Helpouts by Google Connects People to Help Each Other Real Time

Internet Giant Google all set to launch Google Helpouts, a new initiative to connect people who need help with people who can give help, either in real time or in live video. Needy can get help from experts like teachers, counselors, doctors, home repair experts, personal trainers, hobby enthusiasts etc. They can choose who to get help from based on qualifications, availability, ratings and reviews.

Helpouts is likely to launch sooner, Google says. People who are interested in sharing their skills and expertise can visit Google Helpout’s Coming Soon site to submit applications.

Accessing Helpouts

[advt]Scheduling and paying for help will be easy and Helpouts will be accessible from any device. One must have a Google Plus account to use Helpouts. Users can create one while they sign up if they don’t have one. Helpouts are face to face video calls powered by Google Plus Hangouts.

Anyone can start and join a video call from any PC, Android, iPhone and iPad devices. The Helpouts platform takes care of the setup and maintenance associated with delivering services from payment to scheduling, to reputation management and to customer acquisition.

Users need an invitation code to sign up as a provider with which they can create Helpouts listings. Since Google Helpouts are hosted via Hangouts video calls and in order to give or join Helpouts, a device must meet some technical requirements.

Minimum System Requirements to setup Helpouts Account

[advt]Helpouts have support to Google Chrome, Microsoft Internet Explorer 10+, Mozilla Firefox and Safari browsers only. Also Helpouts supports Operating Systems such as Mac OS X, Windows, Chrome, Ubuntu and other Debian based Linux distributions.

For video calls, users need to have a broadband connection to the Internet and Google Helpouts will need a 150 minute check in to make sure that the users are still there. The minimum Processor requirements includes any 2 GHz Dual Core processor or greater and the internet connection should have at least 1 Mbps (up/down) bandwidth.

Fees and Payments in Helpouts

Providers can offer Helpouts either for free or they can charge for the session. Providers and customers will need to use Google Wallet for the payment, if charged. Helpouts will assist users in setting up a merchant account with Google Wallet.

20% platform fee will be applied to paid Helpouts, which includes credit card transaction and Wallet fees. If platform fees are not paid, access to Helpouts may be suspended or terminated.

Don’ts in Helpouts

Providers and Customers are not allowed to ask for payments outside Helpouts after creating a Helpouts listing. Also promoting a personal or professional website to direct Customers away from Helpouts to another online venue is also prohibited.

Users are banned from including direct contact information like phone numbers and email addresses in a Helpouts listing. Also they cannot ask customers to make an additional purchase or action outside Helpouts to receive a service.

Helpouts offers 100% Money Back Guarantee and Chargeback resolution for the payments made within Helpouts platform and it will not give assurance for these services outside Helpouts platform.