Overview
Interguard is an internet monitoring, filtering, and accountability software designed for businesses. These types of programs have become more necessary as the internet has become an aspect in nearly every element of a business. The internet is a powerful tool for businesses, but it is structured in such a way that it also offers many distractions for employees. These distractions can range from looking up news and information to watching sports or playing games. Interguard offers a host of features designed to help businesses fight these distractions and make sure that employees stay on task and productive.
Pros
The biggest thing that Interguard has going in its favor is the huge number of features the service provides. One of the most innovative features is the continuous screenshot. This is a video-style playback that employers can use to see how a product evolved and what else an employee did while completing their work. For example, you can see an email being typed and edited instead of just seeing the final product.
Additionally, Interguard has keylogging abilities. This service tracks every keystroke, deleted or not. This lets employers see every detail of an employee’s internet usage so they can be sure that their time is being spent productively.
In addition to monitoring internet use, Interguard also provides detailed information for apps and programs. This lets employers make informed decisions about how badly employees need certain pieces of software, so you can make sure they have the tools they need while cutting costs on optional extras.
Cons
Interguard does have some drawbacks. The price for business users starts at $8 per user per month, with a minimum of 25 licenses required. That means your business will pay $200 per month to monitor employee activity. While this is not a huge cost relative to doing business, you should make sure that the productivity gains you make justify the expense.
Another issue is that some of the features of Interguard might create privacy and security risks for some employees, or cause them to backlash. For example, they keylogger picks up all keystrokes, so that includes passwords for things like personal bank accounts and email addresses. If an employee’s information is compromised because of this monitoring, it could put the employer at risk.
Verdict
Interguard is one of the best accountability applications in terms of the features offered. The video-style screenshot tool and other tracking helps keep costs down and productivity up. Just make sure the gains you make justify the somewhat high price tag.