[LINK] Helpouts

stephen at melbpc.org.au stephen at melbpc.org.au
Sat Nov 9 17:23:26 AEDT 2013


This could become quite big in future, I don't know.

Last Thursday, with a soft launch, Google announced that they are 
effectively entering the education-provider business in Australia.


https://plus.google.com/+GoogleAustralia/posts

Google Australia
7th Nov 2013
 
Introducing Helpouts: Help when you need it over live video 

What if getting help for a computer glitch, a leaky pipe, or a homework 
problem were as easy as clicking a button? What if you could connect via 
real-time video to a music teacher or a yoga instructor from the comfort of 
your home? 


Helpouts

https://helpouts.google.com/home

Share what you know by giving Helpouts

Helpouts is a new way to share knowledge and expertise over live video. 
Connect with customers in a one-on-one video call.

Why give a Helpout?

Helpouts gives you an opportunity to use your knowledge to teach others. 
It's easy to use, works on desktop and mobile devices and incorporates live 
video, scheduling and payments.

Immediate and global reach

Get instant access to customers, unrestricted by geography, time-zone or 
currency. Make your service accessible from anywhere.

Convenient and flexible

Set up your schedule — decide what time works for you, give Helpouts at 
home or on the go, on your computer or mobile device.

Get paid for helping

Pick your price — set your own rate for each Helpout and get paid easily 
using Google Wallet. Charge a fixed price per Helpout or set a per-minute 
rate.

Browse Helpouts:

Art & Music
Computers & Electronics
Cooking
Education & Careers
Fashion & Beauty
Fitness & Nutrition
Health
Home & Garden


Introduction to Helpouts

Helpouts is an easy and convenient way to get help over live video. No 
matter who you are, where you are, or what time it is, you can talk to 
someone who can help you.

Here’s what Helpouts offers:

A wide variety of providers. People offering help through Helpouts can be 
large, medium, or small companies as well as individuals. We call them 
Helpout providers. They were invited by Google to participate and had to 
pass our screening process to qualify as a Helpout provider. Providers 
create and maintain listings that explain what they offer, their 
qualifications, their prices, and their schedules. You can find the help 
you need by searching Helpouts, by browsing our categories, or through 
direct links on the web.

Live interactive video. When you start a Helpout, a video window will pop 
up, and you can see the provider and they can see you. During the session, 
you can point your camera to show what you need help with. For example, you 
can point your camera at a broken appliance or your fingers trying to play 
the guitar. If you don’t want the provider to be able to see you, you can 
always turn off your camera.

If for some reason the connection breaks, a link to rejoin the Helpout will 
appear. Don’t worry, you’ll only be charged for the time you were 
connected. And if both you and the provider agree ahead of time, a 
recording of the Helpout will be created and automatically saved in your 
Google Drive that’s linked to your Google+ account.

Scheduling flexibility. There are two ways to get a Helpout -- instantly 
and scheduled. Search results and category listings include the 
availability of each provider. When a listing has a green “Available for 
live help now” button, you are just a few clicks away from getting help 
instantly. If a provider is busy helping someone else, you can wait for 
them to become available. You’ll be able to see your place in line, and it 
will be updated as people ahead of you finish. You can decide to leave the 
queue at any time. Otherwise, every listing has a link to the provider’s 
Helpouts calendar. You can pick a time slot or send a message to request a 
new one. And once a Helpout is scheduled, it can automatically be added to 
your Google calendar, and we’ll send you a notification 5 minutes before 
the scheduled start to remind you. You can choose how you want to be 
notified either through email, SMS, or directly on the site through 
Helpouts settings.

Payments. All payments are done through Google Wallet. That means, you’ll 
need to have a Google Wallet account set up prior to the start of a paid 
session. Free Helpouts sessions don’t require a Wallet account. Payments 
using Google Wallet are easy and secure. We offer a full money-back 
guarantee. If you are not satisfied with a Helpout, we’ll refund your 
money.

Pricing options. There are two kinds of pricing based on either a per 
minute or per Helpout session. Prices are set by the providers. Some 
providers offer both options at the same time, leaving it up to you to 
decide which one is best for you.

Reviews. At the end of each Helpout, you’ll be asked to write a review. We 
strongly encourage you to write a review to help others decide whether this 
Helpout is right for them.

Ability to share your favorite Helpout. You can easily share your favorite 
Helpout through Google+, Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube.

Tools. During a Helpout you can choose from a list of available tools that 
give you more options. These tools currently include things like the 
ability to take a photo during a Helpout, to allow the provider access to 
your computer remotely to help you fix a problem, or to access your Google 
Drive documents, photos, and presentations.

Ready to get started? Visit Helpouts to create a listing.


Money back guarantee

If you are not completely happy with your experience, Helpouts has a 100% 
Money Back Guarantee. First, we’ll suggest that you request a refund from 
the Provider of your Helpout.  If the Provider does not issue a 
satisfactory refund, and you have complied with Helpouts Terms of Service 
and policies, Google will issue a refund. If you would like  a refund, 
please contact us here.

Note: Since we will use the recording of a Helpout to review each 100% 
Money Back Guarantee request, if you opt out of having your Helpout 
recorded, you forfeit your eligibility for the guarantee. 
(Read more about Recording of Helpouts here.)

Refund request process:

1) You can request a refund from the Provider of the Helpout.  A Provider 
can choose to grant a voluntary refund for a variety of reasons.

Note: This refund request must be made within 72 hours of the end of the 
Helpout.  

2) If you aren’t satisfied with the refund offered by the Provider, you can 
appeal the Provider’s decision through the Helpouts 100% Money Back 
Guarantee.  We then may review the Quality Assurance Recording of the 
Helpout.  If you have complied with Helpouts policies and our terms of 
service, you will be issued a refund.

Providers will be reimbursed if they have complied with Helpouts Terms of 
Service and policies.

Note: Some types of Helpouts cannot be reviewed because our policy 
disallows the quality assurance recording (e.g., a Helpout marked as a 
“health service”). Helpouts that are not recorded due to Helpouts policy 
exclusions are eligible for the 100% Money Back Guarantee. (Read more about 
Recording of Helpouts here.)


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