Qunu is offering a new twist on the help desk concept for IT support. Rather than talk to people reading scripts, why not talk to people that actually use the software? Qunu connects people with some free time and the knowledge to people looking for help in realtime, via their website using IM (although this could be done similarly with VoIP). They are initially going to operate for free but will be adding a premium pay-for-service option soon.

I like their motto "search for people, not documents".

Could something like this work at Case? Imagine that you could sign onto a service, note your area of specialty, and answer live questions for other people at Case. Rather than ITS paying a third party for this support, the system could automatically initiate a departmental charge-back between the helper and the helpee. Obviously the quality of the support is key and Qunu has an appropriate ranking/reputation system in place. Even students with free time could offer support. Why not use what we already have? We could use this as a supplement to 368-HELP, to lower call volume and support costs, not necessarily a replacement.

I have questions about whether the overall system could be economical for stand-alone organizations, but I suppose we will see. It seems there would be an efficiency tipping point. 1000 users? 10,000 users? It would depend on the software, the user base, and helper availability.

Keep an eye on Qunu and remember the possibilities for larger organizations like Case.