A recent survey carried out with 2,500 remote workers by Buffer concluded that 99% of remote workers prefer to work remotely for the rest of their careers, while 95% encouraged others to do so.
This report also indicates that remote work increases productivity and efficiency, cuts operating costs, and reduces the stress and time associated with manual labour.
From the foregoing, it’s clear that remote workers are on the rise and have come to stay.
Not only that, the advancement in integrated IT systems have also enhanced the remote support tools around the world.
Still contemplating why employing a remote support team is a good fit for your company? Read on.
What Is Remote Support?
Remote support is a cost-effective IT software or utility which enables a technical support team to access your computer remotely from their location through an internet connection.
This may include file sharing, on-demand support, troubleshooting, installation and other services that are aimed at boosting the customer-client relationship.
It doesn’t matter if you are just starting your company and have never used remote support. From start-ups to big organizations, remote support is fast becoming an integral part of business plans.
Why You Should Embrace A Remote Support Team As A Company
Remote support is here to stay and it’s only a matter of time before every business operates solely through this innovation. Before I delve into some of the reasons why you should embrace a remote support team in your company, this is what Dave Nevogt, the CEO of Hubstaff has to say about remote employees generally.
Why is a remote support team important? Why should you use it in your company? Here are some reasons:
It helps boost your team’s productivity and morale:
First of all, improving productivity starts with hiring the right people. It doesn’t end with that as you have to be sure that the new hires have all the required resources, support, and experience to become successful and highly productive at your organization. This is done through a carefully planned onboarding process.
Remote support team members help boost productivity by eliminating distractions that are associated with in-office workers. In the same vein, their flexible schedules enable them to work when they are feeling most productive. There is also a distinct possibility that support members who work remotely put in more over time compared to office workers.
It reduces cost without compromising quality:
More often than not, cutting business expenses results in less satisfactory results. You may consider moving to a less conducive environment, reduce perks on your products, or limit the number of employees. With these, the customers are not satisfied, the employees perform extra tasks, and the overall efficiency of the company is disturbed.
Remote support team reduces the running costs associated with office work like security, furniture, electricity, and real estate. Employing remote team members can also cut maintenance cost of cars and other utilities.
It Saves time and leads to increased output:
When you have support members who work remotely, you’re able to save time and energy, hence enabling them to devote the necessary time and attention to work. A 2016 BBC report concluded that the number of workers who spend two hours commuting to and from work daily increased from 2.8 in 2010 to 3.7million in 2016. The stress of the commute results in weakness, inattentiveness, or moodiness at work, which has been linked to customer-client disagreement and an inability to provide the required output.
It gives you access to a wide range of talents:
You compete with other companies in your location every time you hire an employee. You’re constantly looking for promising ways to attract excellent workers like increasing the perks and bonuses. In some cases, employees may have to quit their job because the environment they leave is too far from their workplace. Having a remote support team ensures that you cut competition so that more time is devoted to efficiency and collaboration. Talents from different parts of the world can, therefore, contribute without the distance barrier.
On a Final Note
No doubt remote support is not without limitations and not all businesses can incorporate it into their processes. However, the benefits associated with using remote support cannot be overemphasized. I’ve highlighted some of the reasons to work with remote support team members in this post.