Ian Landsman is Starting From Scratch, June 21, 2006:
A New Product for UserScape?
If you're in the market for a powerful and user friendly Help Desk solution, please take a look at my company's flagship product HelpSpot.So I've had this idea kicking around my head for a few months and I've finally started putting some ideas to paper (Omni Outliner actually). This one is a little bit bigger challenge in that it's competition isn't as clear cut as HelpSpot, but there are people looking for solutions to this problem. It will also be a self hosted web based app.
There's no rush on this. I still have lots to do with HelpSpot before any actual work progresses on the new idea. I would expect it to be more than a year until serious work will begin on it, but I think it's good to get things rolling early. I like to have time to ponder various aspects and make sure it's the right market to enter.
Sorry to be so ambiguous, but I don't want to put details out there until it's a full GO. If it gets to that point you can be sure I'll be posting about the idea and getting your feedback.
Discussion
That's a big clue. The new product will be CelebrityGossipSpot, then?
Created by Lee on 06.21.2006 10:06 am
You could make vertical versions of HelpSpot. There are a lot of non-IT industries that have to process customer requests in a similar way to a help desk. For instance, in my co-op we have to write up paper requests to get work done in our apartments. It would be nice if we could email the management company, and log on and see when the super plans on doing the work.
Created by Lee on 06.21.2006 10:06 am
The one thing Helpspot is missing is CRM so i'm betting CRM!!!
Created by Ari on 06.21.2006 10:06 am
Of course that's on the ToDo list already 
Created by Ian on 06.21.2006 10:06 am
Hey, all I have to say is, give me a buzz when it's design time.
Created by Mike Rohde on 06.21.2006 10:06 am
Yeah I live in there. I do all my product planning in it, list bugs in it, list feature requests in it, new ideas. Everything is in there.
Created by Ian on 06.21.2006 10:06 am
Dude, I love OmniOutliner! I discovered that app sitting in my Applications folder, and now I'm all about it.
Created by Michael Sica on 06.21.2006 10:06 am
This is the great thing about blogs. When I announce the product we'll be able to look back and see if you were right. If you are I'll send you a lollipop
Created by Ian on 06.21.2006 10:06 am
My guess is this is for one of the following markets:
1- Real estate
2- Project Managment (since your product helpspot is somewhat of a project management tool, its possible that you got some ideas for another project management product along the way).
Do I get a lollipop if I guessed right??
Created by Ali on 06.21.2006 10:06 am
Hey that's a good name. I bet the domain is still available!
Created by Ian on 06.21.2006 10:06 am
OK. The only hint I'll give right now is that it's in one of these markets:
http://www.userscape.com/blog/2006/06/11/nice-markets-for-the-potential-isv/
I'm not going to say any more though until I'm sure I want to do it. So at least a few months. I probably shouldn't have posted at all, but I hate keeping secrets
Created by Ian on 06.21.2006 10:06 am
Yea, tease!
Cmon, give us some hints at least.
Created by Ali on 06.21.2006 10:06 am
Tease! 
Created by Kevin Dangoor on 06.21.2006 10:06 am
Interesting idea Lee. Actually there are a good percentage of my customers using HelpSpot outside of standard IT already, but I agree the marketing and general presentation are IT oriented. My concern with the idea is how to
A) Reach the non-IT types efficiently
B) Will they be able to host it?
A is really the big issue as there's several ways around B. Moving to non-IT takes HelpSpot from a market where people are actively searching for solutions to one where I have to convince them they have a problem. For instance your management company probably isn't out looking for a way to interact with their apartment dwellers via email.
-----
Created by Ian on 06.21.2006 10:06 am