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It’s super simple to help someone with their computer issues remotely. What happens, though, if you’re in the middle of a tech support session using GoToAssist Express, and you can’t solve the problem they’re having? Do you charge for the time you have already put in?

Unless this issue was addressed in a written contract, then no – you shouldn’t charge the customer for that time. Why not, you ask? That user is going to trust you to fix their problems. Let’s say you believed you could fix their problem remotely. It’s a matter of good faith, trust and their belief in your ability to solve what ails their computer. Even if you’re an hour or two into the issue, and there’s seemingly no way out, it’s not something you should charge them for.

As a professional, it’s your job to have the answers. If you don’t, then you need to make your best effort to find them. If you’re an hour into a job and you’re stumped, step away and do some research, or call on a trusted colleague. It’s okay to admit you don’t know the solution. The person on the other end will respect you far more for admitting you don’t know everything than they would if you tried to flub your way through.

It’s okay for you to say the problem can’t be solved. But it’s not okay for you to bill the client for that time. It’s not fair, unless the client has agreed in writing ahead of time that this was acceptable. How would you feel if you took your car to a mechanic. The mechanic tells you that they have no idea what is wrong or what it will take to fix the car, but they give you a dollar amount to get the job done anyway? You would be furious!

Ethically speaking, unless you’ve defined how a procedure would go and how much time you would spend on it (in addition to the cost), it’s best to admit you don’t know. Either step away, admitting you cannot fix it, or suggest an alternative. Let them know you can give up, do additional research, or give them a referral to someone else. Don’t just try to get money from them and leave them hanging.

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Tech Support Ethics Question

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If you are a computer tech who works via remote desktop connection, chances are you’re using GoToAssist Express. No matter how smart you are or how long you’ve been working with computers, you don’t know it all. Others, however, may know things that you don’t. This is where GTA Express can really come in handy. The program happens to have a Transfer feature, allowing you to quickly (and easily) hand the connection – and the problem – over to a colleague.

Once I’ve enabled this particular feature through my Account Manager, I can set up the Transfer function inside the software. After that has been done, I only have to click a single button to transfer a remote session to another person. There’s no need to disconnect the session, nor to put the customer “on hold”. It will happen instantaneously.

You don’t even have to be working at the same company or location as your colleague. You both need to be running GoToAssist Express. The other tech can be located halfway around the World, and using a different operating system than you OR the customer.

GoToAssist Express is an amazing and powerful tool. The software will help you grow your business, by saving you both time and money.

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How to Transfer a Tech Support Desktop Sharing Session

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I grew up in a small town, and I was able to really get to know my neighbors. You may live in a bigger city. Even if you do, the chances of you reaching out to those around you at some point are pretty high. We still need to connect with people, even if it’s via the Internet while helping them with their computer problems. It doesn’t matter if you’re using Mac OS X or Windows, there’s really only one solution, and that is GoToAssist Express.

If you’ve got a business that is based on helping people with their issues remotely, how do you want to connect with them continuously? You want to get to know everything about that person. When you get to know them for the person they are, the chances of them sticking with you as a service provider will be much greater.

Think of it this way: you walk into a large store and head to a counter. You end up becoming ticked off pretty quickly, because you have zero connection with the person who is trying to help you with whatever issue you may have. Or… you make a phone call, and have to push 124723 buttons just to find a live person. You end up fuming with frustration before you hear that live voice.

Just because we’re using the computer in our home (or office) to help others with their computers doesn’t mean that we have to lose the human aspect of it. If your business is related to helping people with their technology troubles, step back and get to know them.

Hop onto Twitter and ask your community questions. Think of starting a “customer of the week” promotion. Have an open house. Send out a newsletter and ask for feedback. There are any number of easy ways for you to reach out to those in your area, thus building your customer base at the same time you are strengthening your existing ties.

Remember this, my friends: you’re not just connecting to another machine. You’re connecting to a human being. The more you can humanize the experience of helping someone, the more you are going to grow and thrive. Who cares if someone comes along with better rates… you have that bond with your community to fall back on. That still counts for a lot in this day and age.

