Remote Support Tools, why are they so amazingly useful?
We do a lot of remote support for our clients and sometimes we take it for granted because its such a useful tool.
However, we appreciate that not everyone knows what it is or how it can be so helpful so we thought a brief outline might be useful.
Put simply, remote support allows us to be able to see what is on an end users screen and by doing so be able to understand a problem without anything being lost in translation.
For example, we have all played Chinese whispers and we all know how even between two people the message can be lost. Imagine trying to describe a complex problem over the phone or by email. Very quickly, misunderstandings occur, and they can be as simple as just describing what a user is seeing on a screen.
Remote support helps us bypass all that giving fast, accurate help where it’s needed.
Generally, there are two ‘flavours’ of remote support and we use both
We use Splashtop SOS and Splashtop Business for our remote support services and we find it a good mix of easy to use and reliable.
What’s the difference? Well, Splashtop SOS allows us to do an ad-hoc remote support connection to any sort of device, server, pc, laptop, mac, apple or android tablet or phone. It works by using secure codes that the end user gives to the technician to provide a quick and easy access.
On the other hand, Splashtop Business is designed to allow unattended access.
Unattended access? Yes, this means you can access a computer when there is no one by it. In other words, the technician can access the computer at any time and perform repairs or maintenance while the end user is not there.
Let’s go through the process of setting up a Splashtop SOS session.
First the technician will guide the end user to the correct location to download the Splashtop SOS application.
Our Website has a link on every page.
The website will automatically start the download for Windows devices. For other devices you will select the type of device we are connecting to.
The end user will run the application and when it launches it generates a 9-digit code which is then given to the technician. The technician enters the code into his application and connect to the end user computer.
Depending on the permissions allowed the technician can either see the screen of the end users computer or he can take full control off the computer and this will allow him to do anything including installing software or restarting the computer.
And thats all there is to it for SOS.
Splashtop Business, uses a piece of software called the streamer. This piece of software is installed and made ready on the end users computer and it ‘listens’ so that the technician can access the computer if it is switched on. There is more however, Splashtop Business is also designed for end users to work from home so they can be given the same access as the technician. In fact its the same system.
Computers can be organised into groups and set to allow access to chosen users. You can see the Business app here with computers set in a group.
Thats our little explanation of remote support. We are always available to help and if you need to talk to us or if you want to get setup with remote access yourself.