Comcast is investing hundreds of millions of dollars in improving its public image (and hopefully its customer service), and part of that revamp is taking place in the newly relaunched Comcast support forums, where customers can get help from the people best poised to answer their questions: other Comcast customers.

Granted, there are also several Comcast employees answering questions on the new forums — including one who uses my “Have a Comcastic Day” photo from 2007 as his avatar, so at least he’s got a sense of humor — but the focus seems to be on a community of customers with know-how who can assist other customers in a wide variety of issues.

“We’re fortunate to have a small but passionate group of independent Experts who are customers just like you and are committed to help you with whatever question you might have,” writes Jared Schultheis, Comcast’s Executive Director of Customer Service Strategy & Operations. “These experts have helped us keep the community lively, and we hope this redesign is something they appreciate, too.”

The company is trying to encourage helpful customer feedback with a list of “Top Kudoed Authors” for non-employee posters who get the most virtual high-fives for their responses.

Comcast says it has also improved its forum search ability to suggest topics in real time as you type.

Any change that Comcast makes to respond to customers’ problems more efficiently is a good thing, even if it relies in part on other customers stepping up to help out.

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