Setting up your own IT helpdesk with Crossloop Marketplace
I am a bit behind with the news at the moment due to work pressures and health issues so this feature introduced by Crossloop is not that new but I am still fascinated nonetheless. Marketplace enables you to use the Crossloop remote desktop software to run your own IT helpdesk support for computer issues that you are proficient in handling.
People can search for you by keyword on the Crossloop main page, depending on what you have specified your skills to be :
People can then browse through the Crossloop profiles (here is mine) of the people who fit the bill and they can pick the person they prefer and you’ll then get an email from Crossloop telling you that you’ve been picked. You can then sit at your end in your comfy computer chair, fix the problem, bill them and go on your way. I’m not entirely clear on when you c0me into contact with the client (Crossloop doesn’t make that clear) but I’m sure it isn’ t that difficult once you get started.
At the moment, Crossloop isn’t charging any fees for sending business your way but that will obviously change in the future. The service will apparently always be free for people looking for PC help so it will probably always be popular for them. Well, it’s free for them in terms of the fact that they never have to pay Crossloop for the referral to the expert. But of course they will have to pay the expert for the advice and the work.
It will be interesting to see what percentage Crossloop will eventually ask for and how they will collect it (Paypal?). Will they go the Skype Prime route and take a really hefty greedy chunk up-front or will they go the sensible route and take a nice slim amount, realising that this encourages users to generate more business and therefore more income in the long term? I sincerely hope the latter.
This is a shot across the bows at places like eLance and also at IT help places like Geek Squad which has a bad rap in the US. Perhaps online ventures like this might start to restore people’s faith in IT support professionals?
I previously covered Crossloop in a Make Use Of article in December last year and for Geeks Are Sexy in November last year. It’s a great application and a worthy addition to your computer.
Related posts:
