Whether you’re a small IT business owner or part of a large company’s tech support team, choosing the right tool for your remote support needs can turn into a confusing experience. There’s this and that, reviewing licensing policies brings no answers at all, while everybody claims their tool to be reasonably priced and secure.
In this article we’re going to help you get off the wrong track, learn how to do a proper research and in the end choose a remote support solution that’s right for your business.
Here are six things to consider when looking for a remote support tool.
Usability
First and foremost, your future remote support tool should be easy to use and understand. Remember that the remote user is not as tech savvy as you are, and therefore simplicity (in a good sense) is key to delivering fast customer support.
The remote connection speed also matters a lot. You should be able to access a remote client machine with a few clicks instead of scratching your head over complex settings.
Finally, you should opt for an all-in-one tool that offers extensive remote control feature set and allows you to provide both on-demand and unattended support within a single package, at no extra cost.
Security & data protection
Let’s say you’ve done some quick search and found a remote support solution that might be the right fit for your needs and bills. Before you buy it, ask yourself these two simple questions:
- Has it ever been hacked or compromised in any way?
- Will my clients have full control over the connection process?
While most of remote desktop solutions promise to deliver the highest security, it’s key to know their background stories and not to rely solely on website information. Conduct an in-depth search via Google and industry forums. Take a close look at what others are saying about this product on software review websites. Try to get as much background information as possible.
Now what a truly secure remote desktop tool should look like?
To begin with, it’s trusted by customers from various industries and different parts of the world. The end user or customer data has never been hugely compromised, and even if there have been security issues the company went out of its way to secure the data and make sure it would never happen again.
Secondly, it utilizes a reliable network of geographically-distributed servers which ensures that the connection between you and your client is stable and secure.
Lastly, the vendor provides compelling information about its security features and compliance with the latest industry standards, such as 256-bit AES encryption.
Compliance
Running an ecommerce website that processes credit card data? If so, you’ll have to get your business PCI-ready by ensuring that all of the tools you use to support your customers offer two-factor authentication. Remote support software is no exception.
Working for a healthcare provider? You’re definitely going to need a remote support tool that’s compliant with HIPAA requirements. The software provider in turn should clearly explain how their solution collects and transmits data, and for what purposes. Apart from that, your remote desktop tool should allow you to record all support sessions for future audits and assessments.
Customer support
Huge software providers get overwhelmed with the number of support issues they have to address and often focus on product development and marketing instead of trying to serve and delight each and every customer. And that’s partly understandable.
Your ideal remote desktop software vendor should be available 24/7 via a number of channels, including email, LiveChat, phone, Twitter, etc. Besides that, having a documented approach to dealing with problems that may seem small or irrelevant is always a good sign.
Branding options
Asking customers to run a third-party application may cause confusion – “why should I let this software access my computer, is this legit?” To avoid that, you may want your remote support tool to reflect your brand and match the looks of your website.
When choosing a remote support tool, look for branding options that will allow you to customize the application’s design, use your own logo and colors, and make your customers painlessly adopt the new software.
Upgrade fees & license sharing
Ok, everything seems promising, both feature and security-wise. However, now it’s high time you reviewed any licensing tricks that your potential software provider has up its sleeves.
Will you be able to share the license with a colleague when you’re away from the office? Are there any upgrade fees if you’re going to opt for a lifetime license?
It’s important to know how much exactly you’ll be paying before you click “Buy”.
Pay close attention to upgrade costs that are often hidden in footnotes or even on a different website page. It would be wise to consider all pros and cons of perpetual licensing vs. subscription. While lifetime licensing may seem cost-effective at first, subscription on the other hand offers peace of mind in terms of billing and updates, and can eventually save you money.
Now that you’re ready to do a comprehensive research and choose wisely, find out how some of the most popular remote support tools stack up against each other and take your pick!