A Help Line Online

When the computer breaks, the path to technical help is often complicated and expensive. Call a toll number, punch in a credit card number and get ready to wait on hold for a technical support specialist who may or may not be able to trouble-shoot the problem.

The result is cranky, bitter customers.

Hoping to offset this problem and appease clients’ anger, software companies such as TouchStone Software Corp. are using Internet chat as a way to solve people’s computer troubles for free. The Huntington Beach company, which makes anti-virus software and programs that boost a user’s telephone modem speed, launched its online help service in February.

“I needed to find a way to help more customers without having the luxury of hiring more staff,” said Neil Gipson, the company’s technical support supervisor. “Chat seemed to be the answer. It’s fast, easy, cheap and you can talk to more than one person at a time.”

Consumers sign onto the company’s Web site to reach the chat room. Once there, they can immediately reach a technical support person and describe their problem.

So far, the online service has worked well both for users and the company. Officials say the chat room has helped drop customers’ telephone calls for help by 30%.

The live chat is open limited hours now, but the company plans to make it available 24 hours a day by September, Gipson said.

P.J. Huffstutter covers high technology for The Times. She can be reached at (714) 966-7830 and at p.j.huffstutter@latimes.com.