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Best Practices For Supporting Home Users: Page 5 of 9

When it comes time to upgrade, we merely back up the user's data and move it to the new system, with its "standard" image of our typical corporate apps--Notes, Microsoft Office, Timbuktu, various system settings, configured e-mail and remote access. We then pack up the system and ship it back to the user.

5. Build a Strong, Specialized Staff

Being able to answer a phone is one thing, but fully supporting remote users is another. You have to be a bit of a detective, with plenty of patience to determine the source of, say, an access problem.

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When you hire an IT home-user support person, make sure he or she is technically proficient in your hardware and software environment. He or she also must have strong customer-service skills because the home user and IT relationship is close-knit. His or her experience in phone support is also important.

6. Keep Your Support Group Talking