Remote Diagnostics

Remote Diagnostics 101

What is Remote Diagnostics?

Remote diagnostics is a method of analysis and observation that happens remotely.

It is normally included with a managed print service, or part of a printer leasing contract.

Monitoring, diagnostics, and troubleshooting are done without a technician being physically present onsite. You may not even be aware of it, but remote diagnostics is not a very new concept. It even happens in our daily lives.

For example; you have an issue with your internet. You call your service provider and ask for tech support. During this process, the technical guy asks you questions about what the issue is, or if there are any error messages. From there, you’re given specific instructions like go to this page, click this, describe what happens next, etc. The problem is then either resolved or you are transferred to Level 2 tech support.

This is one good example of what remote diagnostics is.

Depending on the type of industry, the methodology used for remote diagnostics may slightly vary. It can be as simple as troubleshooting over the phone; or as complex as using a software which includes security, video conferencing or messaging platforms, and data access tools.

Still, it all boils down to one thing. Remote diagnostics fixes a problem through a collaborative effort where human operators and pieces of hardware can be scattered around the world but still be able to work together as if they’re in the same room.

Some of the industries that make use of remote diagnostics are as follows:

• Telephone systems
• Medical sector
• Automotive industry
• IT industry
• Printing industry
• And a whole lot more.

How Can It Benefit You?

Technology is definitely evolving at a very fast rate. As such, companies are constantly looking for different ways to improve business while reducing cost.

So, is remote diagnostics a good thing for your business? Here are some of its benefits to help you decide.

Downtime is avoided. If not avoided, minimised to a higher degree. Gone are the days when you have to wait for days or weeks for your printer to be fixed. Through remote diagnostics, symptoms are detected early on and treated before they even happen.

Deadlines are hit. Making sure that everything is on track and deliverables are sent on time is a crucial factor for any business. The last thing you want for your business is a bad reputation for missing a deadline. A working printer will help in avoiding this happening.

Productivity is increased. Whenever your printer is acting up, who’s the person that takes care of it? Your manager? An office staff? Regardless of who it is, having to fix the machine takes a good portion of their time. Instead, let an expert technician do the job for you and so you can focus on other tasks.

Time is spent wisely. Remote monitoring and diagnostics can significantly reduce the time needed to work on your machines since the technicians are already informed of the issue well ahead of time, and catch it before it becomes a significant problem.

Reduces costs. This is the most obvious benefit of remote diagnostics. Maintenance costs, service visits, replacement parts — the costs of all these things add up over time. The need for routine maintenance is lessened by remote monitoring and analytics because issues are immediately noticed before it affects your business negatively.