What does active listening mean in professional communication?

Letting users explain issues completely without interruption, then restating their problem to confirm understanding.

True or False: You should use technical jargon when speaking with all users to sound professional.

False. Use plain language and avoid jargon when speaking with non-technical users.

A user becomes hostile during a support call. What should you do FIRST?
A) Hang up immediately
B) Argue back to defend yourself
C) Remain calm and acknowledge their frustration
D) Transfer to supervisor right away

C) Remain calm and acknowledge their frustration

Fill in the blank: A _____ is a formal record of a support request tracked from creation through resolution.

Ticket

What are the four main priority levels for support tickets?

Critical, High, Medium, and Low

Which issues receive critical priority classification?

Issues affecting multiple users or business-critical systems like email server down or payroll system offline.

True or False: Documentation should include only successful troubleshooting steps, not failed attempts.

False. Document all troubleshooting steps attempted, including unsuccessful ones.

What is change management?

The formal process for approving, documenting, testing, and implementing modifications to IT systems.

A technician wants to update server software. What must happen BEFORE any testing?
A) Create a backup
B) Submit a change request
C) Notify users
D) Test in production

B) Submit a change request

What is a backout plan?

A document defining exact steps to reverse changes if problems occur during implementation.

Fill in the blank: End-user notifications should be sent _____ hours in advance for planned maintenance.

48-72

What's the difference between an incident and a problem?

Incident is unplanned service interruption; problem is underlying cause of multiple incidents.

When should you escalate a support ticket?
A) After 5 minutes
B) When issue exceeds your expertise
C) When user asks for manager
D) Only during business hours

B) When issue exceeds your expertise

What does chain of custody document in security incidents?

Who handled evidence, when, what actions taken, and storage location for forensic integrity.

True or False: Personal licenses allow software installation on multiple company devices.

False. Personal licenses typically allow single user on one device only.

Fill in the blank: _____ enforces licensing restrictions through technical controls like activation codes.

DRM (Digital Rights Management)

Which activity violates Acceptable Use Policy?
A) Installing approved software
B) Downloading copyrighted movies via torrents
C) Using company email
D) Attending online training

B) Downloading copyrighted movies via torrents

What is a knowledge base?

A searchable repository of solutions to common problems for consistent support.

What should knowledge base articles include?

Clear problem description, step-by-step solution, affected systems, and searchable keywords.

True or False: Support scripts should be followed exactly without adaptation to specific situations.

False. Scripts must be adapted to specific situations while ensuring consistent service quality.

What does PII stand for and give an example?

Personally Identifiable Information; examples include names, addresses, Social Security numbers, birthdates.

Fill in the blank: _____ governs medical records and treatment history protection.

HIPAA

A user account locks after failed login attempts. What PowerShell command unlocks it?

Unlock-ADAccount -Identity username

User installed unlicensed video editing software with malware. What should you do FIRST?
A) Uninstall immediately
B) Document everything in ticket
C) Run antimalware scan
D) Reset browser settings

B) Document everything in ticket

Multiple users report application crashes after yesterday's update. What's the BEST immediate action?

Stop deploying update to additional systems and execute backout plan.

What information must be included in complete ticket documentation?

User contact info, problem description, troubleshooting steps, resolution notes, and time tracking.

True or False: If you don't know the answer, you should guess rather than escalate.

False. Admit you don't know and escalate appropriately rather than guessing.

Fill in the blank: _____ data protection regulation requires consent and right to erasure.

GDPR