Technology allows us to stay connected with our team even when we are apart.
This week on the OTELCO blog, we are looking at the top five benefits managed services have to offer businesses supporting a remote workforce.
As businesses continue to move to a remote workforce to keep employees safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, technology can become harder to manage. OTELCO offers a suite of Cloud and Managed services designed to take the stress out of IT and replace it with user-friendly solutions that boost productivity.
Security
Security is the first and foremost concern of any IT department. That concern doubles when the majority of employees are working outside the office. Managed Services can help levy that concern with dynamic security solutions that can be layered together or put to work individually.
Anti-Virus software installed on workstations will keep employees safe from immediate dangers, like malicious websites or ransomware attacks. SOC environments ensure that infrastructure, and subsequently those on it, stay safe with 24/7 monitoring and patch deployments. Backup as a Service acts as a final layer, backing up data so that, if a remote worker’s device were to fail while outside the office, their data could be recovered.
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Compliance
Security layers are essential for any organization needing to meet compliance standards. For added security, many businesses that handle sensitive customer information will have their remote workforce operate out of Virtual Desktop Environments, also known as Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI). With VDI, employees can log onto a virtual desktop that has all their software, files, and customer data stored in a secure, cloud-based environment.
Communication and Collaboration
When you work outside of the office, you can’t stop at your co-worker’s desk to ask a question or sit in on a meeting in the conference room. Email, chat, and virtual meeting solutions replace those fundamental interactions, which is why reliability and convenience are so critical.
Managed Communication solutions like Office 365 from Microsoft have a suite of features designed to empower your team no matter where they are working. Share documents over SharePoint, with real-time collaboration on all of their Office classics, like Word and Excel; take the stress out of setting up meetings with Outlook’s scheduling assistant and task assignments; and keep in touch with Teams, through chat or via their video and audio calls.
A happy remote worker is one with the tools and support they need to be productive at home.
Support
Telecommuters need just as much support as onsite employees, whether it be from team leaders or IT. At OTELCO, our Managed Workstations and Helpdesk offers 24/7 access to a team of experts, 365 days a year.
Our Helpdesk covers everything from printers to passwords. Remote monitoring offers extra support, working to catch problems before you even know they are there. Managed Helpdesk solutions work as a virtual IT team that is always there for your remote workforce.
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Flexibility
Long before the pandemic, many professionals were seeking out telecommuting positions because of their flexible nature. Desktop Infrastructure allows telecommuters to access their work from any Internet-connected device securely. Office 365 takes it a step further with iOS and Android apps for their popular features like Teams and Outlook. Managed phones come with hoteling and call forwarding so users can get business calls on the go. To top it off, Managed Helpdesk covers mobile devices so that remote workers always have the technical support they need, wherever they need it. Having the freedom to work from anywhere is very appealing, especially to the millennial crowd, and Managed Services make that possible through the cloud.
Virtual Visits
OTELCO’s IT experts are at the ready to help your business handle any technical challenge that comes your way. If you are interested in learning more about any of the solutions we covered today, please reach out to us. We are happy to book a commitment-free virtual-visit with you to discuss your IT needs and the most cost-effective solutions available to you.
