Content Key for IT Support Service

Breadth of services is what attracts users to Attenza's computer support portal

By Emily Kay

February 19, 2001 12:00 PM ET

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Computerworld - Eighteen months and $500,000 into the implementation of an IT online help desk support system, Visa International Inc. dumped its project in favor of a mix of customized online support services that includes tutorials, instant tips and other support and training content from Dallas-based Attenza Inc., formerly known as Service911.com Inc.
The original system "took a lot of effort to implement, and it turned out it was kind of an empty shell," says Lloyd Steadman, chief consultant in network integration at the Foster City, Calif.-based credit card company, which has 21,000 financial institution members. "There was no compelling content," he says.
"When it comes to self-help sites, content is everything," says Steadman, and "Attenza has a huge wealth of content."

			Attenza Inc. Location: 1525 North Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, Texas 75207 Telephone: (214) 369-3499 Web: www.service911.com The technology: Web-based IT help desk support and electronic-learning services Why it's worth watching: The shortage of technical-support professionals makes outsourcing help desk support attractive. Company officers: Lawrence Schwartz, founder, CEO and chairman; Mark Thompson, president; Ray Balestri, chief operating officer Milestones: 1996: Company founded as Fixx My PC 1999: Name changed to Service911.com; focus shifted to Internet-based support 2001: Changed name to Attenza Inc. Employees: Approximately 100 Burn money: $33 million from W.R. Hambrecht and Co., CNET Networks Inc., ZDNet, Ask Jeeves Inc., Richmont Capital Partners LLP and others Services/pricing: Setup and development fees of $50,000 to $100,000, plus usage and monthly maintenance and hosting fees. Customers: Egghead.com, American Airlines Inc., Exxon Mobil Corp., Mary Kay Inc., Visa International and others Partners: BancTec Inc., Buy.Com Inc., McAfee.com Corp. and Support.com Inc. Red flags for IT: Service requires a working PC connected to the Internet. With no telephone support, the service is a help desk supplement rather than a replacement.

What the start-up offers Visa and many other large corporate clients is a variety of Web-based computer support services that includes live chat with technicians, e-mail support and video, and text tutorials, says Lawrence Schwartz, founder and CEO of Attenza. And a series of acquisitions, including the purchase of online learning content developers Learnlots.com and BizWorks Inc., has built up Attenza's tutorial library.
The e-support service is available for in-house IT help desk functions or can be repackaged to transparently serve a company's external customers. Through what it calls its Webskin content delivery infrastructure, Attenza claims that it can deploy within days a private-label corporate product that includes a customized look and feel.
That was attractive to Glen Hamilton, business and product development vice president

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