Customer Service Glossary
What is a Virtual Private Network?
A VPN, or virtual private network, is a private internet connection between a computer or mobile device and a network. VPNs are typically encrypted, which helps protect confidential user information and consumer and corporate data.
A virtual private network also preserves privacy when users are connected to the internet. A VPN shields users’ internet protocol (IP) addresses so that their web use is nearly impossible to trace. VPNs are also widely used by remote support teams to improve the consumer experience, stabilize internet connections, and enhance collaboration between agents.
How Do Virtual Private Networks Benefit Customer Service Departments?
A VPN is essential for client services for several reasons. First, a VPN server provides unparalleled flexibility and security for support departments, no matter what country they are in.
Companies can select their preferred VPN server location, allowing client support teams to access company information, websites, apps, or software applications worldwide. In addition, businesses can restrict user access to private information, such as banking details, email or home addresses, or telephone numbers.
Other advantages of a VPN for client support teams include:
1. Enhanced Security
A virtual private network prevents other users, websites, applications, or software programs from gaining access to an organization’s network connection. In addition, the server masks all the information that the IP address transmits or receives, ensuring complete anonymity for employees and clients.
2. Data Encryption
More than 33% of United States citizens have experienced identity theft. A VPN can almost eliminate the risk of identity theft, fraud, or data breaches thanks to advanced security tools, such as 256-bit encryption.
The high-level privacy settings transform legible information or communication into a jumble of text, numbers, and characters. After the VPN transforms the data, hackers can no longer access user information from a personal computer, organizational server, or mobile device.
3. Easy Scalability
Expanding a private Wi-Fi network to suit a growing client support department can be costly. Fortunately, companies can easily add more bandwidth to their VPN, making it easy for new users to connect to applications, email, or cloud-based information via computer, smartphone, tablet, or another mobile device. Organizations can also ensure advanced security by providing each associate with authenticated login credentials.
Lastly, organizations can circumvent bandwidth limits imposed by an internet service provider (ISP) with a VPN. Because VPNs hide IP addresses and web browsing activity, internet service providers can’t reduce bandwidth or limit browsing speeds based on web traffic.
How Does a Virtual Private Network (VPN) Work?
A VPN creates encrypted “funnels” throughout the internet, resulting in a secure wireless connection. The encrypted channels ensure that digital data, personal information, IP addresses, and confidential files remain private as they travel between mobile devices, personal computers, and organizational wireless systems.
When using a VPN, associates can work from any location — even in another country — using their tablet, smartphone, or personal computer.
Types of VPNs
1. Site-to-Site VPNs
Site-to-site VPNs work similarly to network-to-network connections. The VPN connects an organization’s headquarters to office branches using encrypted internet funnels. For example, a site-to-site VPN can securely connect a company’s main offices to an outsourced support department in India.
Businesses often use a site-to-site VPN when various office locations make it impossible to establish direct network connections. This style of VPN requires specialized equipment to develop and maintain the connection.
2. Remote Access VPNs
Remote access VPNs allow a mobile device to connect to a secure network outside of the office. The mobile devices, known as “endpoints,” may include tablets, smartphones, or computers.
When using a remote access VPN, distributed teams can safely access the corporation’s network from anywhere in the world without sharing their IP address or web activity. As a result, United States-based organizations can ensure that outsourced service departments have remote access to a network with high safety standards, data encryption, and other advanced features that may be lacking in other countries.
VPNs in Client Support Departments
VPNs do more than improve organizational connectivity. The private networks help keep a company’s employees and consumers safe and secure. By using a VPN, organizations can help protect their clients from devastating data breaches.
At the same time, VPNs allow support departments to obtain organizational data from anywhere, at any time, improving their ability to assist clients worldwide.