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by taking over and controlling a designated computer at the office
via remote control. AppleShare, Windows 2000, and Citrix Metaframe
allow remote users to access the shop’s file server just as if
they’re in the office. My Clients & Profits! offers web browser-based
access for creatives, account service, and freelancers. And, there’s
Clients & Profits SQL, which connects both remote users and branch
offices together, offering complete access to both production and
accounting functions from any internet connection.
What will work for you depends on your users
Choosing the right kind of remote access
depends on what kind of people need to work outside the office, such
as work-at-home bookkeepers, freelancers, AEs who constantly travel,
production staffers on location, and agency principals who just like
to keep up with the day’s new jobs anywhere they are.
So while remote access can help keep your shop’s out-of-office
staffers in touch wherever they are, but there are several factors
to consider first, including some that are purely technical. Most
importantly, ask yourself if your shop has the know-how to choose,
design, implement, and maintain a remote access system.
Adding remote access adds cost and complexity
to your Clients & Profits system, and there’s no certainty
that it’ll work to everyone’s expectations. Speed, for one,
is largely based on factors that are out of your control. There are
several common things that can keep a remote access project from becoming
an expensive, disappointing failure. They include:
1) Have access to experienced professionals who have done this before
While it’s certainly possible to self-install a remote access
system, if you don’t have the skills and experience that chance
isn’t on your side. You’ll undoubtedly spend many more hours
than you’d planned to set up the system, and it will take longer
to work. At the very least, have someone experienced available to
help you troubleshoot any problems you may encounter (remember, the
Clients & Profits Helpdesk doesn’t provide technical support
for remote access).
2) Spend the appropriate amount of money Make a realistic plan for
the needs of your remote staff members, then buy the hardware, software,
and infrastructure that will meet their needs. For example, spending
the money on a T1 connection will support more remote users than a
cheaper DSL, cable, or ISDN connection.
3) Train remote users, then follow up on their progress Staff members
who don’t work inside the office won’t benefit from the
feedback that internal staffers get from their co-workers. You’ll
need to make a special point of informing remote users about any mistakes
or bad habits that they’re doing (usually by accident). These
users are usually the last to know
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about a change in procedure, so they cause
a higher number of errors. Consider setting up your shop has the know-how
to choose, design, implement, and maintain a remote access system.
Adding remote access adds cost and complexity to your Clients &
Profits system, and there’s no certainty that it’ll work
to everyone’s expectations. Speed, for one, is largely based
on factors that are out of your control. There are several common
things that can keep a remote access project from becoming an expensive,
disappointing failure. They include:
1) Have access to experienced professionals who have done this before
While it’s certainly possible to self-install a remote access
system, if you don’t have the skills and experience that chance
isn’t on your side. You’ll undoubtedly spend many more hours
than you’d planned to set up the system, and it will take longer
to work. At the very least, have someone experienced available to
help you troubleshoot any problems you may encounter (remember, the
Clients & Profits Helpdesk doesn’t provide technical support
for remote access).
2) Spend the appropriate amount of money Make a realistic plan for
the needs of your remote staff members, then buy the hardware, software,
and infrastructure that will meet their needs. For example, spending
the money on a T1 connection will support more remote users than a
cheaper DSL, cable, or ISDN connection.
3) Train remote users, then follow up on their progress Staff members
who don’t work inside the office won’t benefit from the
feedback that internal staffers get from their co-workers. You’ll
need to make a special point of informing remote users about any mistakes
or bad habits that they’re doing (usually by accident). These
users are usually the last to know about a change in procedure, so
they cause a higher number of errors. Consider setting up a mailing
list of remote users to communicate tips, suggestions, and corrections
quickly and frequently.
4) Develop a system to monitor performance Someone with technical
savvy needs to be in charge of the system. They need to have the training,
experience, and tools to manage the system, train remote users, and
troubleshoot any problems. Most remote access systems track who’s
using the system on activity logs. The activity log in My Clients
& Profits!, for example, shows the date and time each web user
accesses a web page. These logs run automatically in the background.
Windows 2000, Timbutku, and PC Anywhere also keep activity logs.
With more people working outside the office, offering remote access
to Clients & Profits will pay off with better communication, which
means fewer errors and expensive delays. And with today’s technology
making it easier and more affordable, now might be an ideal time to
implement remote access.
Mark
Robillard is the co-founder of Clients & Profits and
the software’s designer.
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