Preparing Your Office For Remote Technical Support
If you are starting a small business that relies on computers and Internet access to complete job tasks, you must make sure that your equipment is always in good condition and not riddled with viruses, malware or defective parts. When problems occur, it will be a major hassle to lug a computer or printer to a repair shop or wait for someone to come fix the devices. However, you can get expert computer repair help from firms that offer remote tech support. The following guide can help you prepare your office for remote access by computer experts.
Take an Inventory of Your Computer Assets
When you own a small business, it is important to keep track of your computer hardware. You need to know what type of software is on your computers as well. With this information it will be easier to manage hardware and software upgrades as well as stay in compliance with software licensing agreements.
In addition, when you contact a remote tech support service, it will be much easier for them to diagnose issues when you can give them the exact specifications of your equipment.
You can keep the inventory in spreadsheet program. The hardware inventory file should contain the brand, serial number, model and date of purchase of every piece of equipment including monitors, computer towers, laptops, peripherals and external hard drives.
For computers, you should also include the size of the internal hard drive and how much memory is installed on each device.
For a software inventory, you should include the name of the program, manufacturer, version, serial number and number of installations on your computers.
Set Up a Local Network
If you have several computers plus peripherals like printers and scanners, you need to connect all of these devices to your office's computer network. Even if you work from home, you can set up a network via your cable Internet or DSL connection and a wireless router.
Both Windows and Mac operating systems provide wizards to help users set up a local network. However, if you have no clue how to perform this task, you can call a remote technical support service to walk you through the steps of setting up your network.
A network makes it easier for you to get remote technical support for all of your equipment especially for problems like sending documents to a printer from your computer or problems sharing files between computers.
Install Remote Access Software
In order for a technician to provide assistance to you remotely, you need to install software that enables someone else to control your computer from afar. With remote access software, your computer becomes the host for a remote computer, the client.
Remote desktop programs will also enable you to connect to your computers when you are on the road to access important documents or use programs that are not available on your laptop or tablet.
You can choose from several paid and free remote access programs. Some types of computers may come with pre-installed remote access software.
Most remote access programs can be installed with a just a few clicks and come with easy-to-follow wizards to help you along the way during the installation process.
Hiring a Service and Setting Up a Service Plan
When you begin shopping for a provider of remote technical support, you need to consider several factors:
- How you often you anticipate needing support
- Your budget
- Whether or not your computer operating system is supported
- The age of your machines
If you have older machines with outdated operating systems, you may need to upgrade your computers in order to get help remotely.
Remote tech support firms offer different types of support plans. You can opt in to a subscription plan that enables you to call for support at any time provided you pay a monthly, biannual or annual fee.
If you are tech savvy and can handle making simple repairs to your computers, you may opt for one-time repairs when you do not anticipate needing support more than a few times per year.
Some remote tech support firms also provide traditional on-site support as well if you prefer to have someone visit your office or if there is a physical hardware issue that requires an in-person repair.
For more information, go to websites that specialize in remote tech support services.
Share