Emergency IT Support:
Onsite or Remote?
If you have a business, you have computers. And make no mistake—if you have computers, your network will most likely crash at some point. When you are experiencing unplanned downtime, you need emergency IT support fast.
According to a 2018 report from ERS IT Solutions, companies spend around 200 minutes battling system crashes and employees spend half an hour every week trying to untangle network issues. Loss of productivity and revenues can cost companies millions as a result of unplanned downtime. In 2018, it was estimated that unplanned downtime resulted in 545 hours of lost employee productivity.
Is it better to access remote IT support services or have onsite IT support? Find out which emergency IT support solution is best for your company.
What Are Remote IT
Support Services?
Remote IT support services involve a trained, professional IT guru accessing your computer from their office or workstation. He or she will diagnose your issue in one of several ways:
Phone or video calls:
The first step your emergency IT support technician will take is most likely a simple phone call or video chat. If the problem is simple enough, he may be able to talk you through the solution.
Screen sharing:
If the problem or solution is too hard to communicate, the remote IT support team may turn to screen sharing. The answers easier may be easier to understand if the tech can show you the solution in real time.
Remote access:
Many times, remote IT services will gain remote access to the computer itself to diagnose and fix the problem. This allows them to look at the problem “from the inside out” and repair the issue. Always be sure you are using reputable remote IT support services before allowing access to your computer.
Your remote emergency IT services provider will use a combination of these solutions to fix the problem quickly and cause as little disruption to your workflow as possible.
Reasons Remote IT Support
Is a Great Solution
Budget-Friendly Answers
Remote emergency IT support services are generally included in an external IT package. This means you aren’t paying full-time IT employees an average of $42k per year (plus benefits) to “stand around and wait” for something to happen. Additionally, using remote IT support saves you the costs associated with an “office call.”
Expertise
Your remote support team will bring years of experience to your network issues. They stay up to date on the latest trends in software and techniques. Your team is just a phone call away with the answers you need, whenever you need them.
Rapid IT Emergency Services Response
Remote emergency IT support is just a phone call away. No time is wasted scheduling a visit to the office with an IT technician. The tech will get to work on the issue immediately.
After Hours Support
Generally, your IT support team is on-call 24/7. No matter what time your network or hardware fails, there will be someone available to tackle the problem.
Minimal Disruption
Your employees have enough on their plates. When a single system is down, remote IT support can target efforts to the affected system with minimal disruption to your other employees’ workflow.
Cooperative Support With Your Internal IT Team
You may have someone assigned to the routine maintenance of your systems and hardware. Remote IT support services will work directly with your internal IT team cooperatively to solve your IT emergencies.
Outsourcing your emergency IT services can be a cost-effective, time-saving solution to extensive, costly downtime. But what if you prefer a more hands-on, in-person experience? Onsite support services might be the answer to your company’s needs.
What Are
Onsite IT Support Services?
Some IT emergencies are too complex to be fixed remotely. If the problem is hardware-related, you will need a trained technician to come directly to your office. Onsite IT support services are necessary when remote emergency services aren’t appropriate.
Onsite IT support services allow a trained professional to come to your office with an arsenal of tools to tackle your computer or network issues.
Your managed IT services provider will offer onsite diagnostic and repair services as well as remote solutions. An onsite IT support call may include upgrading memory, fixing failed hard drives, SSD updates, broken computer parts, and even cleaning the hardware from dust, debris, or spills.
Like remote IT support services, onsite support services have many benefits for your company.
Reasons Onsite IT Support
Is a Great Solution
Thorough Solutions
Bringing a trained IT professional directly to the source of the issue means that an experienced technician will be diagnosing and repairing the problem personally. Most will look into other issues while they are there to make sure all your systems are running smoothly.
It’s Easier to Communicate Face-to-Face
If it seems like trained IT professionals are speaking a completely different language, it’s because they are. It’s not always easy to communicate issues or solutions remotely. Onsite IT support services can give you a better understanding of what went wrong, what was done to solve the problem, and what you or your employees can do if the problem happens again.
Hardware Can’t Be Fixed Remotely
If your emergency IT support issue involves software or a network malfunction, remote IT support services can usually handle the problem. If your issues involve hardware malfunctions such as nonfunctioning drives, outdated equipment, depleted memory, or even coffee spilled across the hard drive, you will need an onsite IT support visit from a technician. He or she will bring a wide variety of tools to diagnose the issues and fix them immediately.
Monitor Progress in Real Time
If you are on a phone call with remote IT support, you may be placed on hold or told the tech will “call you right back.” This can be frustrating when you aren’t sure how much downtime you are facing and have no way to see what is being done in real time. Your onsite support services technician can keep you updated throughout the process, eliminating the “hurry up and wait” part of repair services.
“Hey, While You’re Here
Most support tech gurus have no problem taking a quick look at other concerns you may have while they are there. This is a valuable tool for stopping smaller problems from becoming big ones.
Convenience
When you bring in an onsite IT support tech to your office, they can fly solo with little or no direction from your or your employees. Remote IT support may require you to remain in contact with the tech on the phone or video call while they diagnose and solve your issues.
No matter the scope of your IT emergency, Iconic’s remote IT support services or onsite IT support teams have you covered. We can help you diagnose your emergency and get you the help you need to quickly recover from unplanned downtime.
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In addition to remote IT support services and onsite IT support, Iconic offers managed services packages that include:
- Firewall
- Next-Generation Endpoint Protection
- Business Continuity Solutions
(Backup/Disaster Recovery) - Spam Filtering
- 24/7 Network/Server/Workstation Monitoring
- Patch Management
- Network Documentation
- Dark Web Monitoring
- Phishing Simulations
- Security & Awareness Training