Allowing your staff to receive IT support remotely when working from home is increasingly common and often necessary in today's business environment. Remote support means your IT team or provider can access employees' devices over the internet to diagnose and fix issues without needing to be physically present. This approach can save time, reduce downtime, and keep your business running smoothly, especially when staff are spread across different locations.
Why remote support matters for UK SMEs
For small and medium-sized businesses, every minute of staff downtime can impact productivity and customer service. If an employee encounters a technical problem—such as software errors, connectivity issues, or security alerts—waiting for on-site assistance can delay resolution. Remote support enables faster troubleshooting, which helps prevent extended interruptions. It also reduces the risk of data loss or security breaches by allowing IT staff to quickly apply patches or security updates.
Moreover, with UK data protection laws like the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR, it's important that remote support is conducted securely. Unauthorised access or poor controls during remote sessions could expose sensitive customer or employee data, leading to compliance issues and reputational damage. Using secure remote support tools with strong authentication and encryption is essential.
A typical scenario: how remote support helps
Consider a UK SME with around 50 employees, many working from home at least part-time. One day, a sales team member's laptop won't connect to the company's CRM system, halting their ability to process orders. Instead of waiting days for an on-site visit, the IT support provider initiates a secure remote session, identifies a VPN configuration error, and fixes it within 30 minutes. The employee is back online quickly, minimising lost sales and customer frustration.
In this example, the IT provider also logs the session details for audit purposes and confirms the employee's device has up-to-date antivirus software and multi-factor authentication enabled, helping maintain compliance with Cyber Essentials Plus and internal security policies.
Checklist: what to consider when using remote support
- Ask your IT provider: What remote support tools do you use? Are sessions encrypted and logged? Do you require multi-factor authentication for access?
- Review your service agreement: Does the SLA specify response times for remote support? Are there clear policies on data privacy and session recording?
- Check internal controls: Ensure only authorised IT staff can initiate remote sessions. Maintain an up-to-date list of approved devices and users.
- Verify security measures: Confirm that remote access requires strong passwords and MFA. Devices should have current antivirus and security updates.
- Train staff: Make sure employees know how to request remote support safely and recognise legitimate IT communications to avoid phishing risks.
- Backup data: Regularly back up employee devices and critical systems to reduce risk of data loss during support interventions.
Using remote support effectively requires a balance of convenience and security. It can greatly improve your IT responsiveness and reduce downtime, but only if managed with appropriate safeguards.
If you are considering remote support for your home-working staff, it's wise to discuss your needs and concerns with a trusted managed IT provider or IT advisor. They can help you choose secure tools, define clear policies, and ensure your support processes align with UK security standards and compliance requirements.