There is a fair amount of pressure to resolve desktop and laptop problems instantly, over the phone, as the end user waits anxiously on the other end. For example, I got a call from my boss, who was at the airport having problems trying to run Outlook. Outlook was taking a very long time to start and when it finally started, he got a message related to a corrupted file. I launched into my standard troubleshooting methodology:

1. Information Gathering — What changes were made to the computer recently? What new applications have been installed? When was the last time the application worked properly? Usually I get mixed responses, with more details coming from technical users and less from business users. Most end users won't always "recall" exactly what they did.
2. Error Analyzing — Use typical tools including application event log, log files, user groups and application knowledge bases.
3. Invoke Remote Terminal — Establish remote control session with problematic PC. Try to recreate the problem and then take corrective action.
4. Execute Fix — This depends on what information is available from steps 1-3. In some cases the problem can be fixed by applying the latest patch, modifying the registry or other settings. Sometimes it's faster to just reinstall the application, although all user settings need to be recorded and reset (location of all PST data files, account settings such as email signature, etc.).

Viewfinity offers a feature, Activity Recording, that shows me, step by step, exactly what events were executed on the PC. I then simply undo the event that caused the problem. How much time would be saved and aggravation avoided in a day? A month? How much in a year?!