A Logical Extension

If a crowd of sophisticated solution providers is at risk, imagine the fate of the millions of remote workers supported by corporate America.

That's just one of the reasons why more and more IT solution providers are exploring a realm that has been, for the most part, outside their interest,the home. After all, many home networks are first set up because someone in the household has an interest in connecting back to an office somewhere. It's only later that the rest of the family lay claim, and chaos ensues.

And it's a sincere mistake to think that this is a phenomenon confined just to small and midsize businesses.

The teleworking public has caught the interest of Dallas-based CompuCom, which this week is rolling out a service intended to help its corporate clients better control the remote IT needs of workers that spend most of their time outside corporate headquarters. Among other things, CompuCom is providing home installation services, depot repair of hardware and help desk.

Another key element of the Teleworker Support program comes through CompuCom's relationship with Netifice Communications, Norcross, Ga. Netifice brings together a series of managed Internet and VPN services that allow a company to provide a customized offering for its home workers, and it can hold ISPs to a higher level of service on behalf of its business clients than normally may be available to an individual. Netifice also offers a single point of billing so companies can get a handle on the true costs of their remote access.

CompuCom CTO Dave Hall readily admits that certain elements of the program are works in progress and that it will take on different regional flavors, especially as the integrator dispatches its technicians onto Main Street. But it's a risk this solution provider is willing to take. Are you?

HEATHER CLANCY, Editor at CRN and frequent teleworker, welcomes your comments at hclancy@cmp.com.