I spent the early boom years in Seattle as co-founder of OpenSpace.com ('97-'00). I walked by Amazon's first office on 2nd street everyday to/from work - the company was a big part of the .com culture in Seattle. I remember arguing with "ecommerce purists" that Amazon would eventually sell via telesales. "They are in the direct response business and couldn't exclude call center sales and only focus on ecommerce." Well, it took 10 years, but I was right. I just saw my first toll free number on the site. They also offer eStara's click to talk option.
It is surprising that there is still such a narrow view of Internet marketing: web in one corner - offline in the other. National sites still either hide their contact phone numbers or do not publish them online. The (flawed) logic is that consumers shopping online can only interact online. What marketers must do is communicate with consumers in the manner they most prefer at that moment (phone, email, chat.) The "local" crowd seems to get this. They are better at using the web to drive offline conversion.
I am speaking at Search Engine Strategies (SES) in Chicago next week on the Local Track. The session is called: "The Transformation of Local in a Search Driven World." The panel will discuss offline transactions that originate online. I call this "revenge of the brick and mortar." I am a loyal Amazon user, but there are certain purchases I want to buy at local retail. Local search applications such as ShopLocal, who will be on the SES panel with me, are getting better at helping me find what's available and what's in stock. The phone will play a crucial role in bridging the last mile to the local merchant.
Here's the link to the SES session
http://www.searchenginestrategies.com/chicago/agenda2.html
Here's the copy from Amazon:
Need Help Deciding Which Audio or Video Product to Buy?
Our product specialists are available to call you Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (CST). You can place your order over the phone or online.
or dial 866-216-1243.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
StartUp Beat: FastCall411 Introduces Mobile Service
StartUP Beat
11/13/07 – Hollywood-based FastCall411, the local pay-per-call listing and search company, has introduced FastCall411 Mobile, a wireless version of the FastCall411 platform. The company says FastCall411 Mobile will formally debut tomorrow at the Mobile Marketing Forum at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel.
FastCall411 Mobile will initially include search for more than 20 categories, including heating and air conditioning contractors, airport transportation services, carpet and rug cleaners, computer service and repair, housecleaning services, painting contractors, rubbish hauling and removal, tree services, and window and glass repair, according to the company.
FastCall 411 offers a service where users can enter a zip code and call-back number via either the web or telephone and be connected to a local business in the selected category. Within seconds, FastCall411 says its automated dialing application contacts as many merchants in the searched category as is necessary to connect the consumer to a relevant merchant who is both available and interested in providing the service, according to the company. The application will automatically dial recommended merchants until the one available merchant is on the phone and ready to satisfy the user’s need, according to FastCall.
11/13/07 – Hollywood-based FastCall411, the local pay-per-call listing and search company, has introduced FastCall411 Mobile, a wireless version of the FastCall411 platform. The company says FastCall411 Mobile will formally debut tomorrow at the Mobile Marketing Forum at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel.
FastCall411 says this new mobile offering provides the same features as its landline service, which simultaneously calls multiple, highly rated local merchants and connectis the consumer with as many available merchants as they choose. The company says FastCall411 Mobile will work with most mobile browsers and most major carriers, including Verizon Wireless, Sprint and AT&T Wireless. The service is free to consumers and will be available first in Los Angeles. FastCall411 says it will expand to other metropolitan areas in 2008
FastCall411 Mobile will initially include search for more than 20 categories, including heating and air conditioning contractors, airport transportation services, carpet and rug cleaners, computer service and repair, housecleaning services, painting contractors, rubbish hauling and removal, tree services, and window and glass repair, according to the company.
FastCall 411 offers a service where users can enter a zip code and call-back number via either the web or telephone and be connected to a local business in the selected category. Within seconds, FastCall411 says its automated dialing application contacts as many merchants in the searched category as is necessary to connect the consumer to a relevant merchant who is both available and interested in providing the service, according to the company. The application will automatically dial recommended merchants until the one available merchant is on the phone and ready to satisfy the user’s need, according to FastCall.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Find local merchants and service providers using FastCall411
Here's a great new post on FastCall411:
"...But wouldn’t it be cool if you needed to find a plumber in your area (any plumber) and instead of getting 10 numbers and then calling each one separately and possibly having to leave messages, etc, if you could just be connected to the plumber that actually picks up the phone? "
Online Tech Tips
http://www.online-tech-tips.com
"...But wouldn’t it be cool if you needed to find a plumber in your area (any plumber) and instead of getting 10 numbers and then calling each one separately and possibly having to leave messages, etc, if you could just be connected to the plumber that actually picks up the phone? "
Online Tech Tips
http://www.online-tech-tips.com
Screenwerk: FastCall 'Widgetizes'
Greg Sterling
As part of a syndication move, FastCall411 is now offering an API and widgets that can reside on partner/affiliate sites. The model, whether in mobile or on the desktop is intended to remedy the problem of local merchants not answering their phones — or calls being connected only 20% to 25% of the time.
What I’m wondering about the service is whether it works as well if you take the urgency out of the scenario (e.g., locksmith, plumber). CEO Richard Rosen spoke to me prelaunch about the most responsive and service oriented businesses rising to the top because they will typically be the ones that answer calls. Accordingly, the FastCall411 algorithm rewards those businesses by featuring them over time.
In the recent WebVisible-Nielsen local search/user survey, “friendly customer service” was ranked number one as the factor that had the “largest impact on your decision to purchase a product or service from a local business?”
As part of a syndication move, FastCall411 is now offering an API and widgets that can reside on partner/affiliate sites. The model, whether in mobile or on the desktop is intended to remedy the problem of local merchants not answering their phones — or calls being connected only 20% to 25% of the time.
What I’m wondering about the service is whether it works as well if you take the urgency out of the scenario (e.g., locksmith, plumber). CEO Richard Rosen spoke to me prelaunch about the most responsive and service oriented businesses rising to the top because they will typically be the ones that answer calls. Accordingly, the FastCall411 algorithm rewards those businesses by featuring them over time.
In the recent WebVisible-Nielsen local search/user survey, “friendly customer service” was ranked number one as the factor that had the “largest impact on your decision to purchase a product or service from a local business?”
Friday, October 19, 2007
Kelsey Group Blog: FastCall411 Grows Legs, Widgetizes For Local Search
FastCall411 streamlines the process of looking for a local service provider by letting you call a handful of them at once. The first one to pick up gets your business, which the company hopes will resonate as a good consumer experience that sidesteps issues of disconnected numbers or unanswered calls.
CEO Richard Rosen told me his data show about two-thirds of calls to local merchants go unanswered, while inaccurate or outdated local business data is a well known issue. Rosen, a former exec at Jambo and CallSource, launched FastCall last March and my colleague Peter Krasilovsky wrote about it here (also see the company’s presentation at DEMO).
What’s new is the prospect of portability in its offering. Following the same logic as many other companies such as Agendize, FastCall411 will widgetize the technology in order to gain distribution and traction around the product when it is planted on well-traveled local search sites and IYPs. Rosen is currently in talks with a handful of undisclosed local search providers and will announce a few distribution agreements soon.
“We do want to build distribution, and we have a widget that essentially lives in a listing,” says Rosen. “This [includes] a phone number and the click-to-talk widget that can dial that one merchant or more than one merchant.”
The buttons or widgets themselves will carry FastCall411’s branding, but there is still an opportunity to brand the distribution partner during the call, according to Rosen. This would involve a voiceover that tells a merchant the IYP from which the call originated, much like other call tracking services do.
In addition to proving value to the advertiser in this way, Rosen is angling the product as a good user retention tool for IYPs and local search sites that could save users from the hassle of unanswered calls and having to go down a list of providers until someone picks up. The reality of this problem would come down to lots of variables and vary across service categories, but his point is taken.
“Our pitch [to IYPs] is that ‘hey, the consumer just did a search; they called the merchant, the phone was disconnected and there is a way to create a better experience,’ ” says Rosen. But unlike other valuable click-to-call functionality from the likes of Ingenio, Voicestar and eStara, wouldn’t the option to call many providers conflict with paid listings?
The answer is yes, but for that reason (and others) Rosen is angling the product to reside within non-paid listings in IYPs. His proposition is that FastCall411 will pay distribution partners for any calls that are generated through the widget, which it then hopes to monetize.
“Our primary strategy is to extend the widget but unlike a call measurement play, we’re looking to pay our distribution partner for the calls we generate,” says Rosen. “We’re going to give you the API and the widget and as long as you generate calls — which we think we can monetize — then we’ll pay you a couple pennies a call.”
This is an interesting extension of FastCall411’s value proposition, and we’ll have to wait and see how it works in this distributed way. This will come down to the company’s ability to monetize it and how well its consumer-centric angle really resonates with IYP and local search users. The potential is certainly there.
FastCall411 Grows Legs, Widgetizes For Local Search
CEO Richard Rosen told me his data show about two-thirds of calls to local merchants go unanswered, while inaccurate or outdated local business data is a well known issue. Rosen, a former exec at Jambo and CallSource, launched FastCall last March and my colleague Peter Krasilovsky wrote about it here (also see the company’s presentation at DEMO).
