By John Mark V. Tuazon
Computerworld Philippines
July 7, 2010

VoIP provider VoiceOne Asia recently launched a new service that will enable customers to call businesses directly from the Web anytime and anywhere, through a new product called WebTalk.

As if killing IDD and NDD fees through VoIP services was not enough, VoiceOne executives said they are poised to slash costs from toll-free numbers as well, by giving businesses the capability to be reached online through VoIP.

The setup works by placing a dedicated WebTalk button on the company’s website that dials directly to a specified number by the company. Customers, though, would have to wear a headset and use a microphone for the setup to work efficiently.

WebTalk brings a new level of customer interaction through company Websites which, according to Cyril Rocke, president of DataOne Asia, the mother company of VoiceOne, have been just like brochures published online.

“Today, search engines dominate the Web, and companies have put up their Websites that can be reached through them,” Rocke said. “The question is, can you interact with your customers via the Web?”

WebTalk acts as a technology layer on top of companies’ IP systems, making for an easy deployment across different systems that takes a simple patch over call center and PBX systems. Once deployed, it can become an entry point for all live business communications where customers can interact directly, Rocke said.

Changing Customer Behavior
WebTalk comes at a juncture in Internet history when people are not anymore relying on printed yellow pages to find what they need. “The younger generation uses search engines to find information about what they need, and most of the time, they access it through their mobile device,” shared Janette Toral, founder of the Digital Filipino Club, who was present at the launch of the service to give perspectives about VoIP.

At present, at least 20 million VoIP subscribers have been recorded in the United States, a vast majority of which accessing the service through their mobile devices, Toral shared. Of those using VoIP, 99% are consumers, with only 1% relegated to businesses.

Toral said it’s high time for companies to harness the potential of VoIP in expanding the scope of their business communications. “A lot of people are taking advantage of the Internet to communicate. In fact, an AC-Nielsen Yahoo study found that the number one kind of mobile phone activity today is searching for information,” she related.

This dominance of search is fuelled by common intuition of people to validate information online, she added. “The reality is that identity theft is pervasive online, so it is necessary to have a facility where people can contact you through the Web,” she stressed.

Things don’t stop with mere contact, however. Toral said having an online communication facility may also help in marketing and sales efforts of the company. “No matter how good your marketing strategy is, the conversion still happens on your end,” she reiterated. “If we would like to be contacted, we have to be where the markets are.”

Toral added that VoIP services can become key conversion points for firms, because it offers a lot of engagement vis-à-vis traditional Web channels that are very passive.

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