#GoToGetsIT: This article is part of an ongoing series from GoTo’s thought leaders on the frontlines: Our Solutions Consultants deeply understand our customers’ unique challenges and connect the right solutions to meet their goals using GoTo technology. Here, they share their industry knowledge on what it takes to help businesses everywhere thrive in a remote or hybrid world.
Information Technology (IT) plays a significant role in an organization's success, and it affects employee satisfaction in several ways. IT provides employees with the necessary tools to perform their tasks effectively and efficiently. When employees have access to the right tools, they can accomplish their goals without experiencing unnecessary stress and frustration, leading to higher job satisfaction as well as operational efficiency.
The main purpose of a remote support tool is to enable people to do their best work with minimal disruption while using all the tools they need. When any problem arises with the systems they use, it needs to be resolved quickly and efficiently. Everything in the process of support affects the experience and satisfaction of both the end user receiving assistance and the IT admin providing support.
As long as computers that are distributed and connected in local or remote networks exist, IT professionals will need remote access and support tools to connect to end-user machines for troubleshooting and to perform actions remotely when needed. There are dozens of remote IT software tools available on the market and choosing the best one is not always an easy task.
Key factors to consider when choosing remote support software:
Ease of use
The first thing to keep in mind is the importance of the user experience when evaluating remote support software. Is it easy to use for both support agents and users? Does it require the installation of any software? It should help to solve the problem and not create new ones.
Look for remote support software with an intuitive user interface that is easy to navigate. The easier it is to use, the less time may be required for training and execution, ultimately saving you money. Remember, the user is already stressed because they have a problem with the tool they rely on to work. The support and remote access process should be simple and easy and not create more problems.
Access controls
Each company has different needs when it comes to allowing a technician to access another user's machine, and there are compliance and GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) rules governing all the processes. It is important to have a tool that adapts and provides the level of control you need.
Can the user have the right to allow or deny access to their device? Is attended and unattended remote access supported? Being able to support both servers and users at any time is now a true requirement. Having the ability to access machines, even when users are not at their keyboards, will speed up the support effort, minimize user downtime, and improve customer satisfaction.
Tools & features
Most remote support solutions provide remote control, remote screen sharing, and file transfer, allowing agents to perform routine support tasks. But you should look for a solution that goes further by enabling agents to perform more advanced support tasks via more sophisticated capabilities.
When a technician needs to use several different tools to solve problems for users, they'll need to deal with more licenses, which requires more manual integrations and makes resolutions more complex. Ensure support agents have all the tools and features they need such as helpdesk ticketing, background access, remote monitoring and management (RMM) and more – ideally in one solution.
Automation
IT can automate repetitive tasks, freeing employees to focus on more meaningful work. Make sure the software has automation features that can help you provide faster, more consistent support. Remote support tools that include RMM are becoming increasingly more in demand as companies work to streamline and automate IT tasks.
Collaboration
Does the tool allow the agents to work together with agent collaboration? Are there features to seamlessly share the session or escalate to the next level of support agents? Not all agents are experts on all systems, but having the ability to collaborate with other agents or escalate the issues to an expert can help solve problems faster and on the first call. Techs can also gain excellent real-time training by observing other specialists as they resolve issues.
Auditing
Technical support audits are an essential part of IT operations to keep the business secure. They involve reviewing the support systems, such as help desks and support personnel, to ensure that they are functioning effectively and efficiently.
By auditing remote access sessions, IT can ensure that employees are accessing the organization's resources in a secure manner, and that sensitive data is protected. This can contribute to overall employee satisfaction by providing a safe and secure working environment, while also protecting the organization's assets and reputation.
When it comes to end user support sessions, the end user may have suspicions regarding the actions performed by the technician. The tool must have functions that track the end users’ permissions for the agent’s actions. Important questions to ask are if all access and actions taken are registered and can audited? Are there features like activity logging and screen recording that let you know who accessed and what they did on each user's machine?
Helpdesk reporting
Helpdesk reporting allows managers the ability to assess how their support team has been serving employees and the quality of service offered, and gives administrators more cost control with insights on how to better plan for necessary resources and the size of the team.
Take a look at the reports available when consider your next remote access tool and make sure the software provides you with reports and analytics to help you track customer activity and identify any issues. For example, reports can help you evaluate the number of tickets, the time taken to resolve each case, how many cases each technician handled to work on actions that increase productivity and service delivery.
Integrations
Most organizations use a multitude of tools to gather information and solve problems. Does the software allow integrations with other tools? The ability to integrate these tools will make it less time consuming and frustrating for agents and users. Your remote support tool should integrate with your ticketing and customer relationship management (CRM) tool and other complementary systems.
Security
Whenever an organization adds a new technology, security is a vital concern. Because remote support tools enable access to networked devices that often hold proprietary applications and confidential data, strong security is critical. Is the connection secure end-by-end to protect sensitive information? How is unauthorized access prevented?
Choose a remote support software that has built-in security protocols to keep your customer’s data safe and secure. (Hot tip: look for zero trust security.)
Devices and platforms supported
More and more users have the freedom to use devices of their choice to perform their work in the best way. But on the flip side, IT administrators have a huge challenge in supporting these different devices and systems. Do you need to provide support on multiple devices running different operational systems? Does the software allow access to desktop and mobile devices? What about physical devices and equipment?
To make support easier for agents who are no doubt working remotely too, look for remote support software that can be accessed from any device with an internet connection. It should be easy to log in and get started on any device.
The vendor’s customer support
Don’t forget about how the remote support software vendor supports its customers. In the event that you need support for the tool you use to support your end users, you want the same excellence and level of support quality that you strive to provide. Does the software platform offer a customer support line? Check to see if the software offers any technical support or customer service when you need it, whether through voice, chat, or online documentation. Check user forums to see how they rate the support they receive.
Scalability
When looking for a remote support solution that can scale with your company, it is important to consider factors such as the software's ability to handle an increasing volume of requests, the availability of a wide range of support options, and a flexible pricing structure.
Remember, it's all about employee satisfaction
Every IT process affects user satisfaction and productivity, both for the IT team and end users. Whether you are supporting internal users, external customers, or both, choose a tool that can take all these factors into consideration. The right remote helpdesk software for your business will ultimately help you reduce downtime and interruptions, provide a seamless experience for support agents and users, and ensure business continuity and scalability at every step.
GoTo Resolve checks all of these boxes and more, as the all-in-one IT management and support solution that consolidates RMM, remote support, ticketing, and more.
