These days there’s an app for absolutely everything (if you haven’t already heard). AT&T’s free Mark the Spot app for the iPhone brings the country’s app obsession to a new arena: Customer Support.

Customers use Mark the Spot to report dead zones and locations of poor audio quality to AT&T. So when you’re on your phone and the call drops (and you embarrassingly find yourself talking to, well, yourself), just pull up the app and report it.

The AT&T application is an interesting take on customer support crowdsourcing and proactive PR. For marketers, there are plenty of reasons to crowdsource for customer support information.

Show your attentiveness: You know the old saying that the customer is always right? It still holds up today. When you allow customers to participate, you affirm your commitment to them and strengthen your brand’s relationship with the public.  

Increase transparency: Audiences are all-too-familiar with the bravado and over-promises of companies’ marketing claims. And odds are they’ve spent several hours of their lives on hold with customer service. Apps such as Mark the Spot not only let users control the pace of the customer support experience — they show that while your company isn’t perfect, you’re doing your best to improve the customer experience.

Foster dialogue: Online, conversation is the name of the game. Applications can provide customers with new, easy-to-use forums to share their thoughts and opinions with companies. Candid customer feedback is an invaluable asset for companies as they evaluate their product lines and develop new offerings.

Slash costs: An obvious one, but still important. Compared to the costs of staffing a call center, applications are a cost-effective way to gather and document customer feedback.

In a do-it-yourself era, customers are willing and able to help — especially when their efforts will result in improved products and services. Marketers should take note.