What’s new is the prospect of portability in its offering. Following the same logic as many other companies such as Agendize, FastCall411 will widgetize the technology in order to gain distribution and traction around the product when it is planted on well-traveled local search sites and IYPs. Rosen is currently in talks with a handful of undisclosed local search providers and will announce a few distribution agreements soon.
“We do want to build distribution, and we have a widget that essentially lives in a listing,” says Rosen. “This [includes] a phone number and the click-to-talk widget that can dial that one merchant or more than one merchant.”
The buttons or widgets themselves will carry FastCall411’s branding, but there is still an opportunity to brand the distribution partner during the call, according to Rosen. This would involve a voiceover that tells a merchant the IYP from which the call originated, much like other call tracking services do.
In addition to proving value to the advertiser in this way, Rosen is angling the product as a good user retention tool for IYPs and local search sites that could save users from the hassle of unanswered calls and having to go down a list of providers until someone picks up. The reality of this problem would come down to lots of variables and vary across service categories, but his point is taken.
“Our pitch [to IYPs] is that ‘hey, the consumer just did a search; they called the merchant, the phone was disconnected and there is a way to create a better experience,’ ” says Rosen. But unlike other valuable click-to-call functionality from the likes of Ingenio, Voicestar and eStara, wouldn’t the option to call many providers conflict with paid listings?
The answer is yes, but for that reason (and others) Rosen is angling the product to reside within non-paid listings in IYPs. His proposition is that FastCall411 will pay distribution partners for any calls that are generated through the widget, which it then hopes to monetize.
“Our primary strategy is to extend the widget but unlike a call measurement play, we’re looking to pay our distribution partner for the calls we generate,” says Rosen. “We’re going to give you the API and the widget and as long as you generate calls — which we think we can monetize — then we’ll pay you a couple pennies a call.”
This is an interesting extension of FastCall411’s value proposition, and we’ll have to wait and see how it works in this distributed way. This will come down to the company’s ability to monetize it and how well its consumer-centric angle really resonates with IYP and local search users. The potential is certainly there.
FastCall411 Grows Legs, Widgetizes For Local Search
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Jim Forbes - the founding producer of DemoMobile - wrote a great review of FastCall411
Jim was the founding producer of DemoMobile and the editor of the award-winning Demo and DemoWeek newsletters, as well as a Sr. Editor with InfoWorld, PCWeek and other publications. He has a strong following as he writes on mobile technology and internet marketing.
More Disruptive and Category Expanding Technologies from Demofall07
ForbesOnTech -
FastCall 411, Localized Commerce and Great Consumer and Vendor Facing Features
For the last couple of years I’ve harped on the need for localized ads as a key component to any mobile search product. Localization has the potential to become a significant disruptive force in search, driving a hard wedge between those companies that skim cream off the market, and search providers who grow their businesseds from local rootstock.
One of several companies at Demofall07 that made me sit up and take notice was Fastcall411, a Los Angeles area startup that’s focusing on local search by focusing on local businesses with high availability responsiveness quotients and the consumer facing experience.
What I liked about FastCall411 most is its consumer experience. The search engine is fast enough to deliver a solid experience over a cell phone connection to the web. But that’s not even half of what sets this company apart when it comes to the consumer experience. Once a consumer locks on a local vendor, the query turns into a VOIP phone call connecting the caller to a local vendor via FastCall’s server. The vendor is committed to providing a phone number that’s available and this startup gives consumers the ability to connect to more than one number to local vendors ( important when dealing with tradesmen who list their cell phones in addition to office numbers).
What made this Demo really hit home was that immediately prior to its Demo I was also in phone mail hell, trying frantically to find an electrician in Escondido who could restore electrical power to my mountaintop redoubt. Damn the carpenters who cut a line into my home office!
Fastcall411 isn’t electronic Yellowpages for the web. It’s a service that actively partners with local merchants, ranking them by their availability to respond to consumers. And there is no charge to the consumer for the service.
But it gets better, much better. Fastcall serves local businesses, a segment that Google currently overlooks unless they happen to be the local component of a national brand.
Moreover, FastCall provides an actionable service with a straight path to a transaction.
I believe it can compete against Goog411 because FastCall is a bottom-up proposition whereas Google is a top down service that overlooks whether or not a vendor can actually service the needs of a caller. Focus on the consumer and you win.
It’s services like FastCall that most likely will provide a seasoned crop of future ad and service sales reps for Google, Microsoft and Yahoo when they realize that localized Internet ads have the potential to be a mother lode.
More Disruptive and Category Expanding Technologies from Demofall07
ForbesOnTech -
FastCall 411, Localized Commerce and Great Consumer and Vendor Facing Features
For the last couple of years I’ve harped on the need for localized ads as a key component to any mobile search product. Localization has the potential to become a significant disruptive force in search, driving a hard wedge between those companies that skim cream off the market, and search providers who grow their businesseds from local rootstock.
One of several companies at Demofall07 that made me sit up and take notice was Fastcall411, a Los Angeles area startup that’s focusing on local search by focusing on local businesses with high availability responsiveness quotients and the consumer facing experience.
What I liked about FastCall411 most is its consumer experience. The search engine is fast enough to deliver a solid experience over a cell phone connection to the web. But that’s not even half of what sets this company apart when it comes to the consumer experience. Once a consumer locks on a local vendor, the query turns into a VOIP phone call connecting the caller to a local vendor via FastCall’s server. The vendor is committed to providing a phone number that’s available and this startup gives consumers the ability to connect to more than one number to local vendors ( important when dealing with tradesmen who list their cell phones in addition to office numbers).
What made this Demo really hit home was that immediately prior to its Demo I was also in phone mail hell, trying frantically to find an electrician in Escondido who could restore electrical power to my mountaintop redoubt. Damn the carpenters who cut a line into my home office!
Fastcall411 isn’t electronic Yellowpages for the web. It’s a service that actively partners with local merchants, ranking them by their availability to respond to consumers. And there is no charge to the consumer for the service.
But it gets better, much better. Fastcall serves local businesses, a segment that Google currently overlooks unless they happen to be the local component of a national brand.
Moreover, FastCall provides an actionable service with a straight path to a transaction.
I believe it can compete against Goog411 because FastCall is a bottom-up proposition whereas Google is a top down service that overlooks whether or not a vendor can actually service the needs of a caller. Focus on the consumer and you win.
It’s services like FastCall that most likely will provide a seasoned crop of future ad and service sales reps for Google, Microsoft and Yahoo when they realize that localized Internet ads have the potential to be a mother lode.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Back from DEMOFall'07
We are back from DEMO in San Diego. First. A huge thanks to my development team. Punit (far left) and Dinesh (far right) were on board for 4 days and were a huge help. Rashmi, her husband Vic and baby were staffing booth duty. Now that's dedication! Amy (2nd from left) should easily have won "most congenial." Attn DEMO: you need to add THAT award. I added links to the blogs posting on FastCall411 to the right.
DEMO was a great experience and a great way to launch a company. We pulled together as a team (yes coding minutes before our demo). Press and VCs were top notch. Words can't describe the professionalism of the DEMO production team. I have a huge stack of VC business cards, and a full inbox of VCs asking for info. The buzz and excitement continues.
Here's our DEMO page and video of our DEMO.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Mashable: FastCall411 Wants to Help You With Directory Assistance
September 24, 2007 — 01:34 PM PDT — by —
DEMOlive saw the introduction of an innovative new method to do local business searches with the launch of FastCall411.
The idea behind FastCall411 is that using either your mobile phone or their website, you enter what you’re looking for (plumber, locksmith, etc.), enter your zip code, and FastCall411 will start calling around for you. Once they find a business that is either open or willing to take your call, the service will ring you back and connect you to the merchant.
Merchants are ranked on things such as call acceptance (tests showed that to run around 25%), consumer reviews, and their availability. Those that rank highly will become “FactCall411 Recommended” merchants.
The service is completely free to the consumer and is underwritten by participating merchants. You can access the service from traditional phones, mobile devices, their website, or widgets on participating merchants websites.
DEMOfall: Marketing 2.0, Marc Orchant
FastCall411: FastCall411 is a local search engine that taps into a database of local merchants and service providers to find the product or service being searched and creates an immediate connection using VoIP. Satisfaction data is captured as part of the process to continually rank and rate participating merchants. For immediate results, this looks like an interesting approach. In the demo, the scenario used was trying to find a plumber who is immediately available to do some work. Having just had the experience myself of needing to find an appliance repair person who could unlock my suddenly inaccessible oven the day before a large party at my home, I can immediately see the value in having an engine like this find a resource.
http://us.blognation.com
http://us.blognation.com
FastCall: One (phone) ring to rule them all
FastCall411: Now this is clever. If you're looking for a service provider, you tell FastCall what you're looking for (for example, a plumber), and then it dials up to ten plumbers at once on your behalf. The first provider to respond is the one you're connected to. FastCall also builds profiles of providers based on how responsive they are.
If you've ever dialed around for someone to handle a service need for you, you'll appreciate this for sure.
From DemoFall 2007.
