Introduction to Technical Support
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Introduction to Technical Support
This course is part of IBM IT Support Professional Certificate
Instructor: Rav Ahuja
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What you'll learn
Define technical support, tech support, IT support, customer support mindset, the various levels of IT support, and the escalation matrix
Discover soft and technical skills required and opportunities available for a career in Technical Support
Explore the features and benefits of ticketing systems
Identify the various methodologies and frameworks popular in technical support
Details to know
See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills
Build your Support and Operations expertise
- Learn new concepts from industry experts
- Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
- Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
- Earn a shareable career certificate from IBM
There are 5 modules in this course
Technical Support professionals are in great demand! This is the first course in the IBM IT Support Professional Certificate program, designed to prepare you for a rewarding career in technical support.
You will begin this self-paced course by learning what Informational Technology (IT) support is all about. You'll find out the roles and responsibilities of Technical Support professionals and become familiar with all the different career paths you can take in Technical Support. You will also hear from experts in the IT industry about getting started in the field and how you can pursue this career without prior experience or degrees. You'll also learn some basics about the technology that technical support professionals use. You will hear from industry insiders about how you can develop a customer support mindset and how to talk with customers and solve their problems. You will gain insights into performance evaluation, career paths, and the industry-recognized certifications that can propel your technical support career forward. You'll then gain a comprehensive understanding of support tools and support channels and how they streamline issue resolution. You will also learn about the importance of Service-Level Agreements (SLAs) and how they contribute to delivering exceptional support experiences. Next you will explore ticketing systems, a fundamental component of modern technical support. You'll learn about their features, benefits, and the lifecycle of a ticket or a support issue. Moreover, you'll immerse yourself in tech support methodologies, frameworks, and the art of effective documentation. The course wraps up with a project that provides you with the opportunity to use a ticketing system hands-on and simulate the work that IT Support Specialists and Helpdesk Technician’s perform.
This week, you will learn about the skills you need for success in information technology (IT) careers and the roles and responsibilities of technical support professionals. You’ll also learn about different IT systems. You’ll hear from industry insiders about getting started in technical support and how you can pursue a career in information technology (IT) without prior experience or degrees. In the guided activities, you’ll practice identifying the responsibilities of technical support professionals.
What's included
9 videos4 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt
9 videos•Total 39 minutes
- Optional: IBM Technical Support Professional Certificate•5 minutes
- Optional: Professional Certificate: Overview of Courses•3 minutes
- Course Introduction•5 minutes
- Becoming a Technical Support Professional•5 minutes
- Insiders' Viewpoints – Background for Tech Support•4 minutes
- Career Opportunities in Technical Support•6 minutes
- Insiders' Viewpoints – Getting Started in Tech Support•3 minutes
- Technical Support Roles and Responsibilities•5 minutes
- Introduction to IT Infrastructure•4 minutes
4 readings•Total 40 minutes
- Course Introduction•5 minutes
- Activity: Identifying Technical Support Responsibilities•15 minutes
- Median Salary Ranges in Technical Support•10 minutes
- Summary & Highlights•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 45 minutes
- Graded Quiz: Industry Professionals’ Guide to Technical Support•30 minutes
- Practice Quiz: Industry Professionals’ Guide to Technical Support•15 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 5 minutes
- [Optional] Introductions•5 minutes
This week, you will learn about the skills required for technical support, what certifications benefit you, the purpose of performance evaluations, and the possible career paths and progressions available to you in IT. You will also hear from industry insiders about developing your customer support mindset, getting feedback on the customer experience, and what skills you need for success in technical support. Then in the guided activity, you’ll demonstrate the skills you need for technical support.
What's included
10 videos3 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt1 plugin
10 videos•Total 48 minutes
- Technical Support Soft Skills•5 minutes
- Technical Support Professionalism•5 minutes
- Insiders' Viewpoints – Customer Support Mindset•3 minutes
- Basics of Technical Skills•8 minutes
- Performance Evaluation of Technical Support Professionals •5 minutes
- Insiders' Viewpoints - Feedback and Rewarding Experiences•5 minutes
- Career Paths and Progression in Technical Support•5 minutes
- Insiders' Viewpoints – Career Paths in Tech Support•3 minutes
- Industry Certifications for Technical Support•5 minutes
- Insiders' Viewpoints - Skills for Success in Technical Support•3 minutes
3 readings•Total 35 minutes
- Activity: Identifying Skills in Technical Support•15 minutes
- How to Increase Your Salary as a Tech Support Professional•10 minutes
- Summary & Highlights•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 45 minutes
- Graded Quiz: Technical Support Skills and Opportunities•30 minutes
- Practice Quiz: Technical Support Skills and Opportunities•15 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 5 minutes
- [Optional] Describe a positive customer support experience•5 minutes
1 plugin•Total 15 minutes
- Reading: How Can AI and Generative AI Assist with Technical Support•15 minutes
This week, you’ll learn about different support channels, remote support tools, service-level agreements (SLAs), and the escalation matrix. In the guided activities, you will explore connecting to a remote computer, classifying support levels, and managing escalations. You’ll hear from industry insiders about using remote support and why SLAs are important. And you will also learn about tiered support levels and the future of tech support.
