A detailed write-up on the support.com experience from Ginny in Chicago.  Ginny - thanks for sharing!

The Website

The Home Page is in simple colors and is a very clean, concise page without an excess of verbiage. The program/price is charted to enable the visitor to easily see the cost of the various programs. The three plans available on the home page chart cover the needs of virtually everyone with a personal, family or home office plan. 

The visitor has the capability to click on the desired product and buy it immediately.

The site offers gift cards, one time fixes and  “chat with an expert”. All is clickable for easy access. There is a free forum where visitors have the capability to post questions and receive answers.

Tech support covers a wide variety of products including desktop, laptop, smart phone, audio players, digital cameras, game consoles, printers, office software, antivirus software, operating systems, internet browsers, media software, other software, notebook, and routers of a variety of companies.

 It seems there is no computer-related product they will not deal with, so the membership is a huge value not only for their excellent customer service, but also for the variety of products included in their services.

support.com also provides customers with a customer specific referral program, which is a bonus program. Each customer receives three uniquely numbered discount coupons which can only be used once. When the new customer uses the coupon given to them, the giver receives a $15 gift certificate. The customer can ask the company for more referral coupons.

I would recommend them without the coupons, but it is an impressive program.  Nothing is more impressive as a recommendation by someone who has already used a product and can offer first hand experience/praise to a potential customer.

Customer Service 

I visited the website and called and spoke with Scott to make me comfortable about the service and my concern giving access to my computer to someone whom I did not know. He assured me that he could not access my computer without my permission and I had the power to disconnect him at any time. He said if there were any area on my computer  which I wanted to be private, I simply had to tell him it was off limits.

Scott explained for future needs, the subscriber clicks on the icon that is support and it opens a window and creates a new ticket and then I call with the ticket number and there will be a connect button to click on.

Scott advised me that the company makes sure their employees have great customer service backgrounds.

Subscribing to the service:

It was simple to sign up online and pay with a credit card and then call a number to receive my service. Quick! Easy! Smooth procedure!  After my information and credit card was processed, I was immediately given a ticket number and after placing a phone call, I was connected with Michael who then took over my computer and downloaded their necessary software.  I was able to observe everything he did and everywhere he went as he spoke with me on the phone the entire time.

He explained he logs into the computer remotely and that he was then going to do a “tune-up” which he proceeded to do, removing spybot software which he said was slowing down my computer and informing me that two spyware programs were unnecessary. He answered any and all questions as I watched him work remotely.

He said they were open every day, 365 days a year from 8AM EST to 2AM EST so I could log in and never have to wait for help. “You have the benefit of collective thinking to resolve problems. If I do not have the answer, someone else here will.”

Once he installed the program, he showed me all I had to do was double click on their icon now on my desktop to get help. I call 1-800-PC-Support and service is instant.

Michael worked with me for over an hour and we looked at everything together and he was very patient with "computerese” terms which I did not understand. It was a joint process. As someone not as computer savvy as the younger generation, the process was totally comfortable and adequately explained.

Michael said, “Our customers are our livelihood and you are the most important asset we have. We want to have a home with you. We have the most patience in the industry. We are goal oriented and not just problem oriented. We focus on solutions and not just problems.”

I was totally impressed that all of my concerns and questions were answered. There was no rush. I imagine he would have stayed on with me for 24 hours if that is what it took to solve the problem. The hour plus which Michael took for this first experience totally hooked me on the service. It is impressive the initial process of  their service  is the necessary “tuneup” of the computer which  allows them to give an immediate demonstration  of their product/service.

After one experience, I would not want to have the computer serviced any other way. Granted, it was just a tune-up of a problem free computer, so the true test will be when there is something malfunctioning on the computer, although he found software installed on the computer that slowed it down. However, after my initial experience with them, I have no doubt they would be efficient at fixing a problem expeditiously.

As much as I like and trust my computer technician that comes to my home, I was impressed that not only did Michael explain everything that he was doing, but the second I needed help, I had someone. Dave is so busy that I might call him one day and he might not be able to get here for several days.

It is significant that the minute you sign up for the service, you have to interface with them to get their software followed by a tune-up of the computer so they are demonstrating their value immediately to new customers. And it was WOW customer service.

I believe the customer service and time spent with me today paid for the year’s subscription in one hour. There is incredible value provided by the product as impressively demonstrated the first time they are utilized. I would have paid my computer tech at a minimum one half of their year’s subscription rate just in this one installation procedure today.

I would absolutely recommend this service. The customer service was astounding. Personable, efficient, and patient.

Summary

In the initial interface using their service, I had an outstanding experience. It was totally thorough and professional and I did not feel as if I were rushed. Being a novice in all things computer, their service was exemplary in their patience and the knowledge imparted in easy- to- grasp verbiage.

In only one experience, this company is exceptional at the point of sale. When a client has a need for help with a computer, it is available instantly, with no appointment necessary, and the help is not only instant, but professional, and courteous with obvious expertise.