COMPUTERWORLD / DEMOfall: Push comes to shove
* FastCall411 demoed its system for customers to search for local businesses. The hook: Once FastCall411 finds a list of, say, plumbers, it starts calling them. All of them. The first one that accepts the call and presses "1" gets the job, or at least gets a chance to talk to the customer, who then rates the results. Between calls that never connect and customer ratings, FastCall411 ranks or deletes the businesses.
http://www.computerworld.com/blogs/n
http://www.computerworld.com/blogs/n
Friday, September 28, 2007
MediaPost: Creative Marketing Apps Abound At San Diego DEMOfall
Hollywood-based FastCall411 served up a method to connect local merchants with consumers. The consumer calls the service and puts in a request for electrical, plumbing or gardening services, and FastCall411's technology dials as many local service providers as needed to satisfy the search. After each call, consumers rate their experience with the service. The system relies on artificial intelligence to learn and record information by compiling information on merchants who answer the call, rating them accordingly. FastCall411 recently appointed to its advisory board Gordon Henry, CEO of Yellow Book USA; Milton Olin, founding partner at new media intellectual property and Internet law firm Alschul & Olin; and Mark Cannon, SVP and chief product officer at Autobytel.
http://publications.mediapost.com/in
http://publications.mediapost.com/in
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Consumers Expect Local Businesses to Pick up the Phone
Should be a no-brainer. You may recall the calling test we completed (press) this spring showing that 64 percent of businesses we called to determine if they were available to help a customer immediately -- weren't!
Combine this information with a new survey FastCall411 just released reporting that "8 out of 10 Americans have little patience for merchants who don’t answer the phone – especially after repeated attempts to make contact. And when it comes to the key demographic for buying most home and professional services -- adults 35-44 -- that figure rises to nearly 88 percent."
Here's some press on survey.
Pretty much, this is a major disconnect between the information available today in local directories and what the consumer really wants. Is this why we complain bitterly about disintegrating customer service?
FastCall411 is launching at DEMOfall2007 next week in San Diego. We are excited to show how the company is designed to connect consumers with local businesses that are ready and available to provide services.
DEMO -- a big press and VC event – will be the first time that we announce publicly how FastCall411 benefits the consumer, local merchant and publisher. I’ll send an update once we’re there.
PS. If you haven’t checked out FastCall411.com recently – we've added cool new features and polished the design.
Combine this information with a new survey FastCall411 just released reporting that "8 out of 10 Americans have little patience for merchants who don’t answer the phone – especially after repeated attempts to make contact. And when it comes to the key demographic for buying most home and professional services -- adults 35-44 -- that figure rises to nearly 88 percent."
Here's some press on survey.
Pretty much, this is a major disconnect between the information available today in local directories and what the consumer really wants. Is this why we complain bitterly about disintegrating customer service?
FastCall411 is launching at DEMOfall2007 next week in San Diego. We are excited to show how the company is designed to connect consumers with local businesses that are ready and available to provide services.
DEMO -- a big press and VC event – will be the first time that we announce publicly how FastCall411 benefits the consumer, local merchant and publisher. I’ll send an update once we’re there.
PS. If you haven’t checked out FastCall411.com recently – we've added cool new features and polished the design.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
FastCall411 Announces Two Advisors; Will Launch at DEMOfall07
Lots going on at FastCall411 - we'll be launching at DEMOfall07 (and for our friends who want to attend DEMOfall07 there is a discount code on our web site). The selection process for companies at the DEMO conference is rigorous and competitive, so we are honored to have been chosen.
We've also announced two of our stellar advisors with a press release: Briggs Ferguson and Stuart MacFarlane. Shortly we'll be announcing other advisors, so stay tuned.
You can see the entire release at Yahoo! Finance or check out some of the places that have picked up the announcement:
Start Up Beat; SoCalTech; Street Insider; TCM Net; DMN Newswire
We've also announced two of our stellar advisors with a press release: Briggs Ferguson and Stuart MacFarlane. Shortly we'll be announcing other advisors, so stay tuned.
You can see the entire release at Yahoo! Finance or check out some of the places that have picked up the announcement:
Start Up Beat; SoCalTech; Street Insider; TCM Net; DMN Newswire
Thursday, August 2, 2007
From WSJ: The 411 on Mobile Yellow Pages
Here's a article from the WSJ reviewing mobile 411 services (free and paid). According to the write-up, no one is attempting recommendations. Jingle (800Free411) reads the listing - they do not connect the caller. If the call is not connected, they can not analyze the connection rate in order to make recommendations. Thus the "cranky consumer" / Bad connections = bad experience.
CRANKY CONSUMER
The 411 on Mobile Yellow Pages
We Test Services That Search Business Listings
By SAMAR SRIVASTAVA, WSJ
August 2, 2007; Page D2
When you're out and about and suddenly find yourself in need of a pizza, a shoe-repair shop or an airline reservation, the Yellow Pages just won't do. They are heavy, for one thing, and don't fit easily into a shoulder bag.
. Pros, cons and pizza of five services. But finding a business on the fly is becoming much easier as a host of free phone-directory services have begun offering custom searches of their business listings.
Tellme Networks, a Microsoft Corp. subsidiary, this spring began offering a free version of its search services that gives cellphone and landline callers access to business listings and services far outside the traditional 411 realm, such as stock quotes and travel-related information. Google Inc. recently launched a test version for phone users of its online local business-search service.
The two new services join San Diego-based startup Jingle Networks Inc., which has been offering free government, residential and business listings since September 2005. Tellme and Google, by contrast, don't even offer residential listings.
To check whether the free services are as good as their paid counterparts -- and whether the hassle of listening to an advertisement is worth the free listing -- we tested them against the paid offerings from T-Mobile, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom AG, and Verizon Wireless, which is jointly owned by Verizon Communications Inc. and Vodafone Group PLC. We searched for business listings and tested other options when available. As a baseline test, we searched for local pizza-restaurant listings across all five services.
For the most part, the free services have ditched live operators and are powered by speech-recognition software. This reduces the cost of providing the service to between eight and 10 cents per inquiry from about 25 cents. But we found that most speech-recognition systems can only understand words and phrases. Speaking a full sentence made the search go off course.
The tradeoff: Jingle requires its users to listen to a short advertisement before the listing is provided, and Tellme and Google are widely expected to follow suit.
With eight categories -- business listings, entertainment, travel, news and so on -- Tellme's product is the most extensive. Yet our search for a pizza place close to Church Street in lower Manhattan yielded options closer to Midtown. We were offered the chance to connect with the restaurants or have the address and phone number sent via text message.
Tellme's travel service was more helpful. As per our request, we were connected to the airline of our choice and to a taxi service in our area. Other categories also worked well -- we were able to get movie listings for our area as well as news headlines. The service also offers driving directions, but it had trouble understanding our starting and ending addresses.
By contrast, the speech recognition at Jingle Networks' FREE-411 worked almost perfectly, and the menus were simple and easy to navigate. In addition to business listings, the service offers government and residential listings. Here too, the pizza listing wasn't very accurate, and the options provided were a fair distance from our location. We were able to get a phone number for our local Social Security Administration office. When we asked for a residential listing, the computer couldn't understand the name we gave, and we were promptly connected to a live operator who took down our request. After a short ad, a computer read the phone number.
We found Google Voice Local Search the simplest to use. Upon giving your location and business category, the system spits out eight options. The results are the same as a Google local search on the Internet would provide. This service gave us the option of typing in our ZIP Code, making the results for the pizza listing much more accurate. Once again, we were given the option of connecting to the business or having the information sent via text message. Overall, Google's computers were able to understand what we wanted, and we ended up repeating ourselves only a couple of times.
The traditional paid 411 options left us disappointed. While they were easier to use, the operators seemed rushed. The $1.49 that Verizon and T-Mobile charge includes three searches, but after the first one, we had to keep asking the operators to stay on the line. Still, we were satisfied with the pizza listings, as they were close to our location. We were also able to get residential and business listings without a hitch. Verizon also offers a reverse directory search, in which you can supply a phone number to get a name and address.
CRANKY CONSUMER
The 411 on Mobile Yellow Pages
We Test Services That Search Business Listings
By SAMAR SRIVASTAVA, WSJ
August 2, 2007; Page D2
When you're out and about and suddenly find yourself in need of a pizza, a shoe-repair shop or an airline reservation, the Yellow Pages just won't do. They are heavy, for one thing, and don't fit easily into a shoulder bag.
. Pros, cons and pizza of five services. But finding a business on the fly is becoming much easier as a host of free phone-directory services have begun offering custom searches of their business listings.
Tellme Networks, a Microsoft Corp. subsidiary, this spring began offering a free version of its search services that gives cellphone and landline callers access to business listings and services far outside the traditional 411 realm, such as stock quotes and travel-related information. Google Inc. recently launched a test version for phone users of its online local business-search service.
The two new services join San Diego-based startup Jingle Networks Inc., which has been offering free government, residential and business listings since September 2005. Tellme and Google, by contrast, don't even offer residential listings.
To check whether the free services are as good as their paid counterparts -- and whether the hassle of listening to an advertisement is worth the free listing -- we tested them against the paid offerings from T-Mobile, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom AG, and Verizon Wireless, which is jointly owned by Verizon Communications Inc. and Vodafone Group PLC. We searched for business listings and tested other options when available. As a baseline test, we searched for local pizza-restaurant listings across all five services.
For the most part, the free services have ditched live operators and are powered by speech-recognition software. This reduces the cost of providing the service to between eight and 10 cents per inquiry from about 25 cents. But we found that most speech-recognition systems can only understand words and phrases. Speaking a full sentence made the search go off course.
