There’s a joke in my house. It’s called ‘Help Desk’.
Here’s how it goes: Phone rings. I answer. I listen. The next line out of my mouth is often “Did you try rebooting the computer?…mmmhmmm…mmmhmmm…well, I can’t get down there (over there, up there) until X (pick a date/time).” Hang up. “Help Desk time, I’m going over there later…”
Help Desk. Hmmmm. I’m NOT a hardware-or-software-fixer-person. I do, however, have more knowledge than many of my family/friends. So, I become the “Help Desk”. I’m sure that there are many of you out there nodding. Its not necessarily that you’re an expert in computer hardware, but that you’re better at it than the caller is. Therefore, you are the ‘Help Desk’. Many people don’t separate IT specialties (e.g. hardware vs. software). If you’re in IT, you’re automatically the “specialist”.
How many trips would I have been saved if I had a tool that would allow me to see the caller’s screen on demand. Something super simple that even my mother could use? Well, guess what…we have that tool available FOR FREE right now! You don’t have to have an expensive WebEx or GoToMyPC account…you only need a browser connection on both ends.
“Quick!”, I hear you saying, “Tell me what it is!!” You got it!
Simply tell the person you’re trying to help to go to JOIN.ME (did I mention that it is FREE!?!?)
Tell whoever you’re trying to help to press the orange button. They will get this on their screen:
For your part, you also go to the join.me website. When the person who’s computer you’re trying to access has the code, have them read it to you. You enter it into the ‘join’ box (that’s the green box). Hit the green arrow. The person whose computer you’re trying to access will need to accept your attempt to access their computer (there’s a link that appears – they have to click the ‘yes’).
That’s it. You’ll be able to see what’s going on and ‘see’ the problem. You can take control of the keyboard/mouse and troubleshoot yourself. It’s all there. For FREE. Now, you can be the ‘Help Desk’ easily, from the comfort of your own home/office.
…and ‘yes’, there’s an app for that, as well!
