outsourcing means to make a contract of business process with 3^rd parties. Customer support services were then outsourced to specific companies who owned Call Centers.

1990: - Help desk emerged.

1991: - WWW (World Wide Web) emerged.

1996: - Email and live chat support emerged.

2000: - Customer support software became very popular and were started being used world-wide.

2008: - Social media support. With the increase in the usage of social media platforms, customer can easily comment on the social media walls and raise their concern about any problem. Customer support is always present there to respond to the queries.

Late 2000s: - Remote tech support started. The computers are now equipped with remote desktop software so that the tech support agent can connect to the PC and diagnose the problem.

Author: R Smith

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