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Local Tech Support Ideas

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They say that word of mouth is the best form of advertising. While I don’t know who “they” is, exactly, I do enjoy spreading the word regarding products and services that I find to be helpful or that I have enjoyed using.

If you’re helping people with their computer problems, you’re likely using GoToAssist. GoToAssist Express can be used on either Mac or Windows, or a combination of the two. The software is hands-down the easiest way to help someone in a remote location with their issues.

The thing you want to do to build new business on top of your existing business is to ask for referrals. It’s really not that hard, honestly. Let’s say that I just finished helping someone solve a problem that had plagued their machine for awhile. They are a happy camper, and keep thanking me in our chat dialog window. I decide then and there that I am going to ask them to help me build my business. I let them know that I’m happy that I was able to help them, and that I would give them a special deal if they refer me to someone else whom I then pick up as a client. It only took me a few seconds to type all of that out. Those few seconds may just get me some new clients – thanks to word of mouth from a happy client.

Do you see how easy that is? It didn’t cost me any advertising dollars. It didn’t take up a lot of time. I didn’t even have to spend hours trying to come up with a catchy slogan or poster. All it took was my doing my job well, and dangling a carrot in front of them with the promise of discounted service. The customer is happy with me, and now they are looking forward to receiving help in the future at less of a cost. This will make them want to refer me to everyone they can think of, I promise.

There are a lot of tech support people out there these days. One of the reasons you want to have the right tools at your disposal is the actual marketing opportunities those tools can provide you. Ask for a referral while your customer is happy. Using GoToAssist can help you achieve your dreams of success simply by giving you the tools you need to do your job right the first time.

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How to Get Referrals From Clients

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How many times have you told someone to move out of your way when you were trying to help them? Sometimes it’s just easier to do things on their computer yourself, rather than having to suffer through watching them try to figure out HOW. It’s not that you don’t want to help, it’s that you don’t have the time to wait for what may turn out to be hours at a time. We’re all busy, and we all have demands placed upon us to get more done. Using GoToAssist Express, you can help your customers much quicker… without having to wait for them to do a thing.

GoToAssist Express allows you to connect to another machine anywhere in the World – right from your own home or office. It only takes minutes to set up and get connected. Your customer will only have to click a link and follow a few easy prompts to get started. You can then get down to business, doing what it is you do the best – helping your customers.

GoToAssist Express provides you with a powerful diagnostics report with a simple click of your mouse. You don’t have to wait for your customers to figure out what version of Windows (or Mac!) they’re using. You don’t have to explain to them how to look for valuable information that you need to fix their system. It will all be at your fingertips in a matter of seconds.

Use GoToAssist Express to install software, perform updates, remove malware and much more. You can even use GoToAssist Express to SHOW your clients how to use the new piece of software they just picked up for themselves. No more having to try and walk them through it on the phone! The only thing you really can’t do using this software is to to remove physical computer parts and replace them. For that, you’ll still need to rely on a good old-fashioned house call!

If you’re in the business of helping people work on their computers, you really should consider investing in GoToAssist Express. It will pay for itself many times over within a very short period of time. You’ll save money by not having to pay for gas or other transportation to get to the client’s location. You’ll save time by not having to make the trip. You’ll even make more money since you’ll have more time – which you can use to take on even more customers.

It just makes sense to me.

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Software Training

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Helping people is easy, but not so much when you aren’t in the same room as the other person. However, if you’re using software such as GoToAssist Express, the headaches will disappear! This allows you, as a tech support specialist, to connect to another person’s computer in a matter of moments, allowing you to quickly diagnose and repair their problems. It doesn’t matter if they are on a Mac or Windows machine – GoToAssist Express will work.

GoToAssist Express is a very powerful tool. Use it to install updates to client machines. Diagnose problems using the comprehensive reports that the software will give you. Save yourself a lot of time, headaches and money by using a piece of software that will pay for itself in a matter of days.

