Do you need technical support but don't have the resources or desire to hire and manage an IT department? Online technical support for you. Online help desks, also known as remote IT support, are typically more accessible (and sometimes more efficient) than in-house IT departments. Below, learn all about online support and why it's better for your business than an in-house IT department.
What does online technical support do?
If a company has a computer, network or security problem, online technical support providers can do everything remotely that an in-house IT department can do. This allows small businesses to have access to a full IT team without having to spend time and money hiring one. When you work with an ISP, you are essentially outsourcing your technical support rather than hiring it yourself.
Tech professionals can obtain IT certifications to demonstrate that they are proficient with specific hardware, not just software.
Online technical support providers typically perform the following functions:
- Password recovery. Let's say your employees are having trouble logging into the trading platforms you have installed. This task may require a more complex password reset than usual, and online support services can help your team members with this process.
- Hardware or software updates. Third-party technical support teams can oversee the deployment of hardware or software updates across your organization. Trusting these teams to implement reduces the risk of costly and time-consuming mistakes that prevent everyone from using the technology.
- Registration of incidents. Entry-level online support packages typically include non-urgent incident logging. More detailed packages may include a record of all incidents, both urgent and less urgent.
- Troubleshoot technical issues. Your online support team is your first point of contact for troubleshooting any hardware or software issues. With their help, you can solve problems more effectively and get back to work faster.
- Backup, data recovery and user account management: Keeping your data secure and recovering lost data is key to maintaining business awareness. You can delegate this responsibility to your online technical support provider. Your support team can also manage user accounts to ensure proper access controls and cybersecurity.
- Create knowledge documents. High-end online technical support providers can help you create digital knowledge bases like corporate wikis. This service is particularly valuable when creating knowledge bases requires programming skills that you may not have.
- Collaboration with Third Party Services. Your online support team takes the lead when you and one of your third-party services experience technical issues that you need to resolve together. This way, the technical expert takes care of all the labor-intensive work required to get your hardware and software back up and running.
Benefits of using online technical support
These are some of the most compelling reasons to set up an online help desk for your business.
It is more cost-effective than having your own IT department.
Building an IT department can cost five to six figures just for new employees' salaries. Online tech support providers cost much less than you would pay an employee and offer the same level of expertise and service.
“Online technical support is a small business’s best friend because it allows them to receive enterprise-class support and service at small business prices,” said Tim Singleton, president and founder of Strive Technology Consulting.
You will receive immediate help.
Unlike internal IT departments that have redundancy and help desk companies that send technicians on-site, online help desks provide immediate IT support.
“As IT companies are able to work more remotely, they spend less time traveling and more time solving problems,” Singleton said. “This means one technician can serve more end users. With a full team of technicians serving dozens of businesses, every small business has access to a full computer support team.”
You will gain extensive experience in all areas of technology.
Online help services provide small businesses with access to IT experts who can solve a variety of IT problems easily and effectively.
“When a company partners with a quality service provider, they gain access to an entire organization of experts at all levels who can help them in any way possible,” says Glenn Mores, President and CEO of 3rd Millennium.
Online help desk specialists will also complete the necessary professional training and certification to know best practices for providing reliable and cost-effective IT solutions, he said. In comparison, a small business that employs an in-house IT specialist often has very limited support options.
“Even if an organization has internal IT resources, typically only one person is a generalist, which inevitably leads to significant gaps in the knowledge base,” Mores said.
IT management skills require much more than just technical knowledge. The more hands, the better. This makes online technical support even more attractive for small businesses.
Online tech support providers have better resources.
Online technical support providers also have advanced support resources not typically available to small business IT departments.
“When a business requests technical support online, a quality service provider has hundreds of thousands of dollars in hardware and software that can resolve issues quickly and efficiently,” Mores said.
Often you get more than just support.
Online technical support providers typically offer additional services that would otherwise be beyond a small business's budget.
“Most similar IT companies also offer other services, such as proactive computer maintenance, network maintenance and a high level of technology leadership, that most small businesses can never afford,” Singleton said.
Additionally, some providers don't just solve IT problems; They also analyze them to identify trends and stay abreast of potential problems the companies may be having. Additionally, the remote IT support industry continues to grow and has much more to offer small businesses as it matures.
“Like anything else, remote IT support can be good or bad, but it has the potential (and many companies are realizing this potential) to give small businesses a better IT experience than they expected,” Singleton said. “I believe this route is a better solution than hiring one or two full-time IT professionals because a professional team can provide a wealth of experience and service.”
How to use online technical support
Bob Makarovsky, who taught software and hardware courses at Baruch College in New York for more than 30 years, said that given the profitability of online technical support, the prevalence of these services is unlikely to decline.
Makarovsky shared the following tips for making the most of online support services as your online support needs grow:
- Pay attention to details. Before contacting online support, document the details of your problem, including the correct time, location, method, and event. When did the error occur? Which program and function did you use? What actions did you take when the problem occurred? Vague comments like "I'm getting this flashing error" take up more time from the help desk analyst than "For example, the status bar displays the message 'Invalid data type for operator.'" Precise language is crucial.
- Specify the deadline. At the beginning of your support call, inform the support analyst of any time restrictions that apply to you. If your company has a tight deadline to complete a project or transaction, an analyst can provide you with a quick interim solution to help you get back to work while more permanent solutions are sought offline.
- Keep a list of problems. During the work week, document the little annoyances in addition to the big annoyances. By discussing your underlying issues with a technician, you can also work on resolving your long list of persistent irritations.
Selecting online technical support
Are you ready to work with an online tech support provider? Here's how to choose the right one for your business.
1. Determine what you need from a supplier.
Your business may need low-risk support, such as: B. Support password reset. Or perhaps your company needs a data backup and analysis partner. Consider the depth of interaction and breadth of features you expect from a provider. Write down your exact needs and keep this list handy for the next step.
2. Research potential suppliers.
Build a list of potential online technical support providers through online searches and direct recommendations from people in your professional network. Visit these providers' websites to get an idea of the breadth and depth of the companies' services. Eliminate suppliers that clearly don't offer what you need. Contact other providers to inquire about their services and see if they meet your needs.
A combination of online technical support and in-house document management software can be particularly helpful when it comes to organizing a company's knowledge. Check out our picks for the best document management software to learn more about why you can benefit from this technology.
3. Ask active support questions.
It's one thing for your service provider to solve the problems you bring to their attention. It's another thing to do this and then find lasting solutions for the future. This proactive approach is always more beneficial than a reactive (one size fits all) approach. Only consider providers that value proactive support.
4. Evaluate each provider’s security measures.
A good tech support company ensures 24/7 cybersecurity across the company and should do the same for its operations. Talk to potential suppliers about their security measures; Then check whether these measures reflect the current protocol. Otherwise, look elsewhere for your technical support provider.
5. Ask about key metrics.
Analyze each potential supplier’s response time, success rate, and IT certification. You should look for providers that guarantee fast response times, high success rates and have many team members with excellent certifications. This way, you can be sure that you will receive convenient and high-quality support.
6. Compare prices and make your final decision.
At this point, you've narrowed down your list of potential suppliers to some great options. Compare the prices of these providers and choose the provider that offers you the best value for money. Then work directly with the provider to get your service up and running.
Get the support you need
Not all business owners are tech-savvy, but online technical support services can be helpful. These services provide your operation with more infrastructure and resources than you can provide to your internal IT team, at a lower cost. As digital platforms become increasingly important to the success of your business, online support services can help you navigate them all.