The tradeoff: Jingle requires its users to listen to a short advertisement before the listing is provided, and Tellme and Google are widely expected to follow suit.
With eight categories -- business listings, entertainment, travel, news and so on -- Tellme's product is the most extensive. Yet our search for a pizza place close to Church Street in lower Manhattan yielded options closer to Midtown. We were offered the chance to connect with the restaurants or have the address and phone number sent via text message.
Tellme's travel service was more helpful. As per our request, we were connected to the airline of our choice and to a taxi service in our area. Other categories also worked well -- we were able to get movie listings for our area as well as news headlines. The service also offers driving directions, but it had trouble understanding our starting and ending addresses.
By contrast, the speech recognition at Jingle Networks' FREE-411 worked almost perfectly, and the menus were simple and easy to navigate. In addition to business listings, the service offers government and residential listings. Here too, the pizza listing wasn't very accurate, and the options provided were a fair distance from our location. We were able to get a phone number for our local Social Security Administration office. When we asked for a residential listing, the computer couldn't understand the name we gave, and we were promptly connected to a live operator who took down our request. After a short ad, a computer read the phone number.
We found Google Voice Local Search the simplest to use. Upon giving your location and business category, the system spits out eight options. The results are the same as a Google local search on the Internet would provide. This service gave us the option of typing in our ZIP Code, making the results for the pizza listing much more accurate. Once again, we were given the option of connecting to the business or having the information sent via text message. Overall, Google's computers were able to understand what we wanted, and we ended up repeating ourselves only a couple of times.
The traditional paid 411 options left us disappointed. While they were easier to use, the operators seemed rushed. The $1.49 that Verizon and T-Mobile charge includes three searches, but after the first one, we had to keep asking the operators to stay on the line. Still, we were satisfied with the pizza listings, as they were close to our location. We were also able to get residential and business listings without a hitch. Verizon also offers a reverse directory search, in which you can supply a phone number to get a name and address.
Local search is broken.
Interesting all this chatter about Local.com's local search patent. Honestly, and this is self-serving, but is local search ever going to be about crawling web sites for relevance? Do we really need to craw a web site and find an address to make a business "local"? And what do these patents say about availability and relevance? How do they measure "quality of service"? Local search is broken; needs to thrown out like an old phone book and replaced with a completely new approach.
Local Search Bonanza Stirs Patent Investigation: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance
Local Search Bonanza Stirs Patent Investigation: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
I Need It NOW: Real Opportunity In Local Search
Hello Blog - I am sharing an article just published on "availabilty" in local search. This is the fourth article I've written for Adotas, a site that covers online advertising. They've asked me to become a monthly contributor - so blog some ideas for a future column.
"Local search carries all the earmarks of a gold rush in the making: tens of thousands – no, make that millions – of small businesses hungry for more customers. Even greater numbers of consumers with leaky faucets, dented fenders and crabgrass, all itching to connect with neighborhood service providers as we speak.
"Local search carries all the earmarks of a gold rush in the making: tens of thousands – no, make that millions – of small businesses hungry for more customers. Even greater numbers of consumers with leaky faucets, dented fenders and crabgrass, all itching to connect with neighborhood service providers as we speak.
Everyone’s now vying for a chunk of the ad budgets of this legion of entrepreneurs – everyone from your local newspaper and yellow pages publisher to Web giants Microsoft, Yahoo and Google. Yet the opportunity is vast and, despite endless odes to the promise of local search, the market remains largely untapped. "
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
iMedia: Don't Slam Your Virtual Door on Consumers
Our PR strategy for FastCall411 is to focus on customer service. As part of this effort, here's an article that I recently wrote for iMedia Connection.
"Marketers need to think of their sites as doors to their business and delight in ever visitor, phone call, email or chat. FastCall411's CEO tells how."
"Marketers need to think of their sites as doors to their business and delight in ever visitor, phone call, email or chat. FastCall411's CEO tells how."
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
FastCall411 Press Release - June 4, 2007
Nearly Two-Thirds of Businesses in Typical Internet and Mobile Directories Not Ready or Responsive to Consumer Calls, FastCall411 Survey Reveals
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/index.jsp?epi-content=NEWS_VIEW_POPUP_TYPE&newsId=20070605005652&ndmHsc=v2*A1178535600000*B1181192698000*DgroupByDate*J2*L1*N1000837*ZFastCall411&newsLang=en&beanID=202776713&viewID=news_view_popup
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/index.jsp?epi-content=NEWS_VIEW_POPUP_TYPE&newsId=20070605005652&ndmHsc=v2*A1178535600000*B1181192698000*DgroupByDate*J2*L1*N1000837*ZFastCall411&newsLang=en&beanID=202776713&viewID=news_view_popup
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
iMedia Connection: Ogilvy, MediaVest and Mindshare Weigh in on Mobile
iMedia Connection: Ogilvy, MediaVest and Mindshare Weigh in on Mobile |
Friday, June 1, 2007
"There isn’t sufficient local search volume to deliver enough traffic/leads to SMBs"
Greg Sterling recently posted comments on a speech given by Joe Walsh, CEO of YellowBook
http://gesterling.wordpress.com/
According to the post, Walsh said: "There isn’t sufficient local search volume to deliver enough traffic/leads to SMBs and small businesses won’t self-provision ads.
Is there sufficient local search volume? comScore estimates (or under estimates) that roughly 1 billion of 7 billion monthly searches are local (15 percent) and that 52 percent of local searches involve looking for a phone number or address. A significant number of these searches will result in a phone call – I estimate 100,000,000 calls per month. (I reviewed tens of millions of call records while Vice President of Business Development at CallSource and Jambo. Consumers overwhelmingly call when in need of a local product or service.)
The problem with local search? A very significant percentage of calls to merchants listed in today’s local directories will be made to unqualified, out-of-business, or otherwise unresponsive merchants. There IS sufficient local search volume to deliver enough traffic/leads to SMBs. We just need to funnel search to relevant, lead seeking merchants. FstCall411 taps into a vast source of currently unmonetized consumer phone calls. Calls made to the majority of the 14 million merchants listed in the local database who never answer their phone (10% have disconnected #s). 100MM calls to 14MM merchants averages 7 calls per month - not enough to get Joe Walsh excited. 100MM calls to the 10% of the 14MM that are really relevant (1.4MM) is 70 calls per month. Fire up the pay-per-call engine (and get the call connection rate high enough) and that’s $700 (at an average of $10 / call)
Will they self-provision? Walsh is right - they won’t. But send them 70 calls per month, and let the local merchant know the calls are coming from you and they’ll start calling us to sign-up.
http://gesterling.wordpress.com/
According to the post, Walsh said: "There isn’t sufficient local search volume to deliver enough traffic/leads to SMBs and small businesses won’t self-provision ads.
Is there sufficient local search volume? comScore estimates (or under estimates) that roughly 1 billion of 7 billion monthly searches are local (15 percent) and that 52 percent of local searches involve looking for a phone number or address. A significant number of these searches will result in a phone call – I estimate 100,000,000 calls per month. (I reviewed tens of millions of call records while Vice President of Business Development at CallSource and Jambo. Consumers overwhelmingly call when in need of a local product or service.)
The problem with local search? A very significant percentage of calls to merchants listed in today’s local directories will be made to unqualified, out-of-business, or otherwise unresponsive merchants. There IS sufficient local search volume to deliver enough traffic/leads to SMBs. We just need to funnel search to relevant, lead seeking merchants. FstCall411 taps into a vast source of currently unmonetized consumer phone calls. Calls made to the majority of the 14 million merchants listed in the local database who never answer their phone (10% have disconnected #s). 100MM calls to 14MM merchants averages 7 calls per month - not enough to get Joe Walsh excited. 100MM calls to the 10% of the 14MM that are really relevant (1.4MM) is 70 calls per month. Fire up the pay-per-call engine (and get the call connection rate high enough) and that’s $700 (at an average of $10 / call)
Will they self-provision? Walsh is right - they won’t. But send them 70 calls per month, and let the local merchant know the calls are coming from you and they’ll start calling us to sign-up.
FastCall at Mobile Marketing Forum in NYC June 6-7
FastCall is a sponsor of the MMF next week in NYC and Monday we will be announcing the results of the dialing test we did in April (posted below – “Check ‘N Don’t Go”). This trip also kicks off our fund-raising efforts as I plan the VC “dog and pony show”.
We’ve pushed mobile up to the front burner as the “fast” story goes hand in hand with mobile. If we are searching for a roofer from our cell – it’s probably urgent. The mobile browser also eliminates our need to ask the consumer for a call back number as we must do in the web browser. The caller has the phone in their hand. We essentially trick the phone into making an outbound call – and still keep the benefit of the browser initiated call. The caller can pass us info via the browser at the same time the call is made (“I need a roofer within the hour.”) Then we read the message to the roofers that we send the calls to. We pass the results of the connected call back to the caller (by browser or SMS.) The called can rate the merchant and send the rating back to us. We are working on the demo.
"Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) is the premier global association that strives to stimulate the growth of mobile marketing and its associated technology.”