If you’re in to tech support, you’re just better off using GoToAssist. It will make your life a whole lot easier. You will be connected to your customer’s machine in a matter of moments, and can use the powerful diagnostics tools to pinpoint the issues quickly.

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How To Offer Help Via Remote Assistance

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The world is full of software, and I am a software addict. Chances are that people who use support don’t like software as much as we do. This is why we might want to use something like GoToAssist to help with these scenarios.

Instead of having to go to their home, you can just share their screen. You want to do more than share their screen. You want to interact with them in a clean, clear capacity. You also want to set them up so they don’t even have to sit there every moment while you work on their system. Maybe they want to get up and go grab some coffee, instead of watching you work your magic.

This is where GoToAssist Express comes in. It works on all platforms, so you aren’t hindered when you’re taking on new clients. GoToAssist Express is a very powerful tool. Use it to install updates to client machines. Diagnose problems using the comprehensive reports that the software will give you. Save yourself anlot of time, headaches and money by using a piece of software that will pay for itself in a matter of days.

As soon as it is installed, GoToAssist connects the two computers together automagically! There’s nothing to configure, and no other hoops to jump through. The software is easy to use, and convenient for YOU. It’s configured to make your life easier. What more could you ask for??

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Remote Desktop Control Software

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The age-old question has been wondering how many ways there are to support someone when they have a computer problem. If your career is built on helping people, especially software problems, you may want to look into GoToAssist. You can use GoToAssist on virtually any platform. There are many ways you can use to support your user, but you won’t find one that is faster – and easier – to get the job done, for both you and your customer.

Using GoToAssist Express is a matter of common sense, honestly. It allows you to quickly and easily connect to the other person. It works on all platforms, so you aren’t hindered when you’re taking on new clients. Best of all, GoToAssist Express is a very powerful little tool. Use it to install updates to client machines. Diagnose problems using the comprehensive reports that the software will give you. Save yourself a whole lot of time, headaches and money by using a piece of software that will pay for itself in a matter of days.

If you’re in to tech support, you’re just better off using GoToAssist. It will make your life a whole lot easier. You will be connected to your customer’s machine in a matter of moments, and can use the powerful diagnostics tools to pinpoint the issues quickly.

The bottom line is that if you’re looking for the best way to get things done, GoToAssist is the name of the game.

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Remote Tech Support Software

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Once you have initiated a remote desktop support session, it’s usually a great tool for your business. However, many of the programs available to help you connect take a long time to get in, and are difficult to use. GoToAssist makes it simple, by providing you with a link that your client can click. Once they’ve done that, you’re pretty well already connected and ready to go. They make it seriously easy for you to get your work done, and keep your customer happy.

It really is that simple – and fast – to get started using GoToAssist. It takes only a few seconds for me to log in to my account. As soon as I log in, a link is created for me to give to the person I want to connect to. I can then send that link via an instant message, an email or even over IRC as I did for this video. Once the person clicks the link, they will be prompted to install the software. It walks them through it step-by-step, and takes only a moment or two. As soon as it is installed, GoToAssist connects the two computers together automagically! There’s nothing to configure, and no other hoops to jump through.

Using GoToAssist Express is a matter of common sense, honestly. It allows you to quickly and easily connect to the other person. It works on all platforms, so you aren’t hindered when you’re taking on new clients. Best of all, GoToAssist Express is a very powerful little tool. Use it to install updates to client machines. Diagnose problems using the comprehensive reports that the software will give you. Save yourself a whole lot of time, headaches and money by using a piece of software that will pay for itself in a matter of days.

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Tech Support Remote Control

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There are several software solutions that let you connect to a client’s computer remotely. But, GoToAssist helps you connect to both OS X and Windows! It looks good, it runs well, and it’s easy to use. It’s not only easy for you, the technician, to use. It’s simple for your customer, as well. All they have to do is click a link, and you’re connected! The software is packed with features, and will let you do anything you need to do to support your client – and more!

GoToAssist allows you to keep notes on each session you do. It also includes the “report button”, as I like to call it. Okay, it’s technically called “Diagostics”. I can find out everything I need to know about the client’s system with one click. The report will show me things such as the processes running in the background, the exact operating system version they have, drivers installed, software set to run on startup, and more! You won’t find that in other remote-assist software titles!

