DA/DQ Providers

DA/DQ Providers who have implemented category search within their Directory Enquiry service have found that perhaps 10% of callers choose this option - without any marketing effort. More and more service providers are now extending their Directory Enquiry to include category search. As consumer awareness grows, Directory Enquiry call volumes will rise with a growing percentage of calls being for category search.

By offering category search, Directory Enquiry service providers can improve customer satisfaction while increasing revenues.

Call Genie provides two alternatives for the DA/DQ service provider.

• With our hosted service offering, a service provider can simply transfer category search calls to Call Genie. We will look after the rest.

• With our licensed solution offering, Call Genie will assist the service provider to integrate EVD™ into the existing call center environment, minimizing call transfer costs and giving full control to the DA/DQ provider's IT staff.

Hosted Service Offering

Call Genie provides a full-function category search service for DA/DQ service providers based in carrier-grade data center facilities in Calgary, and will shortly be offering hosted service in Europe. The service is branded for each DA/DQ provider, and includes operator fallback arranged by CallGenie. CallGenie arranges for quality, up-to-date Nationwide listings.

The Hosted Service offering can be implemented with minimal investment and delay. The DA/DQ provider simply has to adapt the front-end Directory Enquiry dialog to offer the category search option, and to transfer these calls to Call Genie's facilities. We look after the rest.

Licensed Solution Offering

Call Genie provides a licensed solution option, where EVD™ is installed in the DA/DQ providers's data center as an integral component of the Directory Enquiry environment. Typically, in a licensed solution, the DA/DQ provider supplies the listings and arranges for operator fallback.

Call Genie assists in implementation and integration of EVD™ into the call center environment, and configures EVD™ to present the DA/DQ provider's brand - or the brand of their retail carrier customer. Call Genie provides ongoing operational support of the EVD™ software, including automatic delivery of software release upgrades as part of the Software Support Agreement.

Advertising Opportunity

When the consumer is paying for each Directory Assistance call, explicit advertising is probably inappropriate. However, priority placement, tagline ads, premium content display, SMS delivery and the option of connecting to a selected business will all enhance the consumer experience while opening the opportunity for advertising revenue.

Through arrangements with advertising content providers, such as Yellow Pages and newspaper publishers, and advertising agencies, CallGenie supplies unobtrusive ads, paying fees to the DA/DQ ;provider for placement of these ads. This secondary source of revenue may go a long way to covering all costs of EVD™ operations.

Summary

Category search is a valuable extension to a traditional Directory Enquiry name search service. With EVD™, the service can be implemented fast, with minimal investment and delay, using Call Genie's pre-built DA/DQ hosted service or licensed solution option. Consumer satisfaction will improve, and revenues will grow.