Since the Covid-19 pandemic, many companies have transitioned from on-site to remote business operations to ensure business continuity and adherence to minimum health standards and safety.
Despite this, your tech support employees remain an essential part of your organization to address any technical issues your company may encounter, even if your team is off-site.
What is remote technical support?
Remote technical support staff is the same as your regular tech support employees, except situated off-site. They can be at home providing support or anywhere else not within company premises.
Since they’re working remotely — usually in their home offices — remote tech support representatives are usually expected to have basic facilities such as a working internet connection and computer equipment.
10 strategies for your remote technical support representatives
In order for your tech support team to be effective regardless of the remote setup, here are strategies that you can implement and promote among your remote staff.
24/7 availability
You can have your IT support staff available 24/7 by providing them with the necessary devices or tools that will allow them to do their jobs even when they are not in their usual work environment.
It can be anything from laptops to secured VPN configurations and strict security systems. With these, you can be at ease knowing that your team is available when the need arises.
Be proactive in holding regular remote meetings
Communication is vital in ensuring that everything in your business is flowing smoothly, and this is equally important for your remote tech support department.
For team leaders or managers, facilitate online meetings with your team a couple of times a week to ensure no communication gap in achieving business goals. Even as simple as an email blast or video call should be done weekly to see if there are issues that only you can address right away.
You should also encourage your employees to do the same, even as simple as catching up with everyone’s work progress.
Consider a mobile-first approach
A mobile-first strategy optimizes websites for smartphone navigation in response to the growing trend of mobile internet surfing. It works well, especially if you have a remote tech support staff, as this allows them to be readily available wherever they are.
While it can take a while for your staff to get used to it, moving to a mobile-first strategy can increase their efficiency.
Communicate with your tech support department regularly
Constant communication is necessary for a seamless business flow and for improving the morale of your team members. It means getting in touch with them individually just to see how they are doing or if they are dealing with some life-changing matters.
While you do not need to help fix their problems, acknowledging and making them feel valued can be a positive experience, motivating them to do better. After all, happy employees make for excellent performing employees.
Adopt smart working
“Smart working” is a set of flexible business practices that promotes a more balanced and healthier work-life for your team without sacrificing work efficiency. It includes remote working environments, a flexible schedule, and a smoother workflow.
Develop strong security measures
Your tech support employees may be working remotely, but it does not mean that you should be lax when protecting your company’s most sensitive business information. After all, your staff working from home do not have commercial-grade protective measures.
However, implementing a remote risk mitigation strategy can help keep your most valuable data assets from being compromised. Work with your support agents in fortifying your security system to safeguard your most sensitive information for your peace of mind.
Implement a Zero Trust remote security measure
Data security has never been more important, with many companies slowly transitioning from remote work to hybrid work models. After all, there is no way for you to monitor each one of your employees.
You can have your technical department implement a “Zero Trust” security model that extends to all of your staff. This security framework requires constant monitoring and verification of your employees. It means that all personnel connected to your organization will need to verify every time they try to access your database.
It also requires you to enforce security standards, such as taking everyone who has access to your database into account and putting restrictions on whoever and wherever necessary. Having your IT staff utilize a Zero Trust security measure will lessen the risk of security breaches and other fraudulent activities.
Have your remote tech support team utilize automated functions
Automated tools can lessen the bulk of your remote staff’s work, such as providing automatic responses, processes, or data generation. Using these features can help your remote staff focus on keeping IT-related processes working seamlessly.
Train your tech support team regularly
With technology constantly evolving, it is vital to train your IT support team on the latest security changes and developments. It ensures that they can deal with any cyber threats effectively and strengthen your company’s security system.
Even in a remote setting, you can achieve this by holding video conferences or email communication.
Be patient in handling your remote IT team
A remote or hybrid work setup is still a relatively new concept in the business world, and not everyone has fully adapted to it. That is why you need to be patient and understanding when dealing with your remote employees, as your business processes will undoubtedly change with the new setup.
Why you should provide remote tech support
Establishing a remote tech support team works well these days as it lessens or removes the cost and hassle of bringing workers to the office. At the same time, you can ensure that they are still being productive and efficient. It also allows you to comply with health protocols and safety measures.
