Jul 19, 2021 | Uncategorized
Of all the services that IT businesses provide, the one that is typically the “bread and butter” is managed services. A managed support plan keeps revenue coming in the door each month and can be streamlined through an RMM tool to be very time efficient.
If you can effectively use your other popular services to cross-sell MSP plans, then you can increase your revenue and gain more long-term clients.
One of the services that can act as a springboard in this way is remote support. It’s gained in popularity during the pandemic out of necessity and due to the rise in work-from-home employees. This is a trend that’s not going away.
The number of employees permanently working from home is expected to double in 2021.
Because the need for remote support has increased sharply, it’s a great tool to use for promoting your managed support services. You can think of it as a steppingstone in your sales funnel if you do it right. Here are several ideas you can use.
Bundle It in as a Selling Point
Having unlimited remote support as a managed service plan feature can be the deciding factor that pushes a company towards a remote support plan. Bundling remote support with your services packages can also be a better deal for a customer who may be using a lot of remote tech support.
For example, a company with 30 remote employees might be paying nearly as much for remote support troubleshooting and software setup and not realize it. For just a little more they could get a full package of much-needed services, such as managed antivirus, backup & recovery, patch management, and more.
The thought of unlimited remote support can be a big draw and it can make the “numbers make sense” to a business owner that’s trying to justify the cost before moving forward.
Use It to Draw People to Higher Level Support Plans
Remote support can also be a handy way to entice lower-tiered support plan customers to a higher level of support. For example, your most basic MSP plan may not include remote support as a part of the package, but your Intermediate tier does.
Getting remote support along with all the other services could be worth it, especially if a basic tier customer is having to pay for remote support on top of their monthly fee.
You can even do a few tiers and increase the level of support as people choose a higher-level package. Such as:
- Basic Plan: No remote support included
- Intermediate Plan: Three hours of remote support included per month
- Premiere Plan: Unlimited remote support included
Add a Link to Remote Session Summary Notes
When you finish a remote support session, it’s a good practice to send a summary of the session to the client afterward so they understand exactly what was done. This is especially true when you’re providing support remotely for an unattended device and the owner wasn’t there to see what you did.
This summary note can be sent via email or through a virtual sticky note on a screen when using Instant Housecall remote support software. On your summary note, you can include a message about your managed IT services.
For example, you could do something like, “We identified a virus that was causing your PC issues. We’ve completely removed it and checked to ensure all files were intact. Your system is clean and operating normally now. PS: You may want to check out our monthly managed services, which include managed antivirus/anti-malware!”
Do a Price Comparison on Your Remote Support Page
If you are bundling unlimited remote support with one of your managed services packages, then you can do a price comparison on your remote support page. You might actually capture a new MSP customer right away with this tip.
Do a comparison such as the average price for a 1-hour remote support session x times per month, and the price for your managed services plan with unlimited remote support.
You can’t just assume someone is going to figure it out for themselves that if they’re using a lot of remote support, it’s a better deal to just get a managed services plan instead. Spell it out for them!
You could even offer two buttons on your remote support page:
- One button to initiate a one-time support session
- One button to initiate the session and at the same time, sign up for managed services with remote support included.
Use a Remote Support Software That Streamlines Your Process
Instant Housecall is a powerful yet easy-to-use remote support software that allows you to spend less time and energy providing quality remote support.
Try Instant Housecall risk-free for 15 days and experience it for yourself!
Jul 5, 2021 | Marketing
Being able to do things remotely thanks to the internet is convenient and saves time. Instead of having to wait on a PC service call, a customer can get help right away through remote support.
You also don’t need to have additional techs and vehicles to handle things that could be easily done without leaving your office, so it’s a win-win for everyone.
But, when you’re not there in person speaking face-to-face, some things can get lost in translation and you end up with costly miscommunication.
The average cost of miscommunication for a business is between $4,000 and $6,000 annually per person.
You can head off remote support communication challenges by putting some systems in place that help clarify each part of your remote service.
Clearly Explain Remote Support Steps & Cost on Your Website
If someone is requesting remote support for the first time, they may already be apprehensive about how this all works. You don’t want a misunderstanding about something like a remote client install to erode trust in remote support and cause someone to run away scared of a virus.
Make sure you clearly explain the steps that happen during a remote support session on your website. This includes how the installation of the client works.
Some of the things you want to communicate are:
- That the client download and install are needed to allow you to securely connect to their PC.
- That the software is safe.
- That the software can be automatically removed after the session if they like.
- The steps for installing the remote support client.
- The expected wait time for an agent to respond to their request
- Details on how you’ll chat with them during the session.
- Your remote support pricing and how it’s paid (i.e., upfront, after the session ends, by credit card, by PayPal, etc.)
Use a Button to Make it Clear How to Request Support
Using a small text link to connect to remote support might be lost on some people. Connecting to a tech support provider remotely is a big deal, so your link to initiate a remote support session request should reflect that.
Put remote support as a menu item in your site navigation. Then, after you communicate how your remote support works, add a big button that the user can click to initiate the session. This will remove any confusion about the action to take to start the support session.
Use a descriptive button label, like “Start Remote Session,” “Get Remote Help Now,” or “Request a Remote Session.”
Preinstall the Remote Client on PCs You Sell or Service
You can eliminate a potentially confusing step in the communication process for users by pre-installing the remote support client on their computer when possible.
For example, you could include it on any new or refurbished computers that you sell and place a shortcut on the desktop. For service customers, you could ask if they’d like that added to save time should they need IT help in the future.
Record the Session for Clients to View Later
There’s a lot that goes on in a support session and even if a client is present at the time, they most likely won’t remember everything you did to get them out of a jam.
Use a remote support software like Instant Housecall to allow you to record each session so you can provide a copy to the client afterward. This will also save you time answering calls days later from the client asking, “What was that thing you clicked again?”
Enable Multi-Agent Calls for Two Techs to Work Collaboratively
When a technician hits a problem during a remote support session that they need help with, having to disconnect and reconnect can lead to confusion for the customer and make the entire process take longer than it needs to.
Using a remote support tool that allows you to do virtual “3-way calls” can streamline the process when another technician is needed to advise on a particularly tough problem.
This also reduces miscommunication when a customer is trying to tell another technician what the previous one did. Both techs can work collaboratively in real-time avoiding miscommunication problems.
Leave a Virtual Note or Printout for Your Client
If you’re connecting when a customer is away, they can be left wondering what you did and what was fixed if they haven’t had a chance to check email yet for a message.
Send a note at the end of the remote session letting the client know what was fixed and what the total price was. Make it visible by using a remote support tool that can print remotely and/or can leave a virtual sticky note on their computer screen. This removes the potential for confused customers calling you and asking if the remote IT work was done, and you having to track down the technician to ask.
Use SMS Alerts So You Know When a Client Needs Help
If someone clicks your remote support button and doesn’t get a response, they’re going to lose faith and might reach out to a competitor for help. Your techs can’t be everywhere at once, but they can know right away when a customer is requesting a remote session via SMS.
Enable SMS alerts that allow your team to respond quickly to a remote support request no matter where they are.
Instant Housecalls Has Multiple Features to Enhance Communications
Instant Housecall remote support software has all the features mentioned above to improve communications, and much more!
Try Instant Housecall risk-free for 15 days and experience it for yourself!
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