We’ve pushed mobile up to the front burner as the “fast” story goes hand in hand with mobile. If we are searching for a roofer from our cell – it’s probably urgent. The mobile browser also eliminates our need to ask the consumer for a call back number as we must do in the web browser. The caller has the phone in their hand. We essentially trick the phone into making an outbound call – and still keep the benefit of the browser initiated call. The caller can pass us info via the browser at the same time the call is made (“I need a roofer within the hour.”) Then we read the message to the roofers that we send the calls to. We pass the results of the connected call back to the caller (by browser or SMS.) The called can rate the merchant and send the rating back to us. We are working on the demo.
"Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) is the premier global association that strives to stimulate the growth of mobile marketing and its associated technology.”
“System and Method for Improved Directory Assistance”
I haven’t posted since April – FastCall slow blog? I’ve been on the down low partially because we were preparing to file our patent application “System and Method for Improved Directory Assistance” It was a very beneficial experience writing the application for the FastCall411 artificial intelligence engine. The process forced me to describe the process step-by-step. We have a home run here and its great to have the security and confidence of the "patent pending". Our patent attorney is a hero. He escaped to China the day after we filed. Did I force him into exile?
Sunday, April 22, 2007
What's going with FastCall411 1.0?
Hi Everyone,
I am going to start blogging more of the FastCall411 product activities as we are ramping up on getting 1.0 out the door to keep you all in the loop.
Here's what was done this past Friday when Richard and I met with the vendor who's working on 1.0:
1) We tested the backend of the application where we dialed x numbers of "merchants" to see who eventually got to take the customer. We experienced a few kinks where "all" the merchants got to talk to the customer at the same time but by the time we were done we were able to get 1 merchant to talk to the customer.
2) We also decided on the initial customer experience we would move forward with which basically is that FastCall411 will dial the merchants first and once it finds a merchant, FastCall411 will dial the customer and connect the two.
3) We talked extensively on how to solve the connection problem between the merchants and the customers.
4) We also reviewed the reporting requirements for FastCall411 and added a few more tracking elements.
5) We are targeting to have the 1.0 UI done by Friday and we will be working the IA person this week to flesh this out.
6) 1.0 is currently targeted for July.
Rashmi
I am going to start blogging more of the FastCall411 product activities as we are ramping up on getting 1.0 out the door to keep you all in the loop.
Here's what was done this past Friday when Richard and I met with the vendor who's working on 1.0:
1) We tested the backend of the application where we dialed x numbers of "merchants" to see who eventually got to take the customer. We experienced a few kinks where "all" the merchants got to talk to the customer at the same time but by the time we were done we were able to get 1 merchant to talk to the customer.
2) We also decided on the initial customer experience we would move forward with which basically is that FastCall411 will dial the merchants first and once it finds a merchant, FastCall411 will dial the customer and connect the two.
3) We talked extensively on how to solve the connection problem between the merchants and the customers.
4) We also reviewed the reporting requirements for FastCall411 and added a few more tracking elements.
5) We are targeting to have the 1.0 UI done by Friday and we will be working the IA person this week to flesh this out.
6) 1.0 is currently targeted for July.
Rashmi
Friday, April 20, 2007
Check 'N Don't Go? - Still Listed on Goog Despite Disconnected #
Yesterday I posted about Check n Go. This was a merchant we dialed last week and found a disconnected number. I Googled this yesterday, called, and the number did not connect (Google said "You could not be connected with (818) 881-8400" I tried again today and Check N Go is still listed on Goog despite the disconnected #.
Check 'N Don't Go?
Check 'N Don't Go?
Thursday, April 19, 2007
We Dialed 5000 Merchants to Test Merchant Response
Last week FastCall411 executed a test of merchant response. We dialed 5000 merchants: various categories, in LA, around 1:30 pst. Our test revealed that 36% of the merchants we called were willing to accept a call from a consumer with "an immediate need for service".
I searched Google and found one merchant who's number we found to disconnected in our test:
Check 'N Go
17236 Saticoy St, Van Nuys, CA
(818) 881-8400
I called using the Goog click to talk (within local search). I will go back tomorrow to see if the merchant is still listed. Goog now knows that the merchant is closed. Let's see what happens.
I searched Google and found one merchant who's number we found to disconnected in our test:
Check 'N Go
17236 Saticoy St, Van Nuys, CA
(818) 881-8400
I called using the Goog click to talk (within local search). I will go back tomorrow to see if the merchant is still listed. Goog now knows that the merchant is closed. Let's see what happens.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Notes on LAVA, Google Keynote
I attended the annual LAVA Investment Capital Conference (Los Angeles Venture Association) Wednesday at the Biltmore downtown.
The lunch keynote speakers were SALMAN ULLAH Director of Acquisitions and SEAN DEMPSEY Principal, Corporate Development at Google.
Salman claimed that Goog responds to almost all email inquiries from prospective partners / M&A candidates. He said they don’t return phone calls because they don’t do phone well. Of he didn’t mean FASTCALL411-type phone, but I think it’s an interesting comment.
Salman and Sean outlined the Goog corp dev world. They spent quite some time on offline – print, radio and TV. Offline is clearly a big area of growth for Goog. Not all of the offline biz model will be pay-per-call, but surely some will (fair to assume none will be pay-per-click – at least for the foreseeable future). They also said they acquire companies with great teams and who have domain experience in areas were Goog does not. The other sessions were interesting - I will try to post some more notes later.
The lunch keynote speakers were SALMAN ULLAH Director of Acquisitions and SEAN DEMPSEY Principal, Corporate Development at Google.
Salman claimed that Goog responds to almost all email inquiries from prospective partners / M&A candidates. He said they don’t return phone calls because they don’t do phone well. Of he didn’t mean FASTCALL411-type phone, but I think it’s an interesting comment.
Salman and Sean outlined the Goog corp dev world. They spent quite some time on offline – print, radio and TV. Offline is clearly a big area of growth for Goog. Not all of the offline biz model will be pay-per-call, but surely some will (fair to assume none will be pay-per-click – at least for the foreseeable future). They also said they acquire companies with great teams and who have domain experience in areas were Goog does not. The other sessions were interesting - I will try to post some more notes later.
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
User Experience, Results Page, Beta
Our #1 goal is to focus on the consumer experience. How do we make the messaging and service compelling to the consumer. Focusing on copy, graphics, and user experience.
What ad units will bring users to the site? We put some ideas into the a demo showing FastCall411 as a "widget" within a partner site.
Our plan is to buy keywords (Google SEM) to drive traffic to the results page (plumber, Los Angeles). We can then begin to measure consumer response. Our goal is to begin this testing in June.
Let me know your thoughts.
What ad units will bring users to the site? We put some ideas into the a demo showing FastCall411 as a "widget" within a partner site.
Our plan is to buy keywords (Google SEM) to drive traffic to the results page (plumber, Los Angeles). We can then begin to measure consumer response. Our goal is to begin this testing in June.
Let me know your thoughts.
Monday, April 2, 2007
Empirical evidence on merchant calls
I wonder if there is a way to collect empirical data on the number of times a merchant is called in a day. For example, for Plumber John, can we find out how many calls have been made to him?
Now, I know that it is almost impossible to get this data out of a regular phone company, but what about the VoIP providers, like Vonage? Perhaps they would be more amenable to providing aggregate data. Vonage is doing so bad financially they would do anything for a few dollars.
Now, I know that it is almost impossible to get this data out of a regular phone company, but what about the VoIP providers, like Vonage? Perhaps they would be more amenable to providing aggregate data. Vonage is doing so bad financially they would do anything for a few dollars.
Sunday, April 1, 2007
What is FastCall411?
FastCall411 is a mobile and local search application with the industry’s most relevant results and first effective business model.
FastCall411 Objectives
"FastCall411's objectives are to aggregate local search in order to build the industry's largest inventory of calls. To utilize the industry's most effective methodology to locate and sell local merchants. To create a better local search experience when a consumer is looking for a service provider; better local advertising results when a merchant wants new business; and a better partnership model by creating more valuable results between consumers/businesses. We will extend these objectives to include mobile search, directory assistance and other input devices.
To accomplish the first (consumers) we have built a simple product that the consumer can use with a near 100% satisfaction rate. To accomplish the second (advertising results) we are going to deliver relevant, "hot" leads, and will be able to track those results so that we can target and approach the businesses most likely to advertise. To accomplish the third, we will negotiate premium distribution with local search sites, newspaper web sites, Internet yellow pages as well as with offline media such as print, direct mail, radio and TV.
To accomplish the first (consumers) we have built a simple product that the consumer can use with a near 100% satisfaction rate. To accomplish the second (advertising results) we are going to deliver relevant, "hot" leads, and will be able to track those results so that we can target and approach the businesses most likely to advertise. To accomplish the third, we will negotiate premium distribution with local search sites, newspaper web sites, Internet yellow pages as well as with offline media such as print, direct mail, radio and TV.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Google's Worse Nightmare - from Fast Company
"Despite its wealth and mystique, though, Google is surprisingly vulnerable, creating an opportunity for guys like [us]. "
"What's more, studies show that users are disappointed with the current state of search and consider Google hardly any better than its rivals. In a blind study by the French linguistics scholar Jean Véronis and his students, Google and Yahoo tied for user satisfaction with their results, both scoring an embarrassing 2.3 out of a possible 5. About 28% of the time, users thought that all the search results they received from both engines were "totally useless." They gave fairly low marks of 2.8 and 2.9 even to the very first links listed by Yahoo and Google, respectively. About a quarter of the time, they didn't find what they considered to be even one good result from either search engine."
