The days of getting on the phone with tech support and the poor soul on the other end having to walk you step by painful step through the actions necessary to get to the root of the problem are gone. No more bringing an IT person all the way to the office for them to tell you a reboot is all that’s needed to fix the problem.
Remote support software gives IT professionals access to clients’ desktops, laptops, and servers to provide maintenance and support. It has revolutionized the world of IT support for both end users and support professionals.
The global IT industry saw over $4.5 trillion of spending in 2017, according to consultancy IDC. Experts anticipate IT spending in the US alone to eclipse $1.5 trillion in 2018.
These enormous sums are indicative of how widespread digital transformation has become in the business sphere and the value it holds for adopters. IT is now ubiquitous across all industries and sectors, so there is massive demand for professional technicians that are able to support and service the tech.
IT support has had a long and checkered history. As computer adoption exploded in the 90s with the advent of the internet as a consumer level tool, so too did the need for technical support to help users. For some companies, the answer to meeting this burgeoning consumer need lay in building out huge call centers, often abroad to take advantage of lower wage standards, or employing interactive voice response (IVR) technology. IVR is technology that allows a caller to interact with a host system of pre-recorded or dynamically generated audio in order to get the information they’re looking for.
The initial incarnation of IVR was a nightmare for many users; slamming the phone down on the receiver in frustration became a common scene played out in offices and homes around the world. Call centers and IVR were adequate solutions at the time, but as the IT world progressed and digital transformation became more than just a buzzword, the industry needed new solutions. Cue the entrance of remote support software, which has provided users a welcome respite from the horrific state of IT support at the beginning of the digital revolution.
Remote support software was previously lumped together with Remote Desktop solutions; while there are businesses that offer combined solutions, the two provide very different functionality for their user bases. Remote desktop software allows users to access and control their workstations using the internet, while remote support solutions give IT staff the ability to access workstations, servers and laptops in order to repair and update the devices in need. In the business world, remote desktop solutions are used by individuals working out of office that need to access their workstation on-the-go while IT support staff use remote support software to manage and repair systems and individual devices. For that reason, we’re adding remote support software to our robust catalogue of software categories on G2 Crowd.
Why remote support matters
Yes, remote support software helps to alleviate tech-related headaches, but what is the impact on a business’ bottom line? Two numbers really jump out when parsing the data. According to some statistics, a 5 percent increase in customer retention leads to a 125 percent increase in revenue. How do we increase customer retention and see a significant boost in revenue? By improving our customer service.
Another number that jumps off the page is 83. $83 billion are lost by U.S. businesses every year because of defections and abandoned purchases. These two statistics represent a huge opportunity for businesses to boost revenue by addressing an often-overlooked harbinger of value: customer service.
How can businesses go about improving customer service and addressing these losses of revenue? By investing in solid customer service tools. In the case of IT, remote support tools are exactly the customer retention-focused software needed to ensure that customers stay on board. They increase the expediency with which IT support staff can carry out tasks that directly impact clients’ happiness, which in turn boosts retention rates. Better retention rates means more revenue and higher profit margins.
Remote support helps with customer retention, cuts support-related costs, and, perhaps most importantly, saves both users and IT professionals time.
In terms of scale, there were 733,210 IT support specialists employed in the U.S. in 2017, the second-highest number in the IT industry. Remote support software gives this vital group the tools to fix issues once they occur as well as the ability to remotely conduct proactive monitoring and diagnostics. When a single member of the support staff is responsible for the functioning of dozens of peoples’ servers and workstations, efficiency becomes a priority.
Who uses remote support software?
As previously mentioned, remote support solutions are useful for both end users and the technicians that provide those users with support. End users utilize remote support to solve technical issues they are having with their devices, without having an IT professional physically present. IT support professionals use remote support software because it allows them access to clients’ devices without traveling to and from the physical device. Remote support software increases efficiency, cuts costs and relieves the headaches that come with tech support for both sides.
Differences between remote desktop and remote support
Remote desktop software allows users to log into, and remotely access and use their device from anywhere with an internet connection. This is extremely useful in situations where employees need to work from home or on the go, as they can gain access to important features and files without physical access to their device.
Remote support software offers something different. Instead of providing access to an employee’s specific device, remote support software allows IT technicians access to deliver support to a range of devices. Support can include everything from regularly scheduled maintenance and monitoring to advanced diagnostics and repairs.
Attended
There are two types of support that technicians deal with: attended and unattended. Attended access refers to a situation in which a client is having trouble with their device and contacts the technician, and the technician takes control of the computer to diagnose the issue and fix it. The support staff can diagnose the issue without much information from the user because they have full access to the machine and the technician is in and out without traveling to the physical device.
Unattended
The second type of support is unattended. Unattended support means that the support staff has access to the device in question without any user being present on the other end and without any contact from the user. The user must agree to unattended access during installation, and it may be disabled if necessary. IT support professionals use this unattended access to monitor devices, run diagnostics, install updates and more.
Features
Remote support software offers a variety of features designed to arm IT professionals with the tools necessary to carry out all vital support-related tasks. The features vary widely between solutions, with some offering a robust, comprehensive solution in the vein of IT management software and others filling a niche.
Remote support software features may include, but are not limited to:
- Routine device maintenance
- Product updates
- Creation of audit lines to ensure a clear record for regulatory compliance
- File transfer
- Remote printing
- Group and user permissions
- Chat function
- Security encryption and two factor identification secure access
- Remote device waking
- Cross platform functionality
- Role-based security with manage-session functionality