In the corporate world almost every single company has an IT Helpdesk or IT Service Desk. This is not a bad thing and is actually a cost effective way to increase customer satisfaction. It is also a great way to get deep insights into what issues are constantly occurring or where to improve efficiencies… you could always ask your IT helpdesk crew too as I am sure they can assist in answering that. I digress..
What I want to cover is the fact that into today’s IT connected world the “End User” needs both remote and in person support. When an end user has a problem with some sort of application the first reaction is “Oh no now I have to contact IT… They better fix this fast, I have work to do”. Most likely the user submits an email or calls the helpdesk and the timer starts for the problem. All the user is thinking is “Get this fixed ASAP!”. In many cases you can probably fix the problem without ever interfacing directly with the user, such as using remote desktop or remote control software. Although you can do this it is always nice to have an IT person come to your desk to service you. I think the best way to handle this is to switch it up and do both.
There are definitely times where remote support is sufficient or the end user is working on a project and can’t be bothered until later, this is a perfect time to make the change remotely. Of course there are some users that want to see you know matter what. If the user is working in a location far away remote desktop viewing and remote changes are ideal. However, if you have the ability seeing that person in person can be a major benefit to you and you begin to get notice from your fellow employees.