Christmas is my favorite time of year but it is also when the scammers and fraudsters come out to play. I have heard of a couple of people who received cold calls supposedly from a computer repair outfit and even pretending to be Microsoft offering to fix issues with the person’s computer. One type of call says Microsoft have seen issues with the computer and offer to fix it for free.
It’s a scam. All cold calls like these are scams. Don’t fall for them.
Windows and computer support
No computer support company or Microsoft will know how well, or not, your computer is working. Windows 10 does report a lot of data to Microsoft, but the health of the system is not something it tells them. As someone who owns a computer support company, I know for a fact that we cannot know whether your computer is behaving erratically or has a problem until you tell us.
Dave’s Computers in New Jersey and other outfits like us are how you get your computer fixed. We are good. In fact, we are very good but there’s no way on earth we can tell remotely whether your computer is working or not.
This is the holiday season and we want all our New Jersey customers to have the best Christmas possible. If you receive a cold call offering tech support, put the phone down. Don’t even dignify them with a response and don’t identify yourself or where you live. Record the number if there is one and report it.
Remember:
- Microsoft does not monitor the health of Windows or your computer.
- Your ISP or PC vendor cannot monitor the health of your computer.
- Computer repair companies cannot monitor the health of your computer.
- No third party can ever know how your computer is performing unless you ask us to have a look first.
- Windows Event Viewer contains many messages and errors. This is normal and definitely not something to worry about.
Companies can only remotely access your computer if you give them permission and allow them remote access. Otherwise they cannot see how Windows is performing or access Event Viewer to see errors. It’s a scam.
If you do have issues with your computer, bring it to someone you trust. Bring it over to Dave’s Computers in New Jersey and we will make sure everything runs perfectly.
Need top class IT support but cannot afford it? Need IT support but don’t need a full-time IT department? We can help. Dave’s Computers offers a range of professional remote IT support services for clients in Hillsborough and further afield. From individuals who need a little help to enterprises who want experts on hand when they need them. We do it all.
Outsourcing was once regarded as a dirty word. It meant IT jobs being farmed out to Asia and a lowering of convenience, standards and effectiveness across the board. Even before this new insular Trump era, we didn’t want to have to call a foreign country just to get email working.
Fortunately, outsourcing is now regarded as a viable way to benefit from a range of professional services at a fraction of the cost of having them in-house.
Now many remote IT support companies are based in the U.S. like Dave’s Computers. We use American expertise to deliver excellent remote support to clients across the country. Whatever the size of your business, whatever the type of systems you use, we have the skills to match. But why should you consider remote support for your business?
There are four great reasons why remote support is a great investment:
- Cost
- Convenience
- Scalability
- Trust
Let’s take a look at each.
Reduce costs with remote support
If you’re a small or medium-sized business, you will likely depend on computers just as much as a larger organization. You might not need or be able to justify the expense of a full-time IT department except in those times when things go wrong. If you depend on systems to deliver productivity, remote IT support is the ideal middle ground.
With low-cost monthly fees and no ongoing administration and management, remote support is the perfect way to access IT expertise at the fraction of the cost of having your own. We operate two schemes, a pay monthly with inclusive hours or a Pay as You Go system where you just pay for what you need. It’s as easy as can be.
An often overlooked cost advantage of remote support is regular checks and servicing. Smaller businesses often run their computers while paying them no mind. Until something goes wrong than it’s all hands on deck. As part of many of our remote support plans, we can perform regular health checks and remedial work to help keep your computers running healthily and efficiently. Just like a car, regular servicing has a running cost but it is usually much, much lower than big repairs or replacement.
The convenience of remote support
If your computer goes down you either have to disconnect it and bring it to the store or wait around until an engineer can get to you. With remote support, you just let us connect remotely and enjoy a cup of coffee while we do our work. The vast majority of issues with most computers can be fixed remotely.
We are also flexible. Want to switch from Apple to Windows? No problem, we can support both. Want to switch from IPv4 to IPv6, we can work with that too. Want to expand cover to include data recovery or server support? No problem there either. We have the expertise in-house to work alongside your business.
The other main convenience is having experts on hand to help. If you’re a smaller enterprise, you will likely be running lean, with one of you delegated the job of managing the IT perhaps without the skills necessary to do the job properly. Having remote support means always having someone to talk to should you need help.
