What things do you fix remotely?

[DavidF]

I'm gearing towards doing much more work remotely.
I already have numerous clients who are used to the idea of remote support and I have them on autodial through logmein for my convenience.
EG: A client rang today about an email problem while I was on the way to the shop, he was at his son's cricket match and I was buying a coffee. He described the problem and I remoted in a few minutes later and sorted it out.
Nett result: His problem is resolved while he is doing the stuff important to him without having to do anything except make a phone call.
I send an email to him which he gets via his phone to tell him what the problem was and the resolution. The invoice is attached as a pdf.
He pays when he gets home and is more than happy because all he has to do is make a phone call.
I can't conceive a more win/win arrangement.
Thats an example with a long term client, I also had two calls this week after we had 7000 fliers distributed, both were older people wanting tuition. They baulked at the onsite cost but immediately bought in for remote support when I offered a minimum of 1 hour at our normal rate minus the callout fee.
I use VoIP for outgoing calls so again, win/win.
Remote support should be used as a billable service, not a convenient occasional tool, at least thats what I now know I've been doing wrong.
Talk about a belated realisation.

 

[Xander]

I really don't like the idea of a tech leaving remote access software running on a client's system. In a corporate environment sure, but private? No way.

It leaves a door open where a tech could log in and view private information at their discretion. Not saying they would but they could. I sure as hell wouldn't want someone leaving that running on my system and I wouldn't do it to a customer.

Second, to leave it running like that suggests to me that the tech *expects* to be logging in to correct problems and undermines their confidence in their job.

 

[DavidF]

I should probably clarify my last post.
Remote access config'ed/running as a service on the client's machine = priority support, ergo premium charges.
I expect to log in repeatedly to these users, in fact several times monthly is not unusual as they have considerable financial interests which depend on the reliability of their computers and software, particularly email which is why I have them on an easily accessible connection that doesn't require OK'ing a connection window at their end.
Sometimes a call is nothing more than a missing desktop shortcut, other times it is something far more demanding. They don't care what the problem is, they just want it sorted and are happy to pay for what I know, not what I do
These are the clients I try to get and keep.
For casual remote access I'm a convert to UVNC Single Click, this is where the day to day money is at, it runs for the duration of the session then disappears, no installation or config, nothing left on the user's system.
I don't see any moral dilemmas here

 

[Jonathan]

Second, to leave it running like that suggests to me that the tech *expects* to be logging in to correct problems and undermines their confidence in their job.

If you are that concerned, use a remote solution that they need to run or agree to each time you need to connect. Logmein Pro can be config'd as such, and connecting via UVNC-SC, LMI Rescue, etc requires the user to initiate a connection.

As for your second point, we all have repeat clients, so it's not as much a case of logging in to correct what should have been fixed the first time as being able to log in quickly to resolve future issues. Issues come up (else we wouldn't be here or have jobs, lol) and it's great to be able to resolve them without them staying at home or by the computer for a block of time.

 

[kagman]

I use gotoassist first to make the first connection then I might install logmein free as a back connection. Now at times people might get scared that you will access to there data which is understandable. At that point when I use gotoassist I tell the client that they can see what in doing and they can cut the connection at any time by hitting the red buttion in the screen . Lol

Back in the day I used vncsc but the program would continue to call me after I would close the session. . That was not good.


--Jose--