Several years back I talked to NetworkFusion about an important topic – remote IT support and how small businesses and other computer users can control costs.  

A help desk can be great for home workers when they come across problems, but it has to be a second line of defense.  Those telecommuting in small business looking for remote IT support need to figure out how to handle problems without calling costly support lines.  For example, if they spill something on a keyboard or break a mouse, the best idea is to buy a new one … or if a monitor isn’t working, switch it with another one in the home.

To clarify, I stated,  "These things even non-tech people can handle … IT people don’t like grunt work and dealing with what they consider computer-literacy training."

I continued to say that if your telecommuters have to call the help desk, they should avoid calling during peak times such as Monday mornings, lunchtime or late Friday.  "It’s extremely important to help them know when to draw the line and say, ‘I’m beyond what I know and I’ve got to stop before I make the problem worse’ … But often the best call teleworkers place to tech support is the one they didn’t end up needing to make."

Creating a relationship with your IT support help desk is also really important because it is a partnership.  You have to take care of IT people and have a really good relationship.

Blogged By:  Computer Consulting Kit