The scalability of remote support
If you run a growing or seasonal business, being able to scale up and down as you need is a significant advantage. It means you don’t pay for what you don’t use and you’re not wasting money on a service you only use for part of the year.
Our remote support service is infinitely scalable and tailored to suit your particular needs. Need to cover more seats? Just tell us. Want to rapidly expand your IT infrastructure? Just let us know in advance and we can cover it. We could even help you specify and install it.
No trust issues with remote support
Not everyone is comfortable with someone in their home or office messing with their stuff. Even if it’s a professional IT technician who works quickly and efficiently. Remote support works exceptionally well in these circumstances. We dial in, connect and fix your issue without any worries like that. You can watch everything we do too, so you always know what we are doing, where we are going and what we are touching.
As an established computer repair business in Hillsborough, we have a solid reputation for being trustworthy and reliable. By allowing us to remotely support you, you don’t have to depend on that though. We can fix your issue from far away without you ever having to see us but still able to watch everything we do.
Limitations of remote IT support
Remote IT support is good but it isn’t omnipotent. There are things it cannot do. It cannot fix hardware problems and needs a reliable network and internet to be effective. If the IT support you need is related to either of those things, remote support will not be able to help.
In those circumstances, one of our support technicians would have to visit the premises to work directly on the problem. As mentioned, these are rare. We remotely repair around 90% of reported issues. Only when internet or networks are down or where hardware is at fault do we need to take further action.
Using remote IT support from a reliable company based in the U.S. is a no brainer for many smaller enterprises. It offers all of the advantage of your very own IT department with few of the downsides. As very little is ever done without technology enabling it, can you really afford to be without expert backup?
If the answer is no, contact us here at Dave’s Computers today. We got you covered!
When providing remote IT support, we here at Dave’s Computers deal with users of all skill levels. From experienced hardware engineers or software developers to those using a computer for the first time. We deal with them all and are happy to adapt our approach to suit each.
Some questions come up more than others, so we put together a cheat sheet highlighting the most common questions and some answers that we hope sufficiently explains the answer to all levels of user. This is something we do a lot in order to give users of all levels of experience the knowledge necessary to make informed decisions about their IT. Plus, a little understanding makes providing remote IT support much easier!
Here are some of the more common questions and the answers we tend to give.
What does a virus actually do?
We all know that computer viruses are bad. Very few people actually know why or exactly what they do. Viruses are programs that copy themselves constantly, hence the term virus. These programs then spread across an operating system, programs and to other computers if it can. The virus attaches itself to files and will then either delete, lock or destroy files and folders. A virus is designed to cause havoc and it does it well.
Why does the internet sometimes go slow?
Back in the early days, the internet was often referred to as the ‘information superhighway’. To answer this question, it is useful to think of the internet as a highway. As more people (cars) use the internet, the busier the internet (highway) becomes. The more traffic (users) the internet has to cope with, the slower everyone travels.
The traffic can be local i.e. within your building or block or further afield. Aside from specific instances such as hardware failure, network issues or a DDoS attack, it is usually too much traffic on too small a connection that causes slowdowns.
Why do I need more RAM?
RAM, or Random Access Memory, is fast memory that your computer uses to find the files it needs. Think of your desk at work. All the files you use often you probably keep close at hand so you can quickly reach them and use them. Files you don’t use so often will likely be in your drawer or filing cabinet. Still close to hand but will take slightly longer to find.
RAM is akin to those files you use often. The more files you have at hand, the quicker you get the job done. The more RAM you have, the more files your computer can access quickly, the quicker it can get its job done.
Why are you defragmenting my drive?
This is another question where an analogy works best. Think of your hard drive as a bookcase. If you have all your books in order, you know where to find them fast. The more you use the bookcase and the more books you add, the longer it takes to find something. If you stop putting those books back in order, it takes even longer to find the one you want.
A hard drive is the same. The more programs (books) you add, the longer it takes the operating system to find a file it needs. Defragmenting a drive sorts all the files (books) into order so everything is tidy and it is much quicker to find things.
How can I tell what emails are spam or phishing and which are not?
