LogMeIn, the makers of a variety of remote access solutions for business and personal use, is today launching a new service that will allow any company to provide video-assisted customer support, using only the camera on a customer’s iOS or Android mobile device. The idea is that a customer support representative would be able to tap into a live feed in order to remotely help with issues reported by the customer, by seeing the physical product in front them as if they were there, too.
The service, called “Rescue Lens,” could be used by companies who sell hardware, like TVs, printers, or smart home products, for example, which may require more complicated setup or installations, or where it’s hard to describe the problem over a phone call alone. Using a downloadable LogMeIn app installed on the customer’s personal iOS or Android device, those seeking support are able to record a high-quality video of their trouble at a rate of 30 frames per second.
When viewing the video, the support technician can the “draw” on the customer’s screen to point out where the problem is, as they walk customers through how to fix it. And that drawing, which may include things like circles and arrows, for example, will stay in place, even as the customer moves the phone around.
The app also includes support for things like speakerphone access and text-based chat, so you can continue to communicate while showing the support rep the problem or attempting to fix it.
The solution, which LogMeIn refers to as being in the “Support of Things” realm, makes sense at a time when consumers are purchasing ever more gadgets for their home, including not only things like TVs and printers, but also home theater setups and set-top boxes, wireless routers, smart thermostats and other “connected” home items, computers, kitchen gadgets, appliances, smart toys, and much more.
Today, many of these product companies provide only phone-based or email support, which is less practical for more complicated matters, like figuring out wiring problems, for instance. Plus, when communicating via email support, responses are often delayed. And phone-based support just takes longer as the customer has to describe what they’re seeing instead of just being able to show the person on the other end of the line.
The advantage for businesses adopting the new solution could be shortened support times – problems that may have taken an hour could be reduced to minutes. Plus, customers who get frustrated with poor support often return their products to the store, impacting a business’s bottom line.
In addition, the video support offered through the new Rescue Lens service is designed to be integrated into the business’s existing workflow for handling customer service issues, and includes the option to integrate with a number of top ticketing systems, including Salesforce, Zendesk, ServiceNow, Freshdesk, and others.
Rescue Lens will be sold through LogMeIn’s existing Rescue service, where it will be shipped as a free upgrade to existing customers next month. That service, which also includes remote access support for mobile devices and computers, starts at $1,299 per user per year. It’s currently used by a number of well-known brands including Best Buy Geek Squad, Symantec, Fuji Xerox, Telenor, Nissan Ireland, St. Luke’s Health Systems, and others. LogMeIn says some of its customers have already been testing the service in beta, ahead of its public debut, which means some customers will soon be seeing this service offered as a support option in the future, it seems.
