Free remote diagnosing tool for iPhone (to cut down callouts)

[Matturner]

Hello guys,

I just wanted to share with you a thing I made. I myself am an IT engineer often doing callouts, or home visits if you prefer. I was fed up with the amount of time I waste by going to the client only to find, that the fix is trivial and I could have solved it on the phone, or that I need some parts, that I could have picked up on the way, had I known.

So a few of my friends and I got together and wrote this app for iPhones. It's called Remoty and it lets you see the problem beforehand, diagnose it to quote and gather needed parts and often solve it remotely.

The app is completely free if you want to use it. No premium, no microtransactions etc. The only thing I would like to ask is, that if you think it needs more functionality or you've found a bug - let me know.

That's it.

Here's the link:
https://app.remoty.com/UAZY/Tr11j6oHWJ

 

[ShaunCorbs]

How is it different to a video call or Skype ?

 

[Matturner]

How is it different to a video call or Skype ?

1. Video is one-sided, so the client can't see you helping them dressed, well, casually. Also, half as much data is transferred due to video stream being one side only - saving your data plan.
2. There's a touch cursor tool helping you explain the client what exactly you want them to manipulate (no more "the red-kinda, maybe pinkish knob in the middle to the left of that bigger switchboard. No, not this one, this is the self-destruct button!")
3. There's screenshot tool with draw and text annotations, that you can send and the client can save them for the future.
4. You don't have to have the client in your contacts - just text them the link to the session.
5. You have a search tool (the client doesn't see that you're searching for anything) for general faq's but also the manualslib (largest in the world database of original product manuals) search. You can open any manual and read the solution to the user while looking like you know everything by heart. Also helpful while searching for error codes (ie. on thermostats, alarm panels etc)

 

[SimonG]

There's water Soding out the boiler or through the ceiling.
What's your little app going to do then?

 

[Matturner]

There's water ****ing out the boiler or through the ceiling.
What's your little app going to do then?

I guess it will help you see where, what's the damage, what stuff you need to take with you and perhaps if you even want the job... It will help you instruct the client how cut the water supply to prevent further damage... It can help in tons of scenarios. You know what the say...a picture is worth a thousand words.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

1. Video is one-sided, so the client can't see you helping them dressed, well, casually. Also, half as much data is transferred due to video stream being one side only - saving your data plan.
2. There's a touch cursor tool helping you explain the client what exactly you want them to manipulate (no more "the red-kinda, maybe pinkish knob in the middle to the left of that bigger switchboard. No, not this one, this is the self-destruct button!")
3. There's screenshot tool with draw and text annotations, that you can send and the client can save them for the future.
4. You don't have to have the client in your contacts - just text them the link to the session.
5. You have a search tool (the client doesn't see that you're searching for anything) for general faq's but also the manualslib (largest in the world database of original product manuals) search. You can open any manual and read the solution to the user while looking like you know everything by heart. Also helpful while searching for error codes (ie. on thermostats, alarm panels etc)

These days vid call isn't one sided as most of the manufacturers use it

Worcester tech is on of the best for using it

So it doesn't connect to/via the internet????

You can screen shot and mark and send it back to them

And if you need to look at a manual the customer needs you there

Also the customer can't remove the case to the boiler to show you wheres its leaking from

Also how do you get paid for your time on the phone 20,30+ minutes etc

Sorry to say I see it as a non starter

 

[SimonG]

Complete ballocks.

 

[Matturner]

These days vid call isn't one sided as most of the manufacturers use it

Sorry I didn't quite get that. By video is one sided I meant, that you see whatever the customer is showing, they don't see you. (you wanted differences between Remoty and Skype)

Worcester tech is on of the best for using it

For using what exactly?

So it doesn't connect to/via the internet????

Yes, it does. But by using video stream only in one direction it uses half as much data as normal video chat apps.

You can screen shot and mark and send it back to them

Yes, you can.

And if you need to look at a manual the customer needs you there

For serious things? Of course. E.g. for low pressure on the boiler you can tell the user which valve to turn to fix. For resetting the boiler - you can tell them what to do after making sure the error code displayed doesn't mean anything serious. It's not meant to replace plumbers. It's meant to limit the amount of unnecessary callouts. You know... Driving 40 minutes to a 30 sec job. And then 40 minutes back. Add chatting to the client and you get 2 hours wasted. Only one of which is paid. I prefer to see what I'm gonna be dealing with before I leave. And sometimes tell the user to flip a switch or two just to make sure I am right about what I think is wrong. But hey, perhaps you don't. Up to you

Also the customer can't remove the case to the boiler to show you wheres its leaking from

Of course they won't. That's your job. You're only using the tool to gather as much intel as you can beforehand.

Also how do you get paid for your time on the phone 20,30+ minutes etc

If you use the tool purely for diagnosis - They pay when you actually show up and fix the issue. If you decide to fix it remotely using their hands - At the moment you just have to ask them to paypal you the money. In a couple of months the app will have the payment mechanism built in.

Thanks for pointing out the potential flaws - if you have any ideas about functions we could add - please share! I will be happy to add them to future releases!

 

[Darren Jackson]

I am sorry but I fail to see how this can really benefit the GSR engineer, We need to be there in person to perform tests and see for ourselves the installation, Even if it means flicking a switch we still get paid a call out fee so it is never a waste of time turning up blind. Infact the easier and more trivial the better so we can move on to the next one. We always ask the basics before we go out anyway, like has a switch been turned off or did you check the batteries etc...