What is Remote Support?
In information technology, remote support tools are IT tools and software that enable an IT technician or a support representative to connect to a remote computer from their consoles via the Internet and work directly on the remote system.
Why we need Remote Support for our organization?
If your workforce is remote and they get locked out of their system or lose access to key applications, there needs to be processes in place to get them back online quickly. A major client benefit of remote IT support is the ability to engage a team remotely to investigate issues as soon as they happen. Without remote support in place, users may just live with the hindrance and be less productive. Or they may try to resolve the issue on their own causing more problems or wasting valuable time.
Features of Remote Support
Secure Remote Working
One of the downsides of remote working is that home networks and devices aren’t necessarily as secure as hardware set up professionally in an office setting. Leverage remote IT support to ensure that updates and patches are applied, antivirus is configured correctly, and employees have somewhere to turn if they come across suspicious emails or other possible threats.
Expertise Matched to Your Problem
With on-site IT support, you may be limited to whoever is available when you make your request. Whereas with the benefit of remote IT support, users typically send tickets into a larger team with a variety of skill sets. This means you’re more likely to have access to a resource with direct knowledge of the hardware or software that is causing problems. Based on the severity and complexity of the problem, it may be escalated to a more senior or specialized member of the remote support team.
Remote IT Support is Scalable
Another upside to remote IT support is that it scales with companies as they grow or evolve. When organizations undertake mass hiring and growth, they don’t need to hire IT talent at the same time. All they need to do is increase their retainer to match support usage. There is no hiring, onboarding, or training required to provide support for more users. The remote support partner already understands the environment and typical user issues that occur within it.
Reduce Downtime and Increase Productivity
If your workforce is remote and they get locked out of their system or lose access to key applications, there needs to be processes in place to get them back online quickly. A major client benefit of remote IT support is the ability to engage a team remotely to investigate issues as soon as they happen. Without remote support in place, users may just live with the hindrance and be less productive. Or they may try to resolve the issue on their own causing more problems or wasting valuable time.
Visibility into the Resolution Process
When submitting a support ticket into your remote support team, you’ll get notifications throughout the process. You’ll see when a resource is assigned to your ticket, when notes are added to it, and when the issue is resolved. These portals give you the option to ask questions, provide updates, and check in on the status of your support query as it moves through the resolution process.
Costs Matched to Usage
Unlike an in-house support team, businesses don’t need to hire and train IT support resources when they choose a remote support partner. Typically, companies will pay a consistent monthly retainer based on the amount of support required within a month. This allows firms to budget accordingly without any surprises if the number of support tickets and the effort to resolve falls within the remote support retainer.
Faster Response and Resolution Times
With remote monitoring and resources at the ready, IT problems are responded to and resolved faster. Another one of the major benefits of a remote IT tech support arrangement is businesses can choose their allocation for how much support resources they have through their regular hours and during after-hours support.
Proactive Monitoring and Maintenance
As part of a typical managed IT services partnership, monitoring is installed on key technology assets like servers, firewalls, networks, core applications, and more to send alerts when problems occur. Thresholds are established for key resources (disk space, memory, network bandwidth, etc) and monitoring will send an alert to the support team. This allows specialists to intervene and resolve budding problems before they impact the business.
Get Expert Guidance on Technology Upgrades
Beyond just support, having an IT partner who understands your business and IT environment means you’ll get guidance on when you should patch, upgrade, or replace your technology assets. Client benefits of remote IT support can extend to getting strategic planning advice like technology road mapping, reviewing disaster recovery plans, assessing IT security measures, and more if you pick a partner with those skill sets.
Authorized Partner
