Choosing the Right Battery

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

1. Battery Start

If a Guest calls or chats in looking for assistance selecting the right type of battery for their device there will be a few important questions to ask.

In order to make the best recommendation, first lets review some of the most common questions.

FAQ

Battery A says is has a lower voltage than battery B, will they both work the same?

--If they are the same size cell, then yes. Disposable alkaline AA batteries for example are typically rated at 1.5v nominal, where as there rechargeable counterparts such as nickel cadmium or nickel metal hydride (NiCD & NiMH) are rated at 1.2v nominal. The voltage of both disposable and rechargeable batteries will decrease as they discharge, so this difference will not affect how they work in any device. 

What is "MAh"?

--Milliapere-hour, which is a rating for how long the battery will last doing a set amount of work. All other things being equal between 2 batteries, (and as long as they are true to their rating) the battery with a larger MAh rating will last longer. 

Are rechargeable batteries "worth it"?

--It depends on several things, including how they are going to be used and if you recharge/maintain them properly, but general consensus is yes. In most use cases rechargeable batteries will more than make up their investment cost after their 2-5 year life

Can I mix different brands\types of batteries?

--There is no solid answer on this one. In general, mixing brands of 2 new batteries should not cause any issues. Mixing disposable and rechargeable batteries is generally not recommended, as it can strain the battery and cause leakage. Best practice is to replace all batteries at the same time and use only new disposable or freshly recharged rechargeable batteries. 

For additional questions, refer to resources such as the list of battery sizes page of wikipedia or google fu skills.

Don't forget to mark steps complete as you go through GPs.

2. Finding the Right Battery

When making a recommendation for a battery purchase, always double check the product manual for the device the guest wishes to use the batteries in. 

Often you will find not only the size of battery needed, but also recommendations on the type to be used and safety tips.

For example: Microsoft recommends that you never leave the batteries in the battery pack for Xbox 360 controller if its not attached to the controller.

Being able to educate our guests on the best practices to safely use their product is important!

If a guest wants to compare two different batteries, pay close attention to the ratings. 

Are they the same type? 

Do they have the same MAh rating?

How long are they rated to last? Up to 3 years, 5 years, ect. 

Do they take the same amount of time to charge?

Pay close attention to the small differences in the product, and as always, accuracy > speed. 

3. Disposition

Disposition the Session

1. Ask the guest if they would like to participate in a survey for the service they received.

If the guest accepts, warm transfer them to 1-855-302-1599, enter the Session # from this Cloud session and then complete the transfer ensuring the guest hears the rest of the IVR prompts. Do not give the guest the aforementioned phone number. That number is only intended for us to transfer to.

2. Click "Session Info" at the top of the session window and update all of the applicable fields to the best of your ability.

3. Click Done in the left pane

4. Click Close at the top of this session window.

A. Resolved: All calls where a service or path to a resolution was provided.

B. Not Resolved: Dropped calls / Ghost Calls / Guest needs to call back