Remote Support Options

Remote support allows a support agent to remotely access your computer.

Remote support refers to a technical support agent's ability to access a user's computer and operate it remotely. Commonly used to fix errors and resolve problems, without having to walk the user through the process, these tools prove advantageous in the information technology and technical support fields. Remote support sometimes goes by other names, including remote assistance, remote help desk or remote access. There are many options to consider when looking for a quality remote support product for your company.

Connection Process

The connection process of remote support ensures ease of use and a productive help desk session. The best option is often the easiest when it comes to support, with an ideal solution requiring a few mouse-clicks on the user's end. Some solutions require the user to download and install a program to allow access. While this doesn't present much difficulty, many people and companies are wary of installing new software or unable to altogether. The ideal solution requires no user-end downloads and fully connects in just a few steps.

Cost and Functionality

The solutions with the most to offer are the most expensive. While it may be important to keep costs as low as possible, you'll want to shell out the money for a quality product. Solutions often charge monthly or yearly, or come with a one-time fee. Many advanced functions add extra monthly or yearly premiums to the bill. For example, remote support application LogMeIn asks an additional $120 per month for added drawing and diagnostic tools. If you plan on rarely using remote support, some companies offer pay-as-you-go options, where you pay a set amount every time you actually use the remote support.

Important Features

While the specific features may differ between software solutions, there are generally a few that you want to ensure come with the solution you choose. First, gateway connectivity is important to ensure the technical support agent can connect to users behind a firewall or router, allowing for a higher level of compatibility. Another important feature is the ability to transfer files, which makes it easier to send customers any required files and fixes. Ensure you purchase a product with reputable security practices. With strong security, the bridge between the technician and supported party remains secure, blocking any attack attempts by hackers, viruses or other malicious software.

Your Clients

Evaluating the clients you'll be dealing with through remote support helps you determine which are you best options. Solutions designed to remotely access home-user computers may provide totally different features than those designed to access business computers. It's important to choose a solution with cross-platform support. Unless all of the people using your remote support use Windows operating systems, cross-platform support will allow you to help those with other operating systems, such as Apple or Linux OS. Another option is to choose multiple platform-specific solutions. For example, a specific Apple-only solution may offer Mac users more depth, compared to the features of a cross-platform solution designed to work on both OS X and Windows 7.

References

• IT World: Remote Tools for Your Support Team; Kevin Bolger; October 2009
• Enterprise Networks and Servers: Best Practices for Deploying Remote Support Solutions; Mike Baldwin; March 2007
• Inform IT: Choosing the Best Remote Support and Management Tools; Ryan Faas; April 2009
• Inform IT: Choosing the Best Remote Support and Management Tools- File Transfer and Copy/Paste Support; Ryan Faas; April 2009