Trouble-shooting
Trouble-shooting is a specific skill in which a person tests a system by using it. The system is out there, it's up, and at that point ideally a person would test it by trying it out.
If a business doesn't do this for its customers, then the customers end up doing it for the business.
That's where we get the memorable overnight hold times, the little typos on the website, the website links that don't go through, and the circular reasoning that sometimes happens in an automated phone system. I have even heard that in an individual's voice-mail greeting instructions: Sorry, I'm not able to take your call right now because I am helping another customer - when I have called in the middle of the night just to leave a voice-mail message! When things are too funny, a person, a business, or an organization loses credibility.
On the other hand, when a system is too rough, it can be a little hard on the trouble-shooter. Because we are not talking analysis here - I leave that to the people who set up the system, and the ones who present it to the users - the contractor and the business, for example. My job as trouble-shooter is very simple: when I run into a glitch, just take it to its logical conclusion, so that the people who are watching can see what happens.
Sometimes things go to a higher level. What is the basis for a policy that leads to an uncomfortable outcome for the customer? Is there a regulatory basis, or is it just the way it's been done for years and years? What is the procedure for working for change?
When it gets to that point, the business is unlikely to pay for trouble-shooting, and also there may be something wrong. Full trouble-shooting has to take that possibility into account as well.
Catalyst offers full trouble-shooting, but recommends that trouble-shooting be used whenever a new system or website is put into place. It's much easier for everyone then, and if anything needs to be changed, it's little, and it's less expensive, and fewer people are affected because problems haven't been in place for years.
Also, when we are talking about a business's reputation, a business that uses external trouble-shooting has the potential to look much sharper, and more caring, than a business that just says, let the customers find these problems. Customers do find those problems, and many just quietly also find some other company to do business with. Other companies, that use some form of trouble-shooting (and customer feedback) often build loyal masses of customers that recommend those companies to others.
Which kind of business are you in?