Fast Company
"What's more, studies show that users are disappointed with the current state of search and consider Google hardly any better than its rivals. In a blind study by the French linguistics scholar Jean Véronis and his students, Google and Yahoo tied for user satisfaction with their results, both scoring an embarrassing 2.3 out of a possible 5. About 28% of the time, users thought that all the search results they received from both engines were "totally useless." They gave fairly low marks of 2.8 and 2.9 even to the very first links listed by Yahoo and Google, respectively. About a quarter of the time, they didn't find what they considered to be even one good result from either search engine."
Fast Company
Cool new toy
For those of you who like cool new apps - here's one that looked fun.
Jott rocks.
Jott, a company based in Seattle, offers a convenient new service that lets you speak messages and send them to yourself or others — as a transcribed text message.
Or as a voice message, if you prefer.
Sign up at Jott.com takes a minute, with no hassle. Then all you do is call Jott's number, 1-877-568-8486. Jott asks who you are sending the message to. You tell Jott (the name of your friend will be contained in the contacts you’ve imported), and then record a message, and hang up. It ends up in their inbox, translated into text. Or you can choose to send voice message instead, by immediately pressing a “1″. The message then shows up as an audio file in their email.
This is a really easy and useful service, and we may be hooked. Here's the intriguing part: Jott sends your messages to India for transcription. There, cheaply paid workers are listening to your voice message, and typing down the text in an email, which they then shoot off to the recipient. It took us about five minutes to receive our transcribed message tests — and they were perfectly done. A new meaning of the phrase “Passage to India.”
This is perfect for those professional messages you want to send to people, say while driving in your car. You don’t want to bug someone with a phone call, but texting or emailing someone is hard to do – steering with your knees isn’t very safe.
Jott rocks.
Jott, a company based in Seattle, offers a convenient new service that lets you speak messages and send them to yourself or others — as a transcribed text message.
Or as a voice message, if you prefer.
Sign up at Jott.com takes a minute, with no hassle. Then all you do is call Jott's number, 1-877-568-8486. Jott asks who you are sending the message to. You tell Jott (the name of your friend will be contained in the contacts you’ve imported), and then record a message, and hang up. It ends up in their inbox, translated into text. Or you can choose to send voice message instead, by immediately pressing a “1″. The message then shows up as an audio file in their email.
This is a really easy and useful service, and we may be hooked. Here's the intriguing part: Jott sends your messages to India for transcription. There, cheaply paid workers are listening to your voice message, and typing down the text in an email, which they then shoot off to the recipient. It took us about five minutes to receive our transcribed message tests — and they were perfectly done. A new meaning of the phrase “Passage to India.”
This is perfect for those professional messages you want to send to people, say while driving in your car. You don’t want to bug someone with a phone call, but texting or emailing someone is hard to do – steering with your knees isn’t very safe.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Awsome List of 100 Next Generation Search Engines
The Top 100 Alternative Search Engines
These are great examples of the next Google. By '08, FastCall411 will be on this list.
"Ask anyone which search engine they use to find information on the Internet and they will almost certainly reply: "Google." Look a little further, and market research shows that people actually use four main search engines for 99.99% of their searches: Google, Yahoo!, MSN, and Ask.com (in that order). But in my travels as a Search Engine Optimizer (SEO), I have discovered that in that .01% lies a vast multitude of the most innovative and creative search engines you have never seen. So many, in fact, that I have had to limit my list of the very best ones to a mere 100."
These are great examples of the next Google. By '08, FastCall411 will be on this list.
"Ask anyone which search engine they use to find information on the Internet and they will almost certainly reply: "Google." Look a little further, and market research shows that people actually use four main search engines for 99.99% of their searches: Google, Yahoo!, MSN, and Ask.com (in that order). But in my travels as a Search Engine Optimizer (SEO), I have discovered that in that .01% lies a vast multitude of the most innovative and creative search engines you have never seen. So many, in fact, that I have had to limit my list of the very best ones to a mere 100."
Monday, March 26, 2007
Msoft buys TellMe - to add mobile / local search assets
Here's a post of the Msoft TellMe deal:
"Microsoft fired a new salvo in its so far unsuccessful war to catch up with Google in the search arena. The software giant bought Tellme Networks, a voice services and automated directory assistance provider. Tellme may not seem too much like an Internet search company at first glance, but it is -- especially when you consider where the next battle over search will be fought.
...When you think about it, then, Tellme is providing its users with search; it's just not Internet search in the form that most of us are used to. It's mobile search and local search, enabled by the telephone's voice interface. As the software giant explained in the press release announcing the acquisition, "Microsoft and Tellme share a vision around the potential of speech as a way to enable access to information, locate other people and enhance business processes, any time and from any device." In short, Microsoft believes that the next arena for the battle to win the hearts and minds of searchers is going to be mobile and local search, and that Tellme has what it needs to win."
SEOChat.com
"Microsoft fired a new salvo in its so far unsuccessful war to catch up with Google in the search arena. The software giant bought Tellme Networks, a voice services and automated directory assistance provider. Tellme may not seem too much like an Internet search company at first glance, but it is -- especially when you consider where the next battle over search will be fought.
...When you think about it, then, Tellme is providing its users with search; it's just not Internet search in the form that most of us are used to. It's mobile search and local search, enabled by the telephone's voice interface. As the software giant explained in the press release announcing the acquisition, "Microsoft and Tellme share a vision around the potential of speech as a way to enable access to information, locate other people and enhance business processes, any time and from any device." In short, Microsoft believes that the next arena for the battle to win the hearts and minds of searchers is going to be mobile and local search, and that Tellme has what it needs to win."
SEOChat.com
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Monday, March 19, 2007
FastCall411 to Provide Next Generation Local Search
Aimed at Consumers and Merchants Alike, New Search-by-Phone Offering Seeks to Solve Problems Associated with Pay-Per-Call
HOLLYWOOD & SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Declaring that it's time to fix the problems inherent in the local-search based pay-per-call model, FastCall411, Inc. today announced the launch of the company and Q2 availability of its first product. The company made the announcement at the Kelsey Group Conference Drilling Down on Local '07, at the Santa Clara Marriott through March 21.
More on Yahoo News
HOLLYWOOD & SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Declaring that it's time to fix the problems inherent in the local-search based pay-per-call model, FastCall411, Inc. today announced the launch of the company and Q2 availability of its first product. The company made the announcement at the Kelsey Group Conference Drilling Down on Local '07, at the Santa Clara Marriott through March 21.
More on Yahoo News
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
How to Write a Great Business Plan
David Haber - bio below - sent me a great article from the Harvard Business Review on how to write a business plan. My goal is to have the plan finished by April 1. Here's a link to the article.
http://fastcall411.com/How-To-Write-A-Great-Business-Plan.pdf
http://fastcall411.com/How-To-Write-A-Great-Business-Plan.pdf
Welcome to the team David Haber of Lowenstein Sandler
David B. Haber has been retained as corporate council. He is a member of the Tech Group and the M&A and Corporate Finance Practice Group at Lowenstein Sandler. David has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, venture capital transactions and angel investments, with an emphasis on buying and selling venture-backed companies and representing VCs and entrepreneurs in venture deals. Mr. Haber is also an Adjunct Associate Professor at Columbia University Business School were he teaches an MBA-level course in venture capital finance.
Prior to joining Lowenstein Sandler in 2005, Mr. Haber practiced in the Silicon Valley office of Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison and the Silicon Valley office of Weil, Gotshal & Manges.
http://www.lowenstein.com/dhaber/
Prior to joining Lowenstein Sandler in 2005, Mr. Haber practiced in the Silicon Valley office of Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison and the Silicon Valley office of Weil, Gotshal & Manges.
http://www.lowenstein.com/dhaber/
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
FastCall411 widget
We have a mock-up of the FastCall411 widget within a local search site. I like that the FC value proposition is very simple and clear in this implementation. The consumer can:
1) FastCall the listed merchant and our recommendations in the category.
2) Click-to-call the listed merchant
3) Dial the 10 digit DID of the merchant (phone number.)
Of course, if the consumer dials directly, FastCall411 still has a chance to "Try Another" if the consumer chooses to try another merchant after a failed connection (no answer, busy, disconnect, etc)
1) FastCall the listed merchant and our recommendations in the category.
2) Click-to-call the listed merchant
3) Dial the 10 digit DID of the merchant (phone number.)
Of course, if the consumer dials directly, FastCall411 still has a chance to "Try Another" if the consumer chooses to try another merchant after a failed connection (no answer, busy, disconnect, etc)
Monday, March 12, 2007
Where Search Stumbles - Looking local can still baffle big search engines
Check out a great review on local search in BusinessWeek. "Clever as search tools are at ferreting out the obscure and global, they tend to fall down badly at the mundane and the local, despite major investments by search providers. "
"There are a lot of reasons local search does so badly. The main one is that the tools that scour the vast Web, guided by keywords and sites' popularity, are boggled by local searches. "
"There are a lot of reasons local search does so badly. The main one is that the tools that scour the vast Web, guided by keywords and sites' popularity, are boggled by local searches. "
Monday, March 5, 2007
Elevator Pitch - Revenue Model
FastCall411 knows which merchants are answering phones, looking for new business, and knows how many calls have been sent to that merchant. It's the fastest, easiest way to solve the gigantic problem encountered throughout the local search industry: how to find businesses that are both relevant and ready to pay for leads.
