Working From Home, Technically

ABC News:

No commute, a more flexible schedule and answering conference calls in your favorite Scooby-Doo slippers — the advantages of the “home” part of a home office are not hard to imagine. It’s the “office” part that tends to be more troublesome. Here’s the stuff, and the help, every home office owner needs to have.

Your Career on Your Lap: the Computer

A computer is obviously an essential for a home office, but with travel and kids, mobility is key.

“A laptop is a must have,” said the founder of Dr. Phil-approved Webmomz.com and work-from-home mother Kristie Tamsevicius. “If the mood strikes and you need to move somewhere else, a laptop is a savior. When you travel, you can take your business with you.”

Talking the Talk: the Phone

Saying hi to the kids during a coffee break is a great advantage of working from home. The kids saying hi to your business contacts when they get to the phone before you is not. That’s why home office owners should invest in either a dedicated line or a cell phone.

Adding a dedicated line can cost anywhere from $50 to $200; the cost depends on the phone company, whether options like caller ID and call waiting are activated and if a technician is needed to install the new line.

Changing Times: Faxes out, Backup Hard Drives in

“Fax isn’t a must-have anymore,” said Pyle, who believes workers are far more likely to use e-mail or, if absolutely necessary, online faxing services.

Rather the cash should be spent on backup hard drives to make moving data simple and reduce the likelihood of cardiac arrest during a computer crash.

Before the Fall: Protecting Your Home Office

For all their business-saving capabilities, hard drive backups are like airbags — great inventions that you hope to never use. To keep from having to, be sure to protect your computer.

“Most broadband suppliers do provide security,” said Kanellos. “But you still need to buy your own copy and be sure to do all the updates.”

The People That Know: Tech Support

With no IT guy just down the hall to come fix your home computer, home office owners have to look elsewhere when there’s a problem.

“There are some great services out there,” said Kristie Tamsevicius, who has suffered two virus-induced hard drive crashes. “You can even have somebody fix your computer without them coming to your house with remote programs like GoToMyPC.”

Often, however, only so much can be done over the phone and Internet; sometimes turning to a house-calling technician is the only solution.