A new service from Google, Helpouts, connects people with experts over video chat to give free or paid advice.
People offering help through Helpouts can be large, medium, or small companies as well as individuals.There are two ways to get a Helpout instantly and scheduled.
Helpouts charges providers a flat 20 percent transaction fee on all paid, non-health Helpouts, which Google says will meet credit card fees, the cost of offering the money-back guarantee, advertising and promotion, and the cost of running the Helpouts platform. The cost of the transaction fee is included in the amount paid by the customer.
There are two kinds of pricing based on either a per minute or per Helpout session. Prices are set by the providers.All payments are done through Google Wallet.Free Helpouts sessions don’t require a Wallet account.
A Helpouts application is being offered for smartphones running on Google’s Android software. The service isn’t yet available for Apple Inc.’s iPhone or other mobile devices running on different software.
“We want to use the convenience and efficiency of the web to enable everyone, no matter where they are or what time it is, to easily connect with someone who can help,” Udi Manber, Google’s vice president of engineering, said in a blog post.