This is a tough one to answer but there is a couple of simple rules to help. If an email comes out of the blue from someone you don’t know, it will likely be spam. If the email asks you to visit a site and input information, it is likely phishing.
Some spam is easy to identify, ‘I lost 60 pounds in 60 days with these pills’ are obviously spam and are hence, easy to identify. Others, not so much. Other spam or phishing attacks will look identical to emails your bank might send or your credit card company. The main difference is that your bank or credit card company would never need your personal information, password, PIN number or other details as they would already have it. If in doubt, delete. Otherwise, call your bank and check using their advertised number and not any numbers included within the email. Never click an email link unless you’re sure of it.
Why do I have to reboot/reset my computer/router/printer/whatever?
Rebooting a computer or router resets everything. It’s like having a good night’s sleep. The mood you were in before you went to bed has gone (hopefully), it’s a new day, you feel refreshed and ready to tackle the world again. It’s the same for a computer. You might think that software is static but the way it is used in a computer is not.
Sometimes a computer gets stuck in a loop that it cannot escape from and a reboot will reset everything so it can work normally. The same for routers, printers, network servers and any piece of technology.
Why does my computer run so slowly?
This is probably the most common question we are asked. The answer is not simple though. It could be many things, but the most common issue is that the computer is being asked to do too many things at once. Even the fastest computer can only perform one instruction at a time. Usually, it is fast enough to perform them all so quickly that you think it can to multiple things at a time, but it isn’t.
The most common causes of a slow computer are; too many browser tabs or programs open at once, an antivirus scan running in the background, it is performing a malware scan or it may even have an infection. We check for all of these issues when you call us for that remote IT support.
Delivering superior remote IT support is as much about the approach as it is about the skills. Putting yourself in the user’s seat for a second can completely change the way you approach IT support. It’s something we train everyone here at Dave’s Computers to do on every call!
Here at Dave’s Computers, we support lots of customers across the country. Some are close to our Hillsborough computer store while others are spread across New Jersey and further afield. Regardless of where the client is located, we deliver exceptional, consistent service to all of them.
Delivering remote support isn’t the easiest job in the world. For one, you’re trying to solve an issue without being in front of the computer. That is difficult enough but if you add in all those different applications, working environments, operating systems, hardware specifications and user types and you have quite the challenge. Fortunately, it’s a challenge we enjoy!
There are a few things we do to make life easier for both ourselves and the users. Here are just a few of them.
Use a reliable remote support tool
The first order of business is to find a reliable tool that allows you to log into the user machine remotely. There are lots on the market at all price points but not all are created equal. Some like TeamViewer or LogMeIn offer different packages for enterprise level clients or small businesses. Some don’t have that option.
Whatever tool you choose to deliver remote support, you need to be very familiar with it, be able to maintain a session over slow internet connections and do what you need to do quickly and with the minimum of disruption for the user.
Use a headset
There is nothing worse than being on the phone with someone who has it wedged between their neck and shoulder. You can hear it when they move, rub the handset against their shirt and drop the phone. Plus, as the support engineer, you’ll quickly get neck or shoulder problems maintaining that position.
A good quality headset is key here. You can set it right and leave it alone. No fiddling, no risk of dropping it, no echo or rustling of shirt material and both hands free to help the user.
Manage your surroundings
If you’re offering remote support to clients, you need to make sure all focus is on the conversation you’re having with them and the actions you’re taking to remedy their problem. You don’t need road noise, crying children, dogs barking, laughing or other distractions on the call. Not only can it put you off your stride, it also appears unprofessional.
Keep your office quiet, close the door, make other people around you aware that you’re on a call and do everything you can to remove distractions.
Always have a Plan B
The balance between managing a budget and having a ‘spare everything’ is hard to strike but you have to begin with the basics. You need a spare phone, phone line and internet connection should your primary go down. You also need spare laptop or desktop from which to support the user.
Adding spare or backup headsets and other supporting hardware can come later but if you don’t have those initial critical spares, you’re not going to come across as very professional.
Always document everything
Using a good quality ticketing system and issue tracking system is a must. It allows you to record issues, identify recurring problems or users, identify weaknesses in client infrastructures and allows you to defend yourself if you should need to. A good system includes the ability to record customer comments or feedback, categorize issues and record call time, duration and any other pertinent data.