Your client may often not have a clue about some of these things, let alone where to find the information you need. Why take the time to ask them, and then explain to them in great detail? Click one button, and have it all at your fingertips in a matter of seconds.

Yes, there are other solutions out there. But only one of them looks good, runs well, and is easy to use. That one piece of software would be GoToAssist. The features are more than plentiful, and they grow by the month! I dare you to try to find something more cool than that Diagnostics button.

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Support Remote Computers Over the Web

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My Dad is at home in Iowa, and needed help with some software updates. The easiest way for me to do that is to use remote software of some type. GoToAssist Express happens to be a partner of ours – and with good reason: I love the product. To me, it stands heads above others of its type for one main reason… the diagnostics and reports. I can see what’s installed, what’s running, and more as soon as I connect remotely to another machine. I don’t have to go to the hassle of asking the other person to “right click this” or “check on that” for me. It’s just there.

All I had to do was send my Dad a link for him to click. It asked him if he wanted to allow my connection to his desktop. Once he did, I had Dad’s desktop right on my screen. I can easily change the scale of how I view what’s on his screen. It won’t change anything on his end. It only changes my view.

Dad needed me to help him find and install a Microsoft Compatibility Pack, which is something that’s easy and fast for me to do. Since it’s something Dad has never done before, it was just simpler for me to connect to him via GoToAssist and do it for him, rather than to attempt to explain to him what he needs, why, where to get it, and how to install it.

Once we got that done, Dad had me check all of his installed software to make sure that everything was up-to-date. Did you see how insanely easy it was for me to control his screen, and take care of the problems and issues for him?

You can take care of your customers just as quickly using GoToAssist Express. You can even connect to them and fix things right from your home or office! Cut out the travel time and expense, and become an even better technician.

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Tech Support With My Dad

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Back when I hosted Call for Help, I spent a lot of time helping people with Windows issues. I love how much easier it is now that there is excellent software like GoToAssist, which allows me to connect remotely to someone else’s desktop. Today, I was able to help someone work through a Windows Defender problem!

GoToAssist allows you to help more people in less time, by cutting out travel time and costs. You can even handle routine maintenance and updates for your customers during the time their business is closed – right from your own home or office.

I love using GoToAssist because of the diagnostic report that I receive about the computer I’m connected to. It tells me the network connections, the processes running at the time, devices and default browser, and even the applications that are open at the time. It gives me a ton of information at the click of a button, without my having to waste time asking someone several questions. I have the answers immediately.

Zack was nice enough to let me connect to his computer, and asked for help with Windows Defender. I’m sure Zack could have figured out the problem on his own, but he was nice enough to allow me to control his desktop to showcase GoToAssist. According to Microsoft, the fix for his problem was easy enough – uninstall and reinstall Defender.

Connecting to someone’s computer is the fastest way for you to help them fix any problems you can think of on their machine. It’s so much faster to do this than to explain to them on the phone or even via an instant message! Check it out for yourself with the free 30 day trial!

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Windows Defender Problem

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I keep trying to tell Pixie that she can’t help someone remotely without installing some type of software that will allow her to do so cross-platform. GoToAssist will do this easily for her. I wanted to demonstrate the software for her, and for all of you. I decided to help Danny Minick with some questions he had about MSConfig. When’s the last time you used MSConfig to toggle any settings? What did you change and why?

MSConfig is a system configuration tool that allows you to troubleshoot and make changes to your system. I wouldn’t recommend going in here unless you know what it is you’re doing. You can change your boot method, and even manually choose what is allowed to start when the computer boots. You have to be very, very careful. Never disable something from there if you don’t know what it is for sure. It’s safe to remove things like QuickTime from auto-startup. However, many of the things listed there are necessary services for Windows.

The way that Windows handles programs when it starts is that it loads everything at the same time. This is where you run into issues, and slower startups. It makes more sense to me to have it open programs one by one by one. But alas – that’s not the way it’s done!

