Search engines – they are the Internet’s most powerful tool because they allow you to go through a massive number of websites and displaying the results that are looked for in just a matter of seconds. These tools come in handy anytime you’re looking for some piece of information, whether for work or pleasure. However, one of the frustrating things that can happen when using a search engine is that, despite all the information dumped on your screen, you still can’t find what you’re looking for. You’ve probably flipped through 3-4 pages of results and some of the websites shown are either not there and you see the dreaded 404 error message or they do not display the information you need.
Well, here’s an interesting new player in the market. A brainchild of Scott Jones and launched in September 2006, ChaCha brings the definition of search engine to a whole new level. It incorporates the workings of a search engine with the human touch to get you the results that you need. You can choose between the simple search engines, very much how like the normal search engines operate, or you can “chat” with an online “Guide” who will help you sift through the numerous results generated from your query.
This is what makes ChaCha unique - the human factor. It’s like going to the library and asking the librarian specific information about a topic and she’ll tell you which books at which aisles you can find your answers. It certainly saves time from going through the card catalogue, so to speak.
Another advantage with these “Live Guides” is that since they’re people, they themselves are familiar with some of the topics that you’ll be researching on, so they may already have websites in mind when they see your query which cuts on the time to search. The creators of ChaCha wanted to make sure that these Live Guides will be able to sufficiently answer your queries and in fact undergo training and tests on speed, quality and accuracy prior to actually interacting with users. They will also maintain profiles based on their backgrounds and areas of expertise. And on your part, if you’re satisfied or not with the Live Guide’s performance and help, you will be able to rate him/her.
One concern however is that with a system that employs human guides, just how many guides do you need to employ in order to effectively handle the voluminous search queries? From the time that they were launched, ChaCha has now over 10,000 people to search for you. These guides come from a wide variety of backgrounds, from college students to work-at-home moms, all of whom get invited into the system by “experts” who have already reached the top of the Guide hierarchy. So, hopefully, at any given time, you’ll be able to chat with someone knowledgeable about the topic that you’re looking for. Their profiles and ratings should help in making the searching experience a prolific one.
