Salesforce’s recent announcement that it would add a built-in help button to its apps has launched speculation on the future of built-in help for apps. The announcement comes on the heels of Amazon’s “Mayday button,” which has become a popular part of the app since debuting last fall.

One-Click Help

As Salesforce pointed out, the feature addresses an unmet demand in mobile apps today. While websites are increasingly deploying live chat as an option for visitors, mobile software lacks this ability. From Amazon’s Mayday to Salesforce’s SOS, this feature allows customers to receive instant help at any time with just a click.

Salesforce will push its new feature out later this year, trying it out in beta before making it publicly available. In addition to being part of Salesforce’s suite of apps, the company will also provide platform APIs to allow businesses to incorporate the functionality into their own apps.

Video Support

Like Amazon’s Mayday button, SOS will give users the choice of help via live video chat or a one-way video request. This has been an interesting experience for Amazon, who has seen everything from marriage proposals to serenades. Callers also frequently request actress Amy Paffrath, who is the face of Mayday in Amazon’s TV commercials.

With Amazon’s Mayday calls, customers have the advantage of being hidden from view. While they can see the support rep who takes their calls, the reps can’t see the person at the other end. This gives customers the convenience of making calls in their PJs, before they’ve put on makeup or showered.

For the many businesses that regularly rely on the cloud for daily tasks, this technology is good news. As it migrates from Amazon to Salesforce and beyond, it will likely soon become part of the way users get help for the tasks they perform each day.