Four reasons efficient remote support software is crucial for MSPs

Even with the most comprehensive planning, brainstorming, meetings, and training initiatives, you know as a managed services provider (MSP) that things will inevitably go wrong for your customers from time to time. To preserve business continuity and keep your customers happy, it’s crucial that you can resolve unexpected issues—big or small—as quickly as they arise. Without the appropriate remote support software, this can be an extremely daunting task that forces you to reallocate resources and put unnecessary pressure on business operations.

At the same time, maintaining critical operations and keeping customer satisfaction levels high when support requests spike shouldn’t have to come at the cost of your technicians. If your support technicians are regularly pushed into working additional hours at short notice, this can impact employee satisfaction and staff turnover in the long-term.

As these potential obstacles demonstrate, the consequences of a spike in support issues—which may be caused by lots of small issues or a big issue affecting the entire customer base—can have a serious impact on your MSP. Fortunately, the right automated remote assistance software can streamline support, even in a crisis. Remote support software can significantly reduce the average time needed to resolve a support request, freeing up technician time, cutting labor costs, and allowing you to resolve more requests in a shorter period of time.

Why is remote support software essential for MSPs?

Not so many years ago, some MSPs may have been able to get by without dedicated remote support software. They may have provided on-site support, or provided detailed instructions over the phone to assist customers with their IT issues. Today, however, there are an increasing number of reasons why remote support software is something customers expect as a critical part of efficient MSP services. These reasons include:

1. AN INCREASINGLY REMOTE WORKFORCE

Our current global economy requires many businesses to manage distributed offices or several remote working environments simultaneously. This has been further exacerbated by the ongoing pandemic, which has pushed employees to work from home rather than commute into a central office location. Organizations with remote work or WFH policies also tend to see many benefits, including higher levels of employee satisfaction, reduced costs, and a minimized environmental impact. With a growing number of companies implementing policies that allow employees to work remotely, it is essential that MSPs can provide remote support to customers, wherever they are.

With remote support software, technicians can troubleshoot issues from anywhere (even on-the-go). Good remote support software offers near-instant access and crystal-clear visibility into a customer’s device so that they can diagnose issues as quickly as possible. Resolving problems quickly is not only an important part of maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction, it may also be a requirement of your service level agreements (SLAs). Remote assistance software can help you meet and track SLAs.

2. A RISING NUMBER OF MOBILE DEVICES AND BYOD POLICIES

In recent years, there has been a significant rise in the use of tablets, phones, and other personal devices in working environments. This can quickly complicate remote access and endpoint security if not properly accounted for. Because of this, it is essential that MSPs leverage remote assistance software that offers secure and effective support for different device types. With the right remote support software, technicians can even use a dedicated mobile app for remote support, allowing them to provide support from their smartphone. All of this helps ensure that you can provide maintenance to all devices, whether employee-owned or not, to maintain security and productivity across customer networks.

3. AN INCREASED RELIANCE ON MSPS AND VENDORS

When it comes to third-party services, businesses turn to MSPs to help guarantee they can operate successfully from an IT perspective. Many businesses today depend on the assistance of MSPs and vendors offering hardware, services, and other solutions designed to support their business’ operations. To safeguard operations, MSPs and vendors will require a certain level of access to a business’ network and systems—but it’s important that they can do this securely, while causing minimal disruption to customers.

Remote support software allows MSPs and vendors to access networks and devices safely, so they can conduct maintenance and resolve issues behind-the-scenes. This limits the need for MSPs to provide on-site maintenance, which can be time-consuming and expensive. Customers will also be happier with your services if you’re able to provide unattended remote services during their off hours, so their productivity is never compromised.

4. HIGHER CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS

With an increased reliance on MSPs and vendors comes higher expectations. As more options flood the market, customers are spoilt for choice—which means for you to stay competitive, you must be able to provide fast and effective remote support. Without remote support software, your competitors are likely to have an advantage.

For many individuals, an MSP’s ability to provide quick and efficient support is a deciding factor in whether they choose to enlist their services. Put simply, MSPs can’t afford to fall behind competitors when it comes to providing remote support, because this is an area in which customers can be especially uncompromising. The right remote support software can help you deliver efficient and effective services from a distance to keep your customers coming back for more.

Implementing the right remote support software

It should now be clear that remote support software is a must-have for any MSP hoping to remain competitive in today’s market. Not only does remote assistance software deliver a range of benefits, but it also serves as a foundational tool upon which the success of many other critical processes is built.

To deliver optimal remote support services that are efficient for both your customers and your technicians, we suggest using SolarWinds® Take Control. IT solutions providers in need of very secure remote access solutions as well as fast, sharp tools to troubleshoot multiple platform types can benefit from the Take Control standalone product. This remote support tool is also especially suited to MSPs of any size, as it integrates with SolarWinds RMM or SolarWinds N‑central® to provide a comprehensive, all-in-one dashboard for your technicians. Together, these solutions provide reliable remote monitoring and support software that arms your MSP with everything it needs to keep customers happy.

Take Control includes support for attended and unattended remote access, as well as live chat and rapid file transfer utilities that make remote support seamless for your customers. It can establish connections in less than eight seconds, and it also features a mobile app to deliver convenient, on-the-go remote support. With powerful troubleshooting and deep diagnostic tools, this tool provides the exact features your technicians need to resolve customer issues quickly and effectively. To see for yourself, take advantage of a 14-day free trial of Take Control today.

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