The New Normal: From On-Site Problems to Remote Solutions

There are many challenges of working remotely. Flexibility and agility are more relevant to today’s business environment than ever, as organizations large and small are forced to adapt to the new realities brought on by an unprecedented global health crisis. Those which can quickly and efficiently evolve to meet these circumstances and develop favorable traits for survival – such as an effective remote workforce and the ability to generate revenue without foot traffic – will succeed, while those that either cannot or do not, risk irreparable loss. Fortunately, organizations will not face these circumstances alone. Dataprise, a Managed Service Provider (MSP) and Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP), is working around the clock to ensure that our customers’ technology remains a competitive advantage which helps them evolve effectively to meet this new challenge. Discover how Dataprise is overcoming the challenges of working remotely below:

Making the Transition, Quickly

At Dataprise, it’s no secret that our greatest strength has always been our people. So, our priority was to ensure the health, safety, and productivity of the employees who keep our business running and support our customers. We transitioned our entire staff to remote-only work in under a week, restricted access to our office locations to minimize contact, and took employee requests for additional tools and technologies that our staff needed to work efficiently from home (e.g., virtual private networks (VPN), headsets, monitors, etc.). Regular department and company-wide video conferences were also set up to ensure that everyone remained up-to-date on progress and goals. By transitioning rapidly to a remote workforce armed with the tools and information they need to remain successful working from home, we ensured that our team was well-equipped to remain focused and productive in support of our customers despite the shift in the work environment. As a result of this transition, we’ve effectively solved many of the challenges of working remotely.

Agility and Opportunity 

Adapting our organization for effective remote work was the first step, but we simultaneously began changing the way we support our customers as they underwent similar transformations. The new remote-first business environment has made effective, well-functioning technology an even more crucial factor in organizations’ success, and the first test of this technology was the initial transition as customer employees began working from home. Anticipating an increase in service requests as this transition took place, Dataprise immediately moved extra resources to our Technical Engineering Center (TEC) to help resolve customer support requests. Field engineers, PC Depot technicians, Service Delivery Managers, and other groups all pitched in on our service desk when not booked for customer engagements. We also began prioritizing service desk tickets to help customers work from home and maintain systems that provide remote access. As new tickets poured in, TEC leadership analyzed trends and shifted resource scheduling accordingly to meet the new demand. These changes allowed our team to maintain a high standard of customer service and efficiency despite a 40% increase in support requests.

From On-Site Problems to Remote Solutions

At this point, the biggest question on many of your minds might be, “what about my onsite Dataprise team member?” This was one of our first concerns too, and we are confident in the solution we have found. Understanding that many customers depend upon Dataprise field engineers for direct onsite support and technology guidance, our Managed Services team immediately set up conference lines for customers to contact their Dataprise team members directly for remote technical assistance during hours in which these team members would have spent onsite.

Each field engineer has been instructed to check in with each customer at the beginning of each engagement, leave an open direct line of communication with customer employees, and follow up at the end of each engagement to summarize progress and discuss outstanding items. All employees have also been instructed to include more detailed job reports to maximize transparency with the organizations we serve.

By maintaining open and proactive communication, our goal is to ensure that our staff continues to address the IT issues that are most impactful to each organization. As of this week, we have also begun piloting the first video Network Consultant conferences, which will allow our IT experts to interface with customer employees face-to-face. Expect to hear more about this virtual support option within the next few weeks as we roll it out across all of our accounts.

Other Dataprise teams have retained their capacity to deliver on customer needs without making significant changes to existing processes. The Dataprise Onboarding team, for example, has always been fully equipped to onboard new customers remotely if needed and continues to work diligently to transition these customers to full Dataprise service. Similarly, our Cyber team continues to monitor and protect customer endpoints, applications, and network infrastructure remotely, identifying and preventing malicious attackers who seek to take advantage of the work-from-home chaos.

This team has seen a significant increase in phishing and vishing attacks, which we help prevent by providing anti-spam and email filtering services, phishing campaigns, and end-user awareness training. At this time, the most crucial steps organizations can take to secure their data are to ensure employees use VPNs to access corporate networks and implement mobile device management (MDM) policies for employees using personal devices.

Maintaining the Competitive Advantage While Working Remotely

Today’s businesses must act much faster, but the change we are being asked to make is the same: a fundamental shift in the way we operate which will allow us to sustain ourselves in new ways and survive in unprecedented circumstances. As your IT partner, that is what Dataprise is here to do – ensure that your technology adapts with your needs and provides a competitive advantage to keep your business successful. The future is uncertain, but we are strongest together.

In IT Together

We know times are tough.  If your organization needs guidance to adjust to remote teleworking, we are here to help you address the challenges of working remotely! Our Remote Workforce Resource Hub provides information and resources to help you strengthen and support your remote workforce. Alternatively, you can schedule a free IT advisory session with our team of technology experts via our new “In IT Together” program.