What's included
8 videos5 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt
8 videos•Total 39 minutes
- Overview of Support Channels•7 minutes
- Remote Support Tools•5 minutes
- Remote Access•5 minutes
- Insiders' Viewpoints – Remote Support•4 minutes
- Levels of Technical Support•6 minutes
- Service-Level Agreements (SLAs) •5 minutes
- Insiders' Viewpoints – What are SLAs?•3 minutes
- The Escalation Matrix•6 minutes
5 readings•Total 63 minutes
- Activity: Connecting to a Computer Remotely•15 minutes
- Future of Technical Support Tools (Emerging Trends)•8 minutes
- Activity: Classify Support Levels for Resolving IT Issues•15 minutes
- Activity: Managing Your Escalations•15 minutes
- Summary & Highlights•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 45 minutes
- Graded Quiz: IT Support Tiers and Service-Level Agreements•30 minutes
- Practice Quiz: IT Support Tiers and Service-Level Agreements•15 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 5 minutes
- [Optional] Managing a handoff •5 minutes
This week, you will learn about ticketing systems, their common features and benefits, and the essential elements of industry-leading ticketing systems. You’ll experience a day in the life of a technical support specialist. You’ll also hear from industry insiders with vast experience in ticketing systems as they discuss the advances and changes in technical support. You will learn about IT Service Management (ITSM) and the benefits of effective documentation and communication. And in the guided activities, you will explore the ticket lifecycle and then practice logging a ticket.
What's included
10 videos4 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt
10 videos•Total 58 minutes
- What are Ticketing Systems?•6 minutes
- Handling Difficult Situations•6 minutes
- Features and Benefits of Ticketing Systems•6 minutes
- Popular Ticketing Systems•8 minutes
- Insiders' Viewpoints - Ticketing Systems•4 minutes
- Introduction to Troubleshooting•6 minutes
- Tech Support Methodologies & Frameworks•7 minutes
- Insiders' Viewpoints – Advances in Technical Support•3 minutes
- Effective Documentation & Communication•7 minutes
- A Day in the Life of a Technical Support Specialist•5 minutes
4 readings•Total 43 minutes
- Activity: Exploring the Lifecycle of a Ticket•15 minutes
- Activity: Logging a Support Ticket •15 minutes
- Cheat Sheet for Logging a Ticket•10 minutes
- Summary & Highlights•3 minutes
2 assignments•Total 45 minutes
- Graded Quiz: Support Tools and Ticketing Systems•30 minutes
- Practice Quiz: Support Tools and Ticketing Systems•15 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 5 minutes
- [Optional] Discuss your technical problem-solving experiences•5 minutes
In this module, you’ll participate in the hands-on lab, working with a ticketing system. You will create, update, and resolve records and generate reports and charts in a ticketing system. You’ll also participate with your peers in a discussion about your plans for your future. Finally, you’ll hear from industry insiders about why getting started in technical support is the right career choice!
What's included
1 video3 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt1 plugin
1 video•Total 4 minutes
- Insiders' Viewpoints - Tech Support: A Great Career Choice!•4 minutes
3 readings•Total 7 minutes
- Summary & Highlights•1 minute
- Thanks from the Course Team•3 minutes
- Congrats & Next Steps•3 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
- Final Quiz•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 5 minutes
- [Optional] Your plans for your future •5 minutes
1 plugin•Total 120 minutes
- Hands-on Lab: Working with Ticketing Systems•120 minutes
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Reviewed on May 8, 2023
Everything was easy to grasp and understand, and much of the stuff learned corresponded with the work I do currently, so it made my job so much easier to do.
Reviewed on Sep 3, 2025
Went in depth into many different fields, Will continue the course after passing and looking forward to what else the course will teach me.
Reviewed on Dec 15, 2022
The course was very easy to follow. I had a couple of issues with following the ticketing system. I guess I put the IT skills together and work through it.....lol
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To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Certificate, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
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