Chances are that you will never need much of what you record but that one time when you do will make all those other times worthwhile.
Build relationships with users
If you provide remote support to smaller businesses like we do, having a relationship with both the owner and users helps a lot. Not only does it make the entire process more enjoyable for all, it also helps to have a willing user when you’re supporting them. They will give less attitude when you call them, they will be more likely to help when you need them to and more likely to take proactive measures themselves to prevent issues from continually occurring.
IT support is about computers but it is also about the people. The industry has a reputation for being a haven for those who prefer machines to people but the truth is that you have to like both to be able to do the job.
Be efficient
Leading on from having relationships with users, we also have to be time and resource efficient. While we want to get to know the client and their needs, we have to balance that with no wasting their, or our, time. While some clients are happy to spend five minutes shooting the breeze with us, some are just too busy.
I find it easier to let the client take the lead. If they instigate a conversation, I’ll join in. If they don’t, I let them get on with their day. It’s a balancing act that gets easier the more you know the client and their situation.
Put yourself in your customer’s shoes
Imagining yourself as a client is one of those pieces of advice that works in every industry and every aspect of business. Delivering remote IT support is just one of them. What can we do to make things easier for the user? What can we offer to make their computers more reliable or less prone to issues? What can we provide to help users diagnose and even fix minor issues themselves without having to call us?
By periodically revisiting every client and thinking about how they work with us and if there is anything we can do to help them is a real help to both of us.
Providing remote support to small businesses is a big responsibility. They don’t often have the luxury of spare computers, infinite cash for upgrades or replacements or time to wait around for us to get to them. They demand fast, efficient IT support that delivers value for money. That is exactly what Dave’s Computers provides. Contact us today if you would like us to support you too.
There are dozens of common IT issues that remote support can handle. While it is preferable to be in front of the device when troubleshooting, with the right expertise and a little help from the user, most things are possible remotely. Many of our clients don’t live anywhere near our Hillsborough, New Jersey IT store so remote support has to deliver top quality resolutions quickly.
Fortunately, the days when you had to talk a user through each step are long gone. Now with remote logins and remote desktop it is easier to take control ourselves to fix the problem. That approach seems to work for us and the user. This approach isn’t always possible, especially when dealing with network issues, printers and peripherals. Then we do rely on a willing volunteer to help us out. Fortunately, nominating that lucky volunteer is done ahead of time.
With all that said, here are ten common tech support problems remote support can solve. Some might actually surprise you.
1. Windows BSOD
The Windows Blue Screen of Death is often viewed as terminal. Something that needs drastic action to remedy. That isn’t always the case. Sure, sometimes hardware needs to be changed but the vast majority of times it happens a simple driver or Windows update can cure it. Otherwise, some configuration changes within Windows can see the end of that most annoying of errors.
2. Unable to connect to the internet
The inability to connect to the internet could be caused by many things but it is usually something simple like a locked router, cable that has been unplugged or other simple fix. We can either log in remotely or work with a staff member to get that kind of issue sorted very quickly.
3. Unable to log in
Login issues can also be fixed remotely in the majority of cases. It is usually something simple like Caps Lock stuck on the keyboard or a loose cable preventing typing but can be more problematic like a corrupt profile or Active Directory issue. All things that can be addressed remotely with the right setup.
4. Accidental file deletion
Accidentally deleting files is one of the most common IT support calls we get. That’s one of the many reasons we recommend some kind of backup solution. While Windows computers can have shadow copy enabled which keeps a copy of all files, having regular backups and the right data recovery tools means even if you do delete files, we can usually get them back.
5. Slow computer
Another ‘popular’ IT support call that we see a lot. Many things can cause slow responses in a computer. Sometimes it takes nothing more than a little housekeeping to speed things up again. Sometimes it can be a virus or malware, a stuck program in the background or a faulty app or program update. We can fix them all remotely with or without the help of the user.
6. Computer keeps rebooting itself
Like the Windows BSOD, many things can cause a computer to get stuck in a reboot loop or cause it to randomly restart. The majority of them are configuration or software issues which remote support can tackle. Only on occasion can we not fix these quickly and that is only when faulty hardware is involved. A rebooting computer can be troublesome to work with as it can kick us off our remote session but we enjoy the challenge!
