How about telemarketing and customer care departments of various telecom companies, networking companies, and structured cabling companies calling potential customers without having to make customers irate, and at the same time avoiding legal issues vis-à-vis NDNC (national do not call) registration rules? Sounds great, doesn't it? Click-to-call-back service can just do that for you.

Esqube Communication Solutions, a subsidiary of Cranes Software, launched the click-to-call-back service last January, claiming it as first-of-its-kind service based out of the India. Google had launched the click-to-call-back service to connect visitors of its search page and its advertisers like packers and movers and realtors in 2005, but its service stands discontinued now and it was powered from the US, not from India. Unlike in the Google service, Esqube's call bridge/connecting server is based out of Bangalore.

Promoting Personal Touch
Suppose a potential buyer wants a music phone. He most probably visits websites of different vendors like Sony Ericsson, Nokia, and Motorola to compare features and prices of various products. If these vendors have the provision of click-to-call-back on their websites, the visitor/potential buyer, instead of reading the information on the website, can simply enter his mobile or landline number in a box given on the Web page. Once he submits the number, he will be called by the representative of the vendor. He will get connected to the vendor's representative immediately, at no cost for him; the call cost is borne by the vendor.

Visitors to the website require no special software installed to avail this service. The call duration can be customized as per the requirements of portals and advertisers like realtors and yellow pages on search pages. When visitors are called back, the vendor's phone number will be displayed on the phone, but vendors do not come to know the visitor's number.

Advantages
Online portals and advertisers can use this service as it is much better than unsolicited calls made by enterprises.

Visitors get an opportunity to directly connect to the concerned department of portals/advertisers. It helps visitors avail themselves of sufficient and relevant information for their purchase/dealing, saving their time.

It increases impulse buying, as chances of visitors getting satis the fied with the information provided through the interaction are high.

It is cheaper than toll free numbers and works with the existing phones. For any enterprise dealing with customers, personal touch has emerged as one of the primary criteria to woo them. The click-to-call-back service is likely to provide a breakthrough on this front for enterprises.

Kannan K
kannan@cybermedia.co.in
Advertisers on search pages and portals can place related advertisements in between the calls! It fetches revenue for advertisers and portals that pay for the click-to-call-back service powered by Esqube.

Unlike in the Google click-to-call-back service, which was based on VoIP, the call quality in Esqube powered service is digital and calls are connected within three seconds, as it has dedicated digital lines. While the Esqube service is claiming to be cheaper, VoIP is much more expensive for advertisers. KVS Hari, co-founder and director, Esqube Communications, says, “The simplicity, low cost, and versatility of the service allows the click-to-call-back service to be used as a strategic tool for enhancing customer relations and closing sales for enterprises.”

By the virtue of its two-way communication, this service helps enterprises in effectively utilizing resources and cost cutting. NK Rajasekharan, executive vice president, Business Development, Esqube Communication Solutions, says, “When advertisers advertise in the newspaper, which is one-way in nature, the number of people calling them back is insignificant. But by advertising on the website where our click-to-call-back service is utilized, the number of personal communication through calling back is very high, and the success of advertisement is clearly measured with the number of visitors who entered their phone numbers to call back.”

The click-to-call-back service is suitable for an array of Internet marketing websites, online shopping sites, hotels, and travel agency websites, and Internet auctions. “We have signed up with a number of real estate portals and social networking sites. Sulekha.com is one of our customers and it's happy about our quality of service,” adds Rajasekharan. The company would also offer its services on a retail basis even for smaller companies.

Help NDNC
When telesales executives approach customers, they mostly get a cold response from customers, who don't want to be disturbed with irrelevant information and offers. But in the click-to-call-back service, customers voluntarily approach telemarketing executives wherein only relevant and useful information is provided. This service helps telecom companies and other enterprises avoid legal issues involved in NDNC registration by customers.

If customers want more information, they can get connected with advertisers any number of times. During the call made through the click-to-call-back service, advertisers also can seek the telephone number of visitors for follow-up purposes. It can be an ideal solution for advertisers who want to get in touch with potential customers immediately and on a personal level.