Keeping your employees productive means making sure they get the help they need when they run into problems with technology. When the “try rebooting” fallback suggestion doesn’t work, employees need advice from an expert.

But having an on-site staff of experts in every application you use, at every location, around the clock isn’t practical for most companies. Instead, an off-site, virtual help desk can provide access to expertise in your full suite of applications and technologies wherever your employees are, whenever they need assistance. Here are seven benefits from having a virtual help desk as part of your team:

1. 24×7 remote support

Your employees aren’t just working 9-5 at the office any more. They work from home and from hotel rooms, burning the midnight oil and trying to meet deadlines. Virtual help desks don’t shut down, so you’ll always be able to get an answer and get your work done.

2. Your team has more time for important work

Getting a phone call when users are having problems distracts your own technology team from working on new technical strategies that will help your business. When those calls go to a virtual help desk, you team stays focused on creating business value rather than addressing routine questions.

3. Problems get resolved quicker

The team staffing a virtual help desk is comprised of experts in the technology. Armed with a knowledge base of solutions, they’re quickly able to resolve straightforward problems. Tougher problems are easily escalated for higher levels of service.

4. Better tracking of issues

Virtual help desks track data that lets you see what kinds of issues your team is repeatedly facing, so you can take steps to address the root cause.

5. Easy scaling when your needs change

By working with a virtual help desk, you’ll easily be able to scale the service as your business expands. You’ll also have access to experts in new technology that you bring in, rather than having to rely on your own team that isn’t yet familiar with that tech.

6. Reduced costs

By eliminating on-site support teams, you eliminate the need to hire on-site support and the associated salary and benefits costs. You also eliminate the need to provide them with desks, computers, and the other equipment needed to perform the support job.

7. Support with the future in mind

The best virtual help desks don’t just help users with current problems; they provide proactive support that reduces the impact of the problem and keeps a small issue from developing into a big one.

Prescient Solutions offers both virtual help desk and on-site help desk services that make the certified experts on our team available to support your organization. Our expertise spans Microsoft, cloud, networking, security, and other technologies, and we’ll learn and support your own custom applications as well as those that are industry-standard. We own any problem and work with vendors when needed until it’s solved. Contact us to learn how our help desk services can help you reduce costs and become more productive.