[Grammar] "field technicians" and "customers"

[Ferdie11]

Hello Teachers,


Could you please tell me if the words "field technicians" and "customers" are used correctly below? And if the word "the" before the words "field technicians" should be removed? And if we should add "the" before the word "customer"?

- Works directly with the field technicians to ensure physical installation of the equipment onsite.
- Supports customers to troubleshoot computer-related problems.



Thanks so much for your help!

 

[Route21]

As an NES but not a teacher, I believe you are in the realms of what I would personally call "tech-speak", with the use of your bulletted lists.

In such a case, as with newspaper headlines, different priorities rule. You are normally, in such cases, trying to impart the maximum information in the most concise way. In doing so, many of the traditional rules of grammar etc tend to be sacrificed, maybe unfortunately, to meet more immediately pressing needs.

Imagine a reporter sending an urgent message to his newsroom and having it refused as it wasn't grammatically correct.

The same principle applies in the case of the one-page "Executive Summary" for a complex, detailed, technical report (or your CV).

Regards
R21

 

[Rover_KE]

I agree with Route21.

In short, omit the articles.

Rover

 

[mkey]

Hello.

I'm neither a NES nor a teacher, but maybe I can offer some information for you to ponder on

Regarding the first sentence, I wouldn't use "the" as it would relate to some specific field technicians, which generally is probably not the case.
You probably have a group of people working in that department and at any given time any of them can be called up on duty and instructed to perform the service. Of course, if you had a few select groups of completely independent field technicians, then "the" would probably fit.

In the second sentence, I feel that "the" in front of customers is even less needed, because you're definitively not working with a specific customer or a group of customers, but any of them at any given time. Even if you have various support departments, it's implied that the selection has been done before hand as this sentence refers to those customers who are seeking help with PC related technical woes.

However, instead of "supports customers to troubleshoot" maybe "supports customers with troubleshooting" would be more appropriate. It definitively sounds better to me even though I'm not able to explain why should that be so

 

[Ferdie11]

Thanks so much for all of your answers. I have one more question though. I actually work with a field technician at a time. So, should I use this - Works directly with a field technician to ensure physical installation of the equipment onsite?

 

[mkey]

Well, as long as you're going with the singular form, "a" should fit.
However, after a second read I realize I don't understand what or whom does "works" relate to. Can you explain that bit a bit?

 

[Route21]

Just a quickie:
Is this intended to be part of a CV or a Job Description?
Regards
R21

 

[Ferdie11]

Yes, that's correct. This is intended to be part of a job description.


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Sorry for the late response.

 

[Ferdie11]

Well, as long as you're going with the singular form, "a" should fit.
However, after a second read I realize I don't understand what or whom does "works" relate to. Can you explain that bit a bit?

Like what I said, this is intended to be part of a job description.

Hope that answered your question.

 

[riquecohen]

Thanks so much for all of your answers. I have one more question though. I actually work with a field technician at a time. So, should I use this - Works directly with a field technician to ensure physical installation of the equipment onsite?

No. I also feel that you can omit "physical."

 

[SoothingDave]

No. I also feel that you can omit "physical."

Not if there is also software installation, or some other aspect to the "installation" of the equipment.