Do you know how much it cost to send a service technician over at your customer’s to solve a ticket? Traffic jams, parking tikets, fuel and car costs… that’s a lot of money and it doesn’t add any value to your customers.

In your private life, when you have a problem with your PC or network?  Do you call an IT company to have it fixed by a technician coming to your office in person ? or you don’t really care how is fixed but you want it fix it now, as soon as possible?

So why dont’t you use a so called “remote desktop application”  It’s a great tool to support your clients without the hassle of going there. It’s like a Skype video call but with the ability use your mouse and your keyborad on your customer’s computer screen.

Do you think knowing a little bit more about remote desktop applications can help you increase the productivity of your company?   I have tested a bunch of remote desktop application available in the market, let me share with you my views about some of them…

1 Show my PC

Remote access tool to connect to your customer’s PC. Send your customer to the showmypc website and let him click on the big green icon. Automatically installs a small peace of software on his computer and it works. With MAC works without installation as default (JAVA). It automatically detects the OS to download the appropriate version.

The app generates a password that you client will tell you on the phone or by email.In your side, you have to install the same software, enter the password and have access to your client’s computer.

Very simple installation, my mother installed without problems. The free version is perfect but looking at the paid version it offers additional features including: record the session (useful to avoid conflicts with the client), Customization (add an icon on your website to allow your customers to download it from your website).

Name:	Show my PC     www.showmypc.com
Operating System:	Windows and MAC with installation or without (Java). Available for Tablets in paid version.
Price:	Free with no time limitations. Paid version available
Rating:	10 Favorite

2 Team Viewer

A classic in this market. They certainly have the most extensive range of options: free for private use, mobile, for tech support, for casual users, cross platform. The free version is limited only to private use and popups may appear from time to time. The commercial version starts at 499 € purchase price.

Complete but too many options for newbies.

Name:	Team Viewer     www.teamviewer.com
Operating System:	Windows, Mac , iPhone and Android tablets.
Price:	Free for private use. Paid version € 499 purchase price
Rating:	8 For experts not many options.

3 Crosloop 

A little more cumbersome to install than ShowMyPC but very useful. The free version also works very well. Once installed is very easy to use from both ends of the connection.

The Pro version allows file sharing for 69.9 U.S. $ / year 7 days free trial. With extras such as customized link with your logo to support your customers form your site. Available in English, Spanish and 18 other languages.

The same site has a Database of IT guys that provide remote support at competitive prices.

Name:	Crossloop     www.crossloop.com
Operating System:	Windows (2mb) and MAC (18 mb) and also an Android mobile app for your tablet (pro version).
Price:	Free for private use. 69.9 U.S. $ / year with 7-day trial
Rating:	8

4 Ammyy

Very light weight software (0.5 mb) allows instant execution. Only Windows environment. Free add supported version is only for private use.  Light version is $ 33.9 (too light) and pro is $ 66.9 (purchase price only once)

Name:	Ammyy     www.ammyy.com
Operating System:	Windows (0.5 mb)
Price:	Free with adds. License $33.9 – $ 66.9
Rating:	6

5 Windows Remote Desktop

The fastest access with no doubt. is windows native.

From the access speed point of view is the most recommendable. It’s free and it comes installed on Windows. There is also a version to access from a MAC OS.

The down is that it requires the target computer, you want to access to, to have and open connection. This requires advanced settings in the Windows environment. It’s also a security gap, which means that your client will not like it.

Name:	Windows Remote Desktop
Operating System:	Windows and Mac to the PC you want to connect.
Price:	Included in Windows as standard.
Rating:	6

6 Log Me In

It belongs to another type of application that once installed allows access to an external computer from any browser. If you install it on your office computer, you can connect from home and have access to all your information without stopping by at the office.

Name:	Log Me In     www.logmein.com
Operating System:	Windows and Mac and iPhone and Android tablets
Price:	free for private use and license to connect to 5 computers worth € 189 / year
Rating:	5

 7 TightVNC

Similar to Logmein. It installs a type of software (server) on the computer you want to share the screen and other users can access it from any browser.

Useful for demos and presentations on-line , so you can share your screen with several customers. A bit geeky to install, but totally free and open.

Name:	TightVNC     www.tightvnc.com
Operating System:	Windows and Linux and a Java version for Mac
Price:	open source license (free) for “geeks” of computing.
Rating:	5

8 Yuuguu

With similar features as above but very easy to use.7 Days Free Trial and 74 € / year

Name:	Yuuguu    www.yuuguu.com
Operating System:	Windows, Mac and Linux.
Price:	7 Day Free Trial and 74 € / year
Rating:	5

9 Uvnc

UltraVNC only runs on Windows, you can access your computer from any operating system using the web browser.

Similar to the previous 3.

Name:	Uvnc     www.uvnc.com
Operating System:	Windows
Price:	Open source (free)
Rating:	5

10 GoToMyPC

30 day free trial and from 79 € / year

Similar to the previous

Name:	GoToMyPC     www.gotomypc.eu
Operating System:	Windows
Price:	30 days free trial and from 79 € / year
Rating:	4