Today's technology can seem like a constant source of frustration as much as it does convenience. Fortunately, we also now live in an era where businesses are hyper aware of their customers' experiences and strive to give them the best possible experience at every opportunity.

In-Person vs Virtual Tech Support for Your
In-Person vs Virtual Tech Support for Your Team: Which is Best? Pixabay

To that end, there are multiple ways your business can help keep your team supported and productive, with tech support being perhaps the most important.

But with so many different options available, you might be asking yourself the following question: In-person vs virtual tech support for your team—which is best? Let's find out!

What Is In-Person Tech Support?

In-person tech support is when your team interacts with a technician face-to-face. The technician could be a representative from a partner company you've contracted or an employee at your own company who has been specially trained in support.

Therefore, in-person tech support is a great option to help guide your team through a specific problem, particularly if the issue is tied to specific hardware at your company.

For example, if your employees are experiencing wireless connectivity issues, an in-person tech support visit can be a great way for the technician to identify the issue and get it resolved quickly.

Dakota McDaniels, Chief Product Officer of Pluto states, "We rely on in-person tech support to keep our team up and running. We find that it's more efficient and effective to have someone on-site to handle any issues that come up."

What Is Virtual Tech Support?

Virtual tech support is when your team interacts with a remote technician via video call, online chat, or other online tools. Virtual tech support is best suited to more general issues that don't require specific hardware.

For example, let's say one of your employees is having trouble with a piece of software they use every day. In this scenario, a remote technician can take control of the employee's computer and walk them through a few different steps that can help resolve the issue.

"Virtual tech support is a good fit for businesses looking to save money and time," says Datha Santomieri, Co-Founder and Vice-President of Steadily Landlord Insurance. "With virtual tech support, businesses can get the help they need without having to leave their office or hire a full-time staff member.

Omid Semino, CEO and Founder of Diamond Mansion adds, "We use virtual tech support often, as it allows me to keep my company's IT infrastructure running smoothly without having to take time out of my day to go on-site or hire a full-time IT staff."

Plus, with virtual tech support, your team can get the help they need without having to leave their desks. "If you have a remote workforce, this can be a huge time-saver," says Lionel Mora, CEO of Neoplants. "We can get our team the help they need without interrupting their workflow."

The Benefits of In-Person Tech Support

Before you can determine which tech support methodology is the right call for a specific issue, it's important to understand the value of each one. Below, we outline the advantages of both in-person and virtual tech support so you can make a more informed decision.

Faster Problem Resolution: An in-person tech support visit can get your team to a resolution for a problem much faster than a remote visit. This is due in large part to the fact that the technicians can take control of the specific hardware causing the issue. This is something a remote technician cannot do.

"It's been my experience that in-person tech support is best for when you need an immediate resolution to a problem," says Kirin Sinha, CEO of Illumix. "My team has found that virtual tech support is better suited for small issues or for questions that can be easily answered over the phone."

More Intimate Experience: If your team prefers a more intimate experience, in-person tech support is a great option. A face-to-face visit gives your team an opportunity to ask questions and get to know the technician who is helping them. This can help create a stronger relationship between the employees and the technicians.

"In-person support instantly builds rapport," says Christy Pyrz, Chief Marketing Officer of Paradigm Peptides. "Employees feel like they can communicate more easily when the tech is physically present. When it comes to expediting workflows, in-person support wins every time."

Better Problem Diagnosis: An in-person visit is often better suited to problem diagnosis than a remote visit. This is because the technicians can have a better look at the hardware causing the problem and may be able to diagnose the problem quicker than a remote technician.

States Neel Shah, Founder of EZ Newswire, "Thanks to in-person tech support, technicians can typically offer better problem diagnosis. In some cases, the technician might be able to identify the root of the problem right away and provide a solution on the spot."

Better Quality of Service: For certain businesses, in-person tech support can be a way to provide a higher quality of service than virtual tech support. This can be especially true in industries where high-quality service is crucial.

"It's hard to dismiss the value of an in-person tech support team, especially if you have a lot of employees or customers in one physical location," says Sumeer Kaur, CEO of Lashkaraa. "My team and I can often tell a noticeable difference in the quality of the support that in-person tech support provides."

The Benefits of Virtual Tech Support

Judging by the responses above, you might think in-person tech support is the definitive solution. But virtual support certainly has its place, too. Observe:

Quicker Service: In many cases, a virtual tech visit can get to your team faster than an in-person visit. This can be particularly helpful for businesses that experience a lot of after-hours issues.

Alex Novak, CEO of SexLikeReal says, "The beauty of working with a virtual support company is that they can often get to you faster than an in-person tech because they're not restricted by location."

Cost Savings: In-person tech visits can cost your business more than virtual visits. This is due in part to travel expenses but also the fact that remote technicians are often paid less than in-person staff.

Flexibility: Remote technicians can visit your team from wherever they are, allowing them to be more flexible and adaptive to your team's needs.

Lina Miranda, VP Marketing of AdQuick says, "Flexibility of any virtual support team is key; they're not limited by office hours or location, and that means they can support you at all hours of the day and night."

More Opportunity for Growth: Remote technicians are often given more opportunity for growth than their in-person counterparts. This is due in large part to the fact that remote technicians can work from anywhere and have more flexible hours.

Which One Is Right for You?

If you're trying to decide whether to have in-person or virtual tech support for your team, there are a few things you'll need to consider. Both have their pros and cons, so it's important to think about what will work best for your team and your specific needs.

Here are a few of the most important things to keep in mind as you make your decision:

  • In-person tech support can be more expensive. If you have a large team or if you need support for multiple devices, in-person tech support can be more expensive. You'll need to add the cost of having a tech on-site, plus the cost of any equipment or software they might need.
  • Virtual tech support can be more convenient. If you have a smaller team or if everyone is located in the same office, virtual tech support can be more convenient. You won't need to worry about scheduling someone to come on-site, and you can often get support more quickly since they can just log into your system remotely.
  • In-person tech support can be more personal. If you have a complex issue or you need someone to help train your team on new software, in-person tech support can be more personal. Having someone there in person can make it easier to ask questions and get the help you need.
  • Virtual tech support can be more flexible. If you have a team that's spread out geographically or if you need support outside of normal business hours, virtual tech support can be more flexible. You can often get support 24/7, and you won't need to worry about scheduling around someone's availability.

Consider these factors when you're making your decision, and choose the option that will work best for your team—not just your business.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, your team knows best what type of support they prefer. Some may prefer in-person support because they value the more intimate experience, while others may prefer remote support because of the flexibility it offers. No one type of support is better than the other.

Instead, each option has its own benefits that can help keep your team supported and productive. When choosing between in-person and virtual tech support for your team, the most important thing to remember is that the solution that works best for one team may not be the best fit for another. By considering your team's needs, you can help choose the best option for your business.