FastCall411 Elevator Pitch
The consumer wants a service provider fast. He puts in his phone number and clicks. FastCall411 calls a short list of recommended merchants, plays a brief recorded message to those who answer. Then, within seconds of putting in his number, the consumer is connected to a merchant who is available now and wants to take that call. No busy signals, no wrong numbers, no answering machines. Just results.
What is the FastCall411 Business Model?
FastCall411 solves the call volume problem of competitors by offering the consumer a better way to find a local service provider. We eliminate the need for consumers to call merchant after merchant in hopes of finding one in business and ready to take a call. The company will tap a vast source of consumer leads (estimated at 100,000,000 calls monthly) by redirecting calls that would be made to unqualified, out-of-business, or otherwise unresponsive merchants and deliver these telephone leads, on a subscription or pay-per-call basis, to merchants who are in business and want new leads. The unprecedented FastCall relevancy algorithm will qualify and create brand awareness with local advertisers in categories where there is high need or urgent situations. The company will utilize paid and organic search (SEM and SEO) as well as partnerships to generate sales more effectively than all competitors. Prospects sales will be driven by a focused, targeted telesales effort.
What Makes FastCall411 Unique?
Unlike all other local search sites that list the vast telecom database of merchants by proximity to the searched address or worse, alphabetically, FastCall411 will list merchants by a relevancy algorithm weighted by historical telephone call answer rates. This data is collected by utilizing proprietary click-to-talk (VoIP) call routing applications to connect phone calls for searching consumers in need of local services to merchants who are available to provide urgent service and actively want new business leads. Each consumer call will dial one merchant directly, multiple merchants in tandem or consecutively dial merchants until a connection to a merchant is made. Achieving a near-100% connection rate. FastCall411 is currently developing the tightly integrated system to combine local search, merchant relevance, outbound dialing, billing and reporting.
Why is the FastCall411 Sales Model an Improvement Over Current Methods?
FastCall411 estimates that 4 in 10 merchants listed in organic search results are relevant to the consumer. Of the 4 relevant merchants, we estimate that 1 is seeking new leads. FastCall411 finds this local business with each consumer call.
Why Do Calls Provide a Better Metric of Relevance Than Clicks?
Search engines are designed to spider links between websites and links cannot measure quality or availability. Google pioneered the concept of using popularity to measure relevance. FastCall411 believes that calls are a much better metric of quality and availability.
FastCall411 Provides a Better Consumer Experience with a “Multiplier”
"FastCall" and “Try Another” dial multiple merchants with each call. For example, 10,000 calls potentially dial 100,000 merchants. FastCall411 identified the 10,000 relevant merchants from the pool of 100,000.
How Does FastCall411 Match Merchant Supply with Consumer Demand Utilizing Availability?
FastCall411 will enable merchants to accept calls when they are available (i.e. tow truck). This is an improvement over most Internet search which has little to offer in terms of availability.
How Will FastCall411 Collect User Reviews / User Generated Content and How is This Different?
FastCall411 collects implicit and explicit reviews. The implicit reviews are not user opinions; FastCall implies that a busy signal, for example, is a “negative” experience. Explicit reviews are captured before and after a call. The user optionally states their need or purpose of the call (i.e. exterior painting) and can rate if that need is met after the call (i.e. merchant was helpful).
What is the Value Proposition for the Publisher / Distribution Partner?
Based on the industry’s first telephone-derived relevancy algorithm, the most qualified merchants will rotate into the top positions. After each round of calls, results are evaluated and a ranking is assigned. Merchants with disconnected numbers are dropped, busy / no answer calls are scored below merchants who answer but do not respond (IVR, voicemail). Last, merchant accepting calls – winners and runner-ups, are scored. With scale, the vast database of connected, and not connected calls will identify the percentile of merchants who actively are in business and equipped to service consumers. This data will differentiate distribution partners (publishers.) Consumer feedback with further refine the algorithms.
What is the Value Proposition for the Merchant?
As the first mover to track and analyze consumer calls to local merchants at scale, FastCall411 will build and refine a proprietary database of “relevant” local merchants – merchants in business with an active lead processing infrastructure and, most importantly, merchants willing to pay for phone leads. The recommendation algorithm will be used to deliver the consumer a much higher connection rate to merchants. This equates to more qualified leads for the merchant.
What is the Value Proposition for the Consumer?
FastCall411 will fulfill consumers’ urgent searches for local service providers by enabling the consumer to dial multiple merchants in parallel. In urgent situations, consumers will no longer have to scroll a long list of local merchants and begin dialing each merchant in hope of a connection. With FastCall411, the consumer searches category and geography from a mobile device, the web or directory assistance and is presented a refined list of relevant local merchants.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
The Search: How Google and Its Rivals Rewrote the Rules of Business and Transformed Our Culture
I am really enjoying The Search by John Battelle. Send me your address and I will send you a copy. Battelle describes the state of the art in search when Google was founded as Backrub (Alta Vista was leading edge). Google's founders, Page and Brin set out to solve the relevancy problem by looking at how links to and from a site can be weighted. Of course FastCall solves another relevancy problem by analyzing CDRs (the call experience). Google's algorithms were not designed to measure the relevancy of a local business. They were designed to differentiate Intel's link to IBM.com from a hobbyist link to IBM.com (the example used in the book).
I'll post more thoughts later. In the meantime, here's what Amazon has to say:
http://www.amazon.com/
...The Search: it's probably on Bill Gates' reading list, and that of almost every venture capitalist and startup-hungry entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. In its sweeping survey of the history of Internet search technologies, its gossip about and analysis of Google.
I'll post more thoughts later. In the meantime, here's what Amazon has to say:
http://www.amazon.com/
...The Search: it's probably on Bill Gates' reading list, and that of almost every venture capitalist and startup-hungry entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. In its sweeping survey of the history of Internet search technologies, its gossip about and analysis of Google.
Author John Battelle was a founder of The Industry Standard and then one of the original editors of Wired.
ZiffLeads publisher network - hype or fact?
From today's Marketwire - do they really have the largest network? and what's something like this mean for us? Or is it just standard jumping up and down to attract attention?
ZiffLeads, a pioneering pay-per-call advertising network, developed and operated by SPG Solutions, today announced a significant augmentation to their pay-per-call advertising publisher network. Advertisers signing up at www.ZiffLeads.com for set-price pay-per-call leads can now reach customers via the largest distribution network in the industry.
ZiffLeads' advertisers can create and manage phone-based lead generation campaigns in one easy location and target prospects searching the major search engines: Google, Yahoo! and MSN, leading local directories: Local.com and SuperPages.com, directory assistance services: 1-800-FREE411, and the major wireless carriers: Verizon, Cingular, Sprint/Nextel, and T-Mobile, via search and content services from Google and UpSnap. Additionally, ZiffLeads advertisements reach targeted podcast listeners via podcast advertising network partner, Kiptronic, and will soon reach targeted audiences of over 40 major cable TV stations and 900 plus radio stations.
ZiffLeads, a pioneering pay-per-call advertising network, developed and operated by SPG Solutions, today announced a significant augmentation to their pay-per-call advertising publisher network. Advertisers signing up at www.ZiffLeads.com for set-price pay-per-call leads can now reach customers via the largest distribution network in the industry.
ZiffLeads' advertisers can create and manage phone-based lead generation campaigns in one easy location and target prospects searching the major search engines: Google, Yahoo! and MSN, leading local directories: Local.com and SuperPages.com, directory assistance services: 1-800-FREE411, and the major wireless carriers: Verizon, Cingular, Sprint/Nextel, and T-Mobile, via search and content services from Google and UpSnap. Additionally, ZiffLeads advertisements reach targeted podcast listeners via podcast advertising network partner, Kiptronic, and will soon reach targeted audiences of over 40 major cable TV stations and 900 plus radio stations.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Msoft acquiring TellMe
Greg Sterling's blog has a post that Msoft is acquiring TellMe. He quotes: "One issue for Microsoft, if it were to follow Jingle’s lead and make some or all TellMe applications ad supported, would be advertiser acquisition. AdCenter is growing but Microsoft (of the big three) has few local advertisers — it gets them from third parties like SuperPages and Ingenio."
We just may have the solution to this problem!
http://www.searchenginejournal.com/?p=4460
We just may have the solution to this problem!
http://www.searchenginejournal.com/?p=4460
Did you know that FastCall411 was born as DialHappy?
FastCall411 was called DialHappy when conceived in December 06. Here's the original logo designs.
http://fastcall411.com/FastCall411/dh_logocomps_120506.jpg
http://fastcall411.com/FastCall411/dh_logocomps_120506.jpg
Service Area vs. Proximity
I've often though that service categories should be defined by service area (the distance the merchant is willing to travel to the consumer) as opposed to the current practice of measuring proximity to the consumer. In instances where the merchant travels to the consumer - its service area that matters. We should keep this in mind as we think of search for FastCall411.
