The Internet is becoming the connective tissue for all communications, and providing real-time technical support over the Net is such a natural fit that it's almost a wonder it has not caught on sooner. Traditional network management products, of course, have always used network infrastructure as the medium to make sure critical systems were running properly. E-support extends that to reach individual users and their computers over the Internet. E-support software acts as a virtual support technician inside a customer's PC to handle the easy problems. If the software can't repair a problem with an application or help the user figure out how to fix a malfunctioning PC, it can send detailed information about the computer's state to a human assistant.
People think traditional phone support sucks.
An impressive list of companies is buying into the nascent e-support concept. Corporations such as Bear Stearns, Kmart and Merrill Lynch offer e-support services to their employees. Though focused on consumers and small-business users who don't have internal information technology departments, PCsupport. Observers say a critical factor is that Internet-connected customers feel more comfortable transacting business over the Net and don't necessarily need the reassurance of speaking with another human being. Supporting them is critical to retaining them as customers.