Managing your remote office and branch office (ROBO) technology properly is a pressing IT issue. New employee onboarding and technology upgrades can be challenging in remote locations. And tracking IT asset location and condition can be difficult. Your IT budget won’t support dedicated onsite IT staff or frequent travel to ROBO locations so it’s important to establish guidelines and procedures to maintain compliance with system and security standards as well as guarantee end user satisfaction.
According to a Business.com article “The number of companies employing remote workers or opening branch offices is growing exponentially. The increase is due to widening the use of the internet for communication and collaboration across all industries.”
Here are six proven ways to improve ROBO IT management:
- Maintain detailed asset records that help you identify system purchase date, configuration, image, ship-to location, and warranty expiration.
- Set up systems pre-deployment so they are user ready when they reach your ROBO locations. This should include kitting accessories such as mice, keyboards, and monitors with new system shipments.
- When deploying new systems or upgrades include clear setup instructions for ROBO users to increase end user satisfaction and reduce help desk calls.
- Create a system return process so systems are shipped to a central location when they need rework or disposal. Train users on the return process so valuable assets don’t collect on a shelf or in a closet because no one knows what do with them.
- Create data wipe protocols for users when returning a system. Verify the data wipe at your central location.
- If returned systems are under warranty, rework and redeploy them to get more use from your systems.
It’s true that implementing these steps will help with ROBO technology management but they take time away from core technical functions. As an IT leader you either need to realign resources to take on these steps in-house or find a cost effective partner to outsource them to. Either way, doing nothing leaves your infrastructure vulnerable, your end users dissatisfied, and your assets underutilized.
Read our other blog posts in this series on logistics here.
