Virtual support has been trending for some time now, but in light of today’s global health crisis, it’s more critical than ever to embrace virtual solutions across the support continuum. Organizations must now not only consider how to support connected systems like laptops and smartphones, but also non-connected devices like physical equipment and environments and website experiences, as products, services, and processes move online.

But how do you seamlessly scale tech support for a remote world while minimizing business disruption?

I shared the stage recently with Technology Services Industry Association's (TSIA).

Here are the three big takeaways.

1. Companies are now challenged with creating the ultimate virtual experience.

TSIA’s John Ragsdale, Distinguished VP, Technology Research, says that in today’s highly digital world if you’re primarily using phone for virtual support, you’re not meeting the needs of your customers. Companies are challenged with rounding out support to create the ultimate virtual customer experience (CX).

That requires more tools in the toolbox, yet many companies are struggling to create strong virtual experiences with their current technology.

2. Companies are investing in better tools to optimize virtual support.

TSIA’s 2019 technology survey reveals high planned spending for many of the tools in the virtual continuum.

Take remote control, for example. Nearly three-quarters of companies have it, but nearly half have the budget to spend. This points to the possibility that old tools are no longer serving modern needs.

TSIA projects that in the upcoming 2020 tech survey, planned spending numbers will jump even higher, as will the adoption of some of these newer tools.

When evaluating your existing tools and investing in new ones, be sure to keep TSIA’s top tips for modern tools in mind.

3. New solutions help close the virtual support continuum loop.

In these changing times, removing complexity – for the business, the agents, and end-users – is critical.

Many companies are looking to accelerate and scale remote support as requests for support pour in. Remote employees are dealing with equipment issues that IT can’t see and struggle to explain technical issues. Now that people are no longer in the office, there’s a greater need for off-network support. And as companies see a surge in online engagement, they’re taking an all-hands-on-deck approach that requires onboarding employees in entirely new roles.

This is driving the need for remote support in three key areas:

1. Supporting Connected Devices

These are your everyday devices like PCs, Macs, and mobile devices. In today’s hyper-connected world, it’s more critical than ever for your remote support solution to enable collaboration between technicians who are no longer in the same room. Although it may be tempting to overlook security in the short term, your tool should include User Account Control (UAC) to avoid long-term compromises. To keep calls nice and tight, reboot & reconnect is now critical in a remote world as a first line-of-defense tactic without having to re-establish the session every time.

Check out Rescue by LogMeIn, enterprise-ready remote support software for the connected devices your customers and employees use every day.

2. Supporting Unconnected Devices

When customers or employees have issues with physical devices and environments, social distancing makes it impossible to go to their location. For Telcos and other service organizations with field teams, video support eliminates the need for truck rolls by allowing techs to solve issues and drive usage virtually. For companies without field service teams, guiding the customer through product setup and onboarding maximizes customer satisfaction and minimizes unnecessary returns or in-store visits. And for organizations with remote employees, IT can help guide workstation setups and troubleshooting to keep remote workers productive.

Check out Rescue Live Lens, our new standalone video support solution that connects instantly with zero downloads (a process that typically consumes lots of time during a support session). The browser-based approach makes it ideal for less tech-savvy agents and end-users, and for one-time fixes.

3. Supporting Websites

Many companies are moving products, services, and processes online, driving an increased need for customer-facing teams to help customers in digital spaces. For example, COVID-19 has resulted in a spike in online financial services interactions. Co-browsing allows agents to recreate in-person experiences online, whether it’s helping customers complete complex financial forms like loan applications or providing highly personalized store experiences in a virtual setting.

Check out Rescue Live Guide, our new standalone co-browsing solution that requires zero downloads and allows customers and agents to securely co-browse any website, not just your own. The code-free deployment option lets business users get started without waiting on implementation processes.

All these solutions can help you meet today’s virtual support challenges with ease and speed.