Salesforce.com is giving users of its Desk.com support application new features for embedding videos into support articles and Web pages, a move the vendor says will let them give their customers the help they need faster and more efficiently than text-based documentation alone.
While Salesforce.com already made video embedding possible in Desk.com, as competitors such as Freshdesk and Zendesk have done with their own products, the update announced Tuesday adds templates, analytics and an integration with Vimeo, all aimed at making the process easier and the results more effective.
There are a number of obvious use cases for video on support sites, said Sarah Varni, vice president of marketing at Desk.com
For one thing, a well-produced video “ensures your customers know how to use your product from day one,” she said.
Videos that respond to customers’ most common questions or complaints can take care of “those repetitive types of cases that are taking up a lot of [support representatives’] time,” Varni added.
Adding a video to an article requires embedding just a bit of code, Salesforce.com showed in a demonstration of the capabilities. It’s also providing custom templates which can be used to create video-based help centers that pull together videos on related topics in one place.
While videos from any site can be used within Desk.com, customers with a subscription to Vimeo PRO can embed its HD video player inside the application. Vimeo PRO is a premium service that offers dedicated storage for video hosting and a player that can be customized visually to a company’s liking.
Finally, Desk.com will provide analytics on video usage, giving companies a means of judging what type of content is working the best, Salesforce.com said.