7. Network printer isn’t printing
Very few printer issues need a technician visit. It could be anything from it being unplugged by the cleaner looking to hook up their vacuum to network configuration. Toners and cartridges can run out, printers can randomly drop off the network. Nothing we haven’t seen before.
8. The internet is slow
Slow internet can be as simple as too many people using it at once to incorrect configuration. Sometimes the internet or your ISP is slow, sometimes it can be a virus or malware, most often it is just a matter of rebooting the router and reloading its configuration. All things we can fix via remote support, although if the network is slow it can take a while!
9. Our Wi-Fi network keeps dropping my device
Most Wi-Fi issues are down to configuration. There may be architectural challenges such as extra thick walls or too much metal around but we cannot fix those. For everything else there is remote login to your router or device and many years’ expertise in fixing home and small business networks.
10. My computer is frozen
Resetting a frozen computer is not something you need IT support for but it is one of the more common calls we get. Just unplug it from the outlet, leave it a minute, plug it back in and start it. If it keeps freezing, we can log in as soon as it’s up to see what is going on. This is a challenging fault to troubleshoot remotely but it is a challenge we relish.
As you can see, if your office suffers from any of those kinds of faults, remote IT support can handle them. Very few IT issues are related to hardware. Modern computer components are very reliable and as long as they are kept cool and clean and have a good quality source of power, they should remain in working order for many years.
If you are looking for top class remote IT support from seasoned industry veterans, Dave’s Computers is the company for you. Our team of technicians work with clients across the country supporting their infrastructure from afar. Remote support can achieve much more than you might think and if this list of common IT faults is anything to go by, we can fix over 90% of issues you’re likely to suffer without having to leave our office.
Contact Dave’s Computers today to learn more about our remote support services. We’re here to help.Technology enables us to do what we need to do with the minimum of effort. It also allows us to be flexible, work anywhere and at any time. But if you don’t use a traditional office 9-5 model how can you ensure your systems are supported when you need them to be? By utilizing remote support.
Remote IT support was once regarded as the poor man’s choice. It was seen as a second rate option for business who didn’t want to pay, or couldn’t afford IT support that visited the office and helped out in person. That all changed when more businesses embraced flexible working.
As soon as entrepreneurs and larger enterprises embraced cloud computing, flexible working and the agile business model, remote IT support suddenly became the way to get the support you need at a time and place you want, at a price you can afford. It is now regarded as the top tier of support for agile businesses.
Here are a couple of ways remote IT support enables the agile business.
Home and remote working
A traditional IT support contract would not fulfill the needs of any business who had remote or home workers. No IT company would agree to visiting people at home to resolve issues or meeting them at a roadside diner or at an airport. That’s where remote IT support comes in.
Depending on the vendor, this could be via live chat, telephone or a remote login. The worker and support tech can communicate and work together to remedy whatever the issue might be with the minimum of fuss. While more work needs to be done by the employee, the fact that they are supported wherever in the world they might be overcomes that in almost every instance.
Sufficient support for company IT resources
Being an agile business is not about allowing employees to use their own laptops for work and ignoring remote support altogether. For one, own devices may be compromised with malware, have viruses or be otherwise insecure. A responsible company provides the hardware and shares responsibility for its security and upkeep with the employee.
A work computer will still need encryption, antivirus, firewall, malware detection and all the protections they would use in the office. The only difference is that they won’t necessarily have access to an IT technician in house. That’s where remote IT support comes in. To ensure all work computers are locked down and secured enough to fulfill the requirements of clients and employer.
Cloud computing support
Agile businesses make best use of cloud computing to both lower costs but also embrace new ways of working. Products such as Office 365 enable employees to be productive anywhere but these systems don’t work in a bubble. Many cloud vendors will supply support, but it often won’t cover basic home networking or hardware expertise. You might be left entirely on your own.
Remote IT support can help here. Not only can it support your hardware, but can also be configured to support your home network, VPN, hardware, software and any other element of telecommuting. While not all of it is included as a default, personalized support contracts can be configured to include what you need it to include.
