In sports, they’re called a “super sub” or “sixth man.” The term refers to a talented reserve who’s called upon to help the team win.
A growing number of homebuilders and end users now have their own version of a super sub: a “virtual remote assistant” (VRA).
A VRA is a resource that skillfully and rapidly helps assess a field situation in real time and recommends next steps if the situation is not fully resolved during the virtual site interaction.
The idea of a VRA isn’t new. It’s already an essential component in fields such as healthcare, manufacturing, automotive work, and information technology. In residential window and door installation, a VRA has become an especially effective support tool for several reasons:
- Customers gain a virtual wingman who can quickly and accurately evaluate what’s happening in the field using nothing more than a smartphone, tablet, or laptop camera.
- Real‑time visual assessments provide actionable guidance in minutes rather than days or even hours.
- The service is offered at no cost to customers, making it an accessible support option for any project.
JELD-WEN’s Brad Nelson and Dave Miller know what this support breakthrough means to industry players, especially window and door specialty contractors.
“Once a customer discovers how smart and easy it is to use VRA, they’re hooked,” Nelson says. “Having a former JELD-WEN field technician personally review an issue usually means quick resolution. At the very least, it gets the ball rolling by ordering the right part and prepping the field technician for a speedy turnaround.”
Growing Support Dimension
Nelson heads JELD-WEN’s multilingual (English and Spanish) VRA team and several other customer support units. Miller, a 42-year JELD-WEN veteran, has served the company in several senior leadership roles and as an architect of the company’s pioneering and long-running VRA service for home builders, contractors, distributors, and residential customers called OnSite Virtual Assistance.
“Building product manufacturers are doing everything they can to support pro customers with improved product design and performance,” Miller says “But that’s only part of today’s tough labor and residential construction market.”
Installer’s Best Friend
Central to any VRA solution is the frontline staff. Is the VRA technician truly an expert who can swiftly, confidently diagnose a window or door concern and prescribe a practical solution? Do they do their job in a calm, supportive manner?
“Many of our VRA technicians are late-career fenestration specialists that have decades of window and door experience,” Nelson says. “Because they’re so experienced with all JELD-WEN products, a typical video engagement takes 15 minutes or less. Engagements are efficient, professional, and friendly. And free. There’s no additional charge for benefiting from eyes-on project advice.”
16,000 and Counting
Both industry veterans recognize VRA support is different than the usual call to the distributor or field rep. “We handled about 16,000 virtual calls in 2025,” Nelson reports, emphasizing how the VRA’s live visual perspective dramatically accelerates problem‑solving.
So much so, homeowners now account for about 60% of VRA sessions, with contractors and distributors, such as lumberyards and building supply centers, making up the rest.
“We’re here to help every customer,” Miller says. “First‑call resolution is approaching 80%. For professionals who rely on fast, reliable guidance, that level of responsiveness makes a real difference. Contractors appreciate knowing that dependable help is available when they need it, creating benefits across the entire construction process.”
See how OnSite Virtual Remote Assistance from JELD-WEN works.
Learn more about how virtual remote assistance can benefit your next project.
