The ability to remotely access computer desktops of employees may not have occurred to you as an essential business tool – but in fact, it can save you time and money and make your remote workers more consistently productive.

We’ll focus here on the benefits of investing in software that can access the desktop environment of remote computers so your own IT staff can fix problems without being physically present where the device is located. But, keep in mind that many of the same benefits also apply to outsourced remote IT support.

It may seem like your workers and their devices are too distant for you to help them with their computer problems. However, with remote desktop software, the distance simply doesn’t matter. It’s as if your IT support staff members were leaning right over the end-user’s shoulders.

Here are 4 key benefits of remote desktop software for small businesses:

1. Cost & Time Savings

Sending an IT worker out to a remote worker’s home tears him or her away from all other on-site duties and incurs transportation costs. It eats up extra time and hurts your company’s bottom line. But requiring everyone to come to you cuts into your employees’ time and budget and still tends to hang up your IT.

Response time can be shortened, as can actual time spent on IT support per employee problem, by doing it all “long distance.”

For outsourced remote IT support, the cost savings are passed on to the consumer. Whether you set up your own system or use someone else’s, therefore, you’re going to save by “going remote.”

2. Boosted Productivity

When all staff can quickly and remotely access IT help just when they need it (even if in the same building as your IT staff) – and especially with remote workers, then that means less downtime and greater productivity. It also means your IT itself will be more productive.

Most problems can be resolved without an on-site visit. Modern remote administration software can diagnose and solve a host of issues with Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and all manner of apps. If new software or updates are needed, they can also be transferred from a remote computer.

With tools like built-in chat and one-click screen shots of the end user’s device, IT can often fix problems in mere minutes.

3. Anywhere, Anytime Access

You may have employees who travel for your business and who experience problems with their laptop or mobile device while on the road. Or, an employee may have an issue at home or elsewhere when your office doors are closed. What then?

With remote desktop support, it’s possible to provide back up to your employees for their business-related devices and programs after hours and regardless of geography. When you have a key project underway and a computer glitch threatens to slow it down, remote support is a godsend.

And if you pay for remote IT services, then with many providers you get up to date, expert support 24/7 anywhere in the US where you can get an Internet connection.

4. Balancing Flexibility & Control

Although these are really two benefits, we put them together to show how they complement each other. One the one hand, remote access creates greater flexibility for your workforce: no need to be tied to one device, no need to always bring a flash drive along, and it’s not required that every device has all the same software on it.

On the other hand, control and management are eased up with remote access software. You can set passwords and other authentication tools so as to restrict who can access which devices remotely. And not only can you designate groups of users and individual users per device and/or network, but you can restrict certain types of information from being seen by all workers regardless of which device its on.

These are just four of the most obvious benefits and uses of remote desktop software for small businesses. Anyone who experiences remote access IT support in actual use will soon discover many more benefits.