The Pixel and Pixel XL aren't designed just for the hardcore Android enthusiast. Google has been moving that direction since the release of the Galaxy Nexus, and last year's Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X were developer phones in name only. Besides a brand change, Google's new phones are no longer built for the people who know how to flash them or like to tinker with things that go beep. They'll still be able to flash all the things for those of us who want to go there, but the design and features are aimed squarely at the consumer market. That means customer support is an area where Google has to improve. A lot.
Enter 24/7 live support.
If you have a Pixel, you'll find a tab in the phone settings that has only one function — a way to get help when you need help. Available all the time through a phone call or a chat, someone from Google is there to answer your questions when things go wrong or you need help figuring out something. Android can be a bit daunting for folks used to something much simpler. It doesn't stop there, either.
Support is one of the areas Google has to improve if they want to sell a phone to everyone.
A Google support agent will be able to walk you through most any issue and get you on the right track. But if they can't, you'll be able to share your screen with them so they can see exactly what you're seeing and be better able to help you. You have to agree to share some data with Google to use the support features, and you have to accept any request to share your screen — nothing is automatic here. We all have been in a situation where seeing was the best way to be doing.
As mentioned, support is one of the areas Google has to improve if they want to sell a phone to everyone. Ask around and talk to people who have had to contact support for problems with their Nexus phone, and you'll soon find more than a handful of horror stories mixed in with the satisfied customers. Sending your mom to a Python-powered web page and having her go through a long list of questions to get help with the Hangouts app is as bad of an idea as it sounds. Most folks don't want to be bothered and just want their phone to work.
Having a live person to answer all of your questions is a great way to garner brand loyalty.
Google's not the first company to offer something like this. Amazon does it for their Fire HD tablet and the now-defunct Fire phone, and it was one of the highlights of the product line. Giving your customers a real live person to talk to anytime they need some help is a great selling point for a large segment of the people looking to buy a new phone. How you treat your customers after the sale is a big part of any decision to buy from you again. Google's 24/7 support method looks great, and if the support they offer through it is good they'll gain plenty of repeat customers.
