It has a huge number of firms listed in its iPhone and Android app, and you just need to select the one you want to talk to, and press “Have someone call me.” FastCustomer automatically goes through the IVR options, waits to get the employee on the line and then connects you to them.

The service is currently available only in the US but eventually plans to expand to other countries. They also plan to have paid plans too. For now, it is completely free to use. So use it if you are in the US to save time and energy on customer care calls.

Features

• Skip long waiting times on customer care calls.
• Available as iPhone and Android app.
• Similar tools:  LucyPhone, IVRHacks, DialAHuman and GetHuman.

Check out FastCustomer @ www.fastcustomer.com (By Abhijeet from GT Mobiles)

Internet Buttons is a free to use website. The site lets you place brightly colored buttons on a webpage. These buttons act as shortcuts to other URLs. You choose how many buttons to place on your webpage; your selection is saved through the account you create. You can name the buttons whatever you want and choose a different color for each button. Through a public URL to your buttons page you can access the startpage from anywhere.

This simple way of labeling the web shortcuts through brightly colored buttons will definitely be preferred by people new to computers and the Internet.

Features:

• A user friendly web service.
• Lets you create a startpage brightly colored buttons for net illiterate.
• Buttons are shortcuts to URLs.
• The buttons are completely customizable.
• Helps make the Internet easier to use.
• Similar tools:  Teach Parents Tech, LMPTFY and Let Me Google That For You.

Check out “Internet Buttons” @ www.internetbuttons.org (by MOin from ThumbPress)

As you can see in the screenshots above, you can fill in the details, select the videos you want to include and then share it via email (or via social sites). The resulting email is neatly organized, no matter how many videos you choose.

Features

• Tech support for dummies.
• Send how-to videos to your parents to help them understand computers.
• No registration needed.
• Select from over 50 videos in different categories.

Check out Teach Parents Tech @ www.teachparentstech.org (by Abhijeet from GT Cool Stuff)

You can assign tickets to different team members, specify a list of activities for each ticket and assign team members to each activity. You can also sort tickets in your dashboard by status such as started, on hold and waiting. New users can be added, deleted and assigned to tickets by the admin. All the activities related to a ticket can be timed, tracked and commented on for easy collaboration.

Features:

• Create, manage web based help desk and share support tickets.
• Sort tickets by status and assign to different users.
• Split tickets into activities.
• Generate time cards and other reports.

Visit JazzDesk @ www.jazzdesk.com

LucyPhone is a free web service that acts as a customer telephone switchboard so that you don’t have to wait on hold again when calling customer service.

To use LucyPhone, go to the website and search for a company name or type any toll-free number. Then enter your phone number and click the start button to initiate the service. LucyPhone will call you first then patch you through to the company. Interact with the company’s phone menu normally and once you are put on hold, just press ** and your call will be disconnected.

Once an agent is available on the line to talk to you, LucyPhone will call you back straight away and connect you to the customer service representative. You may also repeat pressing ** when you are put on hold again.

For more info watch demo video:

Features:

• Never wait on hold when calling customer service.
• Add a company’s number to the LucyPhone directory.
• Tweet about your LucyPhone call or publish it in Facebook.
• Free, signup is optional.
• Similar tools: IVRHacks, DialAHuman and GetHuman.

Check out LucyPhone @ www.lucyphone.com

Apart from system information, it also gives you details about the web browser such as the browser size, whether JavaScript and cookies are enabled or disabled, and the Flash version in use.

The best part is that you can copy each of the details as text, if need be. Once the data is gathered, users can quickly send this information to an e-mail address, or they can export the report as a PDF or CSV file.

Features:

• Easily gather technical data about a system like the operating system, interent browser settings, color depth, etc.
• Copy each detail as text.
• Export the gathered data as a PDF or CSV file.
• Quickly send the details to a friend via e-mail.
• Free for use, no registration required.

Check out Support Details @ www.supportdetails.com (by Srikanth AD from Techonaut)

Initially it is meant for Windows 7 users and later on it will be expanded to Microsoft’s other business units. It’s certainly a nice initiative by Microsoft to let its customers have another medium, which might become the fastest way to get their Windows 7 issues resolved.

Features:

• Real time support by Microsoft on twitter.
• Initially it will support only Windows 7.
• Get your answers within 24 hours.
• Uses CoTweet as the delivery platform.

Check out @MicrosoftHelps @ twitter.com/MicrosoftHelps (by Abhijeet from Jeet Blog)

Service is free for consumers and paid for businesses. Once you register you can access your account from any Internet enabled device, save your most called companies and frequently used numbers (PINs, account numbers etc.), record calls and more. Sign up to get started.

Watch Fonolo on ABC News:

Features:

• Skip automated phone systems and connect directly to your desired extension.
• One click calling – instantly dial “common actions” for most companies.
• Includes extensive list of companies in its database.
• Quick tones – save your frequently used numbers (account numbers, PINs etc).
• Add frequent calls to a bookmark list and access them with one click.
• Records calls and add notes.
• Phones menus of companies constantly updated as they change.
• Free for consumers. Sign up to start using.
• Similar websites: IVRHacks, DialAHuman and GetHuman.

Check out Fonolo @ www.fonolo.com

The site currently lists shortcuts to major service providers in 5 countries (Australia, Canada, USA, New Zealand and UK). Users can search the site by company name or browse by categories.

Features:

• Database of phone shortcuts that can be used to bypass automated robots and speak to a human.
• Currently lists only the companies based in 5 countries: Australia, Canada, USA, New Zeland and UK.
• Browse companies by category (banking, cable, government, telecommunication, insurance etc).
• Contribute by adding new numbers and reporting faulty ones.
• If the company you are looking for is not listed on IVRHacks then you may try searching for it on other similar websites like DialAHuman and GetHuman.

Check out IVR Hacks @ www.ivrhacks.com

Questions are sorted according to their popularity, as measured by the number of views, answers and votes. Users can browse questions by tags, by popularity or search topics using site search engine.

Active members can collect reputation points and enjoy further editing privileges, which includes retagging others’ questions, creating new tags, editing user posts and more.

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Features:

• Q & A site for server problems and network related issues.
• Questions are sorted according to their popularity as measured by the number of views, answers and votes.
• Ask or answer questions without registration.
• Sign up to be able to vote on questions and answers.
• Enjoy further member privileges by collecting reputation points.
• Similar website: TechGuy.

Check out Serverfault @ www.serverfault.com