It doesn’t matter how fast your computer is. You can still get bogged down on your system start, simply because you’re trying to let too many things start at the beginning. There wasn’t anything wrong with Danny’s computer – he just wanted my opinion of what he could safely remove using MSConfig.

Using GoToAssist, there is no end to what I could have done to help Danny if he did have a problem. It would have allowed me to remotely control his computer and be able to diagnose and fix whatever was wrong. As a user at home, you can help your friends and family with it. As a business owner, you can save yourself both time and money by doing jobs right from your office, instead of on site!

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What Do You Toggle in MSConfig?

This is The Celtic Elf’s submission for the HP Magic Giveaway. Feel free to leave comments for this article as you see fit – your feedback is certainly welcomed! If you’d like to submit your own how-to, what-is, or top-five list, you can send it to me. Views and opinions of this writer are not necessarily my own:

I just wanted to submit my review and recent experiences with that fabulous remote assistance software called CrossLoop.

I rediscovered it last week when I was reading through some old issues of Lockergnome IT Professionals looking for a way to help a friend who is 600 miles away from me with a computer problem. I had remembered that there was a software program other than Windows Remote Assistance or MSN/Windows Live Messenger that would work better and more securely than either of them, but I couldn’t remember the name. I didn’t have a need for the program back when it was first being discussed and reviewed. Thank you Lockergnome for back issue availability!

I was thrilled with CrossLoop’s performance and ease of setup and use, especially for my non-technical friend. He was amazed as he watched me control his computer to solve the problem (“This is KEWL!!”, “Looks like my laptop is haunted!”), and I was impressed with the response time and the ability to work across different Windows systems. I use XP Pro, and my friend has a laptop with Vista, no problem for CrossLoop. I read the instructions that CrossLoop has available on their site about turning off Vista’s User Account Control before starting the session, and the instructions they include were clear enough that when I sent them to my friend, he was able to follow them with no added explanation needed from me.

With old man winter approaching, I have installed CrossLoop on two more of my regular clients’ computers, and I plan to do this with the rest of them over the next week or two so that *”when the weather outside is frightful” I will be able to help them without risking life and limb. (*Gratuitous holiday song reference intended.)

I also have some online friends that live in the USA (I am in Canada), that have often wished that I could “see” what was happening on their computer and spare them from calling (shudder) the “Geek Squad” or going without their computer for a week or more while it is in their local repair shop. They will be relieved to know that I can do this now.

Can you tell that I am a happy puppy? So are my clients who already have it installed. In fact, one of my clients that already has it installed is planning on having me play a trick on his friends using CrossLoop, he wants to fool them into thinking that he has a computer that can read his mind. He plans on starting a session with me and then hiding the CrossLoop window, then when his friends arrive he will send me a signal to start opening windows, playing songs and so on. He can hardly wait to try it out. Looks like CrossLoop, in addition to being a practical and handy tool, can be a fun toy for some people!

I do realize that CrossLoop has been reviewed before, but I wanted to add my own spin on it and remind IT professionals everywhere that computers are supposed to be FUN!

What’s Your Favorite Remote Desktop Program?

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What do you guys use when you want to share what’s on your screen with someone who doesn’t happen to be in the same room? What if you want to share your screen with up to 20 people from all over the World? And, you don’t want to spend any money… then what? What about when you want to add in features like whiteboarding, chat and audio/video? Rishi from Canada sent me a link to Vyew. Vyew is cross-platform, and is free for up to 20 people. You can purchase an upgrade for your business in order to screen conference with more than the allowed 20.

With Vyew you can give a presentation to a hundred people online or post a document you’ve been working on for review by your colleagues at their convenience. Vyew is extremely flexible allowing you to bring online collaboration and conferencing into your workflow on your terms.

Vyew has so many features, I can’t even begin to list them all. It has external publishing capabilities, screen capturing, drawing tools, and even VoIP. So if you ever have a need or desire to share your desktop with others, be sure to check out Vyew.

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How Do You Share Your Screen with Friends?