Supporting the agile business
As well as supporting users, remote IT support can help the business too. Employee management tools like Time card software or TimeClock is useful to manage remote workers. The software vendors themselves will support all aspects of their software but won’t necessarily cover getting it to work, getting it through your network and other issues that may arise.
Also, for those with employees in diverse areas where a typical 9-5 support model wouldn’t work, remote IT support is flexible enough to pick up the slack. Partner with the right company and you could potentially support your user all times of the day or night.
Agile business security
According to a recent piece by Business News Daily, security is the top IT concern for 91% of all small to medium sized businesses. Unfortunately, many of those same businesses do not want or cannot afford a dedicated IT department. While you can Google your way out of some basic computer issues, once you get more involved, so do the requirements to solve that issue.
Sometimes, only expert IT skills can fix a problem. If you have an IT support contract in place, you have the expertise on tap to ensure maximum productivity for the minimum, outlay.
Now let us be honest, there are things that remote support cannot fix but for those, pay-as-you-go onsite support can be worth its weight in gold. If you have a technology partner that could deliver both remote IT support and visit your main office when needed, that would be the perfect balance for the agile business.
It isn’t just agile businesses that could benefit. Smaller enterprises, new businesses and those without the resources or the need for dedicated IT support.
The evolution of IT support
From what was once regarded as second place, remote IT support has shown that it can evolve to meet the needs of an ever-changing workplace. As companies themselves are having to evolve to meet the needs of employees and new ways of working, IT companies have had to evolve to meet the needs of both parties.
Dave’s Computers is one of those companies. We have taken our traditional store-based and onsite IT support models and combined them into a remote IT support service that can support home users, small businesses, agile enterprises and any organization that doesn’t have its own IT department.
We’re not talking about cheap, low quality offshored remote support here though. We are talking, U.S.-based technicians in New Jersey. Native English speakers with real world experience in dealing with the huge range of IT problems the average user generates in their working lives. We don’t use scripts and get lost when you deviate. We have decades of experience supporting users from our Hillsborough base.
If you need remote support for Windows or Mac, hardware, software, networking or something else, contact us here at Dave’s Computers today. We are here to help!Remote computer support is very helpful because it means you never even have to take your machine anywhere to get it fixed. That saves you hassle, time, gas in your car, and headaches. With remote support, all you do is allow a computer professional access to your machine and then they can repair a number of different issues.
Some of the most common issues that can be addressed through remote computer support include slow machines, machines laden with viruses, program errors, and more. Obviously, problems with the computer hardware itself cannot be rectified remotely.
While it all sounds great, there is a downside that you need to keep in mind when you are searching out remote computer help. There are scams out there, and according to studies, these scams are a million dollar industry. In other words, if you aren’t careful, then you could get scammed into thinking that your computer is being repaired. So, how can you avoid these scams?
The Signs of a Remote Support Scam
Here are the signs that you might be getting wrapped up in a computer support scam:
- You get something called a “cold call” or a phone call that is completely unsolicited, claiming to be Microsoft or the Best Buy Geek Squad and stating something is wrong with your machine.
- Alternatively, you get involved with a fake tech support company by trying to Google the Microsoft computer support number.
- In either case, the scammer takes control of your computer and then creates a fake error message. They may even show it to you on the screen.
- Then, they ask for you to provide a credit card number to pay for the repairs.
So, the signs are simple. You didn’t ask for tech support, but someone called you anyway, or you try to find a Microsoft number by doing an Internet search instead of going to the company website directly.
The Problems
Not only can the scammer create a fake error on your computer, but also once they have access to the machine, they can actually send viruses and do damage that causes you to need them again and again. It’s a racket that can be very costly.
How to Find Legitimate Remote Computer Support
There are legitimate remote computer support companies, though, and they can be very useful, so don’t rule this service out altogether. You just need to know what to do. The most important thing is research. You want to find a company that has a longstanding reputation for offering high quality computer support, that has feedback from real customers online, and that doesn’t have fraud alerts. Once you find a quality remote computer support company, then you can depend on them again and again for any problems that may arise with your machine.
Do you want remote computer support without all of the scam hassle? Then all you have to do is contact computer-help.com. Remote support is our specialty and we will repair the problems so that you can avoid any scams that may come your way.
📞 Call Dave's — 908-428-9558