RefreshClassifieds

Nuance Communications has launched a new directory assistant service called Say Hello.  The service allows consumers to get easy access to directory listings via their home or mobile phone.  The service uses speech recognition to match callers with the best business directory available and where speech recognition is possible a human operator will assist the caller.  By providing a high level of automation the Say Hello service is able to provide a good cost savings over human operators and still ensure a good level of service.

The service can also be deployed with audio ads included.  For example the Florida Times-Union newspaper launched the service with 10-15s audio ads included.  The Florida Times-Union newspaper service is free but support by the additional sale of the audio ads.

Nuance Communications plans to roll out the service to over 200 cities across the US by partnering with local directory advertisers.

The Trader Media Group in the UK is offering a service for classified advertisers to filter inbound calls from unsolicited services.  The service is available primarily to Autotrader.co.uk advertisers and filters out 220 known solicitors that typically canvas the Autotrader.co.uk listings.  The service is called Telesafe and has filter out 36,000 unsolicited calls so far.

The service works by replacing the advertisers phone number in the classified ad with a phone number that can be used to filter calls.    Before the call is actually connected its checked against a list of known numbers and automatically dropped if the call is coming from a known canvasing company.  The service is provided for free to all advertisers as an option.

I think this is a great example of extending the value of paid classified.   As more and more smaller classified sites pop-up this canvasing and solicitation issue will become a bigger problem.  AutoTrader.co.uk solves this problem as a value add for its advertisers.

YP Corp announced that they have acquired OnCall Subscriber Management Inc based out Manila, Philippines. The deal gives YP Corp state of the art access to customer management and call center technology. Its an interest decision when most of the industry is moving towards outsourced call centers.

As more and more free online classified and directory competitors become popular the need for an industry leading call center will become important. The free listings can be used as a lead generation database for the call center to upsell into paid advertising. An effective call center will be in converting these customers and it might not be possible to get this level of service through and outsourced relationship. It will be interesting to see how YP Corp uses this new resource.