Categories - need some input
We have 210 categories so far, organized by: Auto Services, Home Services, Personal Services and Professional Services. This is less than Yahoo and most other sites (http://yp.yahoo.com/). There is also overlap (i.e. car rental could be a personal service and auto service). We will need to figure out how to deal with category overlap.
We want to focus on:
On one hand, I want there to be a wide breadth of categories, or the other hand, we want to focus on the highest producing categories. We will only pay for search (keywords) in the most productive cats. Do we try to make our initial cat list more comprehensive, or more focused?
Also - what's the vote on the 1-2 categories that we will buy key words for. This will be the initial test of consumer response.
I like Dentist, Chiropractor. Any other ideas?
We want to focus on:
- Phone-oriented businesses
- Business that will pay for leads
- Businesses where the consumer may have a sense of urgency
- Categories where the consumer is choosing a service (not insurance paid medical)
- Categories where most search produces a long list of choices and relevancy is important
- Categories where the speciality can be captured in a few bullet points (divorce lawyer, exterior painter)
On one hand, I want there to be a wide breadth of categories, or the other hand, we want to focus on the highest producing categories. We will only pay for search (keywords) in the most productive cats. Do we try to make our initial cat list more comprehensive, or more focused?
Also - what's the vote on the 1-2 categories that we will buy key words for. This will be the initial test of consumer response.
I like Dentist, Chiropractor. Any other ideas?
Executive Summary (Original)
FastCall411 is a consumer-oriented mobile and local search application with the industry’s first effective pay-per-call revenue model.
FastCall411 is custom-developing a proprietary, tightly integrated system to combine local search, telecom, merchant relevance, billing and reporting. Unlike all other local search sites that list the vast telecom database of merchants by proximity to the searched address or worse, alphabetically, FastCall411 will list merchants by a relevancy algorithm weighted by historical telephone call answer rates. This data is collected by utilizing proprietary click-to-talk (VoIP) call routing applications to connect phone calls for searching consumers in need of local services to merchants who are available to provide urgent service and actively want new business leads.
Each consumer call will dial one merchant directly, multiple merchants in tandem or consecutively dial merchants until a connection to a merchant is made. Achieving a near-100% connection rate.
FastCall411 Will:
Company founders have deep experience in SIP/VoIP, call routing and pay-per-call. Based on our in-depth research and experience in the field, we've found that the primary obstacle to pay-per-call powered local search is call volume.
FastCall411 solves the call volume problem by offering the consumer a better way to find a local service provider. We eliminate the need for consumers to call merchant after merchant in hopes of finding one in business and ready to take a call. The company will tap a vast source of consumer leads (estimated at 100,000,000 calls monthly) by redirecting calls that would be made to unqualified, out-of-business, or otherwise unresponsive merchants and deliver these telephone leads, on a pay-per-call basis, to merchants who are in business and want new leads.
The unprecedented FastCall relevancy algorithm will qualify and create brand awareness with local advertisers in categories where there is high need or urgent situations. The company will utilize paid and organic search (SEM and SEO) as well as partnerships to generate pay-per-call leads more cost-effectively than all competitors. Prospects sales will be driven by a focused, targeted telesales effort.
FastCall411 is custom-developing a proprietary, tightly integrated system to combine local search, telecom, merchant relevance, billing and reporting. Unlike all other local search sites that list the vast telecom database of merchants by proximity to the searched address or worse, alphabetically, FastCall411 will list merchants by a relevancy algorithm weighted by historical telephone call answer rates. This data is collected by utilizing proprietary click-to-talk (VoIP) call routing applications to connect phone calls for searching consumers in need of local services to merchants who are available to provide urgent service and actively want new business leads.
Each consumer call will dial one merchant directly, multiple merchants in tandem or consecutively dial merchants until a connection to a merchant is made. Achieving a near-100% connection rate.
FastCall411 Will:
- Power highly-actionable local search for mobile, web and directory assistance (DA) searches.
- Have an unprecedented local merchant recommendation engine delivering “relevant” local merchants.
- Focus on emergency and time-sensitive local services.
- Deliver a targeted, scalable local search revenue model.
Company founders have deep experience in SIP/VoIP, call routing and pay-per-call. Based on our in-depth research and experience in the field, we've found that the primary obstacle to pay-per-call powered local search is call volume.
FastCall411 solves the call volume problem by offering the consumer a better way to find a local service provider. We eliminate the need for consumers to call merchant after merchant in hopes of finding one in business and ready to take a call. The company will tap a vast source of consumer leads (estimated at 100,000,000 calls monthly) by redirecting calls that would be made to unqualified, out-of-business, or otherwise unresponsive merchants and deliver these telephone leads, on a pay-per-call basis, to merchants who are in business and want new leads.
The unprecedented FastCall relevancy algorithm will qualify and create brand awareness with local advertisers in categories where there is high need or urgent situations. The company will utilize paid and organic search (SEM and SEO) as well as partnerships to generate pay-per-call leads more cost-effectively than all competitors. Prospects sales will be driven by a focused, targeted telesales effort.
Tagline - input please
Until now, we've been using a tag line on our web site mock ups, "A better way to find and contact local merchants and service providers "
However, I think it's too gawky and awkward...more like a boring description than a true tag line. A true tag line is short and precise, a quip that says it all, is easy to remember, and easy to say or write. Something that we can live with a long time.
Here are some alternatives - please post your own ideas, or comment on any of the following:
> >> >> > A better way to connect with local businesses
> >> > The fastest way to find and call a local business
> >> > The smartest, fastest way to find a local business or service
Thanks much, Amy
However, I think it's too gawky and awkward...more like a boring description than a true tag line. A true tag line is short and precise, a quip that says it all, is easy to remember, and easy to say or write. Something that we can live with a long time.
Here are some alternatives - please post your own ideas, or comment on any of the following:
> >> >> > A better way to connect with local businesses
> >> > The fastest way to find and call a local business
> >> > The smartest, fastest way to find a local business or service
Thanks much, Amy
Welcome Rashmi Nigam, Dir Product Development
I am pleased to welcome Rashmi Nigam. Rashmi will be leading our product development vision and will apply her newly minted UCLA MBA skills to strategic planning, modeling, etc (MBA expected 2009). She was Product Manager at eHarmony for 3 years where she led a team of 40+ to build a new concept from launch to Version. 2.0. Rashmi also managed operations, marketing and product as co-founder of an entrepreneurial venture, Metromela.com. She and I also both spent time at Warner Music. Different roles. Different coasts. She was in Burbank as a Java Developer. She received her MS in Information Systems at Northeastern and her BS in Chemical Engineering. We are honored to have Rashmi on the team.
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/0/8a7/382
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/0/8a7/382
Monday, February 26, 2007
Introducing Myself - Amy
Hi all,
I'm the marketing element of this project - been kicking around local telephone projects since the early 1990's when I managed a local audiotext service - Dial Houston - in Houston Texas. Twice I've launched a local yellow page program -- once for Chron.com in Houston and again on a national level for Knight Ridder Digital.
I worked with Richard at Jambo, where I created the sales branding and worked with Richard on the partner/business markeeting strategy.
Great to meet you all. First marketing project for all of us at FastCall411 is to have a singular vision of what we hope to accomplish, and I'll leave that to Richard to define.
Any ideas you have for our positioning and marketing are always welcome.
I'm the marketing element of this project - been kicking around local telephone projects since the early 1990's when I managed a local audiotext service - Dial Houston - in Houston Texas. Twice I've launched a local yellow page program -- once for Chron.com in Houston and again on a national level for Knight Ridder Digital.
I worked with Richard at Jambo, where I created the sales branding and worked with Richard on the partner/business markeeting strategy.
Great to meet you all. First marketing project for all of us at FastCall411 is to have a singular vision of what we hope to accomplish, and I'll leave that to Richard to define.
Any ideas you have for our positioning and marketing are always welcome.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
New Blog
Maybe this will be a good idea. Thought we could post to a blog to share notes, comments, etc.
Monday, January 1, 2007
Richard Rosen - Bio
Richard Rosen, CEO, has over 20 years of direct marketing experience and is an expert in the calling applications industry and its relation to local search. He has written numerous articles on pay-per-call and call tracking and is a frequent industry speaker. As VP Business Development at CallSource, Richard led initiatives to provide call tracking to AutoTrader.com, Cars.com, Verizon Yellow Pages, AOL, Google, Switchboard, ReachLocal, Perform Local, Citysearch, most top newspapers, several yellow page publishers and many others. He has deep contacts with Yahoo, Google, Ask, MSN, IAC, AOL, InfoSpace and many others. In addition to distribution partners, and potential competitors, Richard is well versed and has contacts with vendors, potential employees and other potential strategic partners.
Richard has deep experience with call whispers having provided these services to advertisers while at CallSource, and to non-advertisers while he was VP Business Development at Jambo. He understands why whispers fail (hang-ups) and how to correct these failures. No other industry executive has more experience or is more uniquely qualified to analyze call detail records having reviewed tens of millions of calls in the call measurement industry.
Full bio at Calling Strategies.
Richard has deep experience with call whispers having provided these services to advertisers while at CallSource, and to non-advertisers while he was VP Business Development at Jambo. He understands why whispers fail (hang-ups) and how to correct these failures. No other industry executive has more experience or is more uniquely qualified to analyze call detail records having reviewed tens of millions of calls in the call measurement industry.
Full bio at Calling Strategies.
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