| Why it's cool to offer your prospects a way to call | | | | One advantage offered by some providers of click |
| you for free - while they're "hot." | | | | to talk services over traditional freecall numbers is |
| A few months ago I had a rather unpleasant | | | | that there may be no monthly fee, so the business |
| experience of losing my web hosting server. A large | | | | only pays for the calls they actually receive. Such |
| power failure at their data center, plus their failure to | | | | providers may charge a one-off set up fee instead, |
| backup properly caused them to go out of business | | | | so look for a lifetime upgrade and support as part of |
| and it was not possible for me to renew my domain | | | | the deal. |
| name or hosting. So I had to transfer everything | | | | So is Click to Talk suitable for your website? Well, it |
| over to a new server. My database with all my | | | | won't bring in any more traffic to your site, its job is |
| business contacts was locked out as was any data | | | | to increase your website response rates once the |
| received from new visitors. | | | | visitors arrive and thence your sales. So if you have |
| I had to abandon the contact forms on my site and | | | | the traffic but your conversions could do with a |
| rely on prospects contacting me via the phone or | | | | boost, click to talk will be a part of your strategy. |
| email. One new service I installed during this time | | | | Next, do you do business locally, nationally or |
| helped fill the gap: click-to-talk. | | | | internationally? Different service providers may cover |
| Click-to-talk, also known as click to call or push to | | | | different geographic regions, so check that out. |
| talk, is a website to phone contact service which | | | | When it comes to fees, do you opt for a monthly |
| enables a website visitor to contact the business | | | | subscription or a one-off lifetime license? If you opt |
| easily, immediately and free of charge. The visitor | | | | for the latter, check that it includes support and |
| clicks on a hyperlink or icon, enters their phone | | | | future upgrades. Does the service provider offer |
| number, clicks "Talk" and a few seconds later is | | | | other telecommunication products - such as |
| connected by phone (cell/mobile or landline) to the | | | | international redirected numbers - that your phone |
| business. It 'humanizes' the sales and support process | | | | account may be used for? Check the type of phone |
| and this is what many website visitors want | | | | connection being offered - PSTN (traditional phone |
| according to a Jupiter Research report where "55% | | | | service) or VoIP? Is the quality of VoIP good enough |
| of travel and hospitality web site visitors prefer to | | | | for your needs? Are you being offered a guarantee? |
| speak to someone before booking." | | | | According to some research, customers' concerns |
| Most businesses will have their contact phone number | | | | about privacy may be an issue when deciding to use |
| on their sites, maybe including a freecall number, so | | | | a click to talk service. Just as with gathering email |
| what's the attraction of Click to Talk? Well, firstly | | | | addresses, the website owner needs to have their |
| there's the 'wow' factor - although click to talk has | | | | privacy policy and legal statement in a reassuring |
| been around for a few years it's still not common on | | | | position before the prospect enters their details. |
| e-commerce sites, so it's regarded as cool. | | | | Does the service have an option to enter this |
| Secondly businesses are finding that customers no | | | | statement on the login screen? |
| longer want to fill out lengthy contact forms when | | | | Perhaps the most important question to ask is "Is it |
| they want immediate answers. The best use of the | | | | worth paying a dollar to talk to a prospect who has |
| service depends on where the icon is displayed in the | | | | just seen and is still seeing our website?" Service |
| sales process, typically on the sales or contact page. | | | | providers obviously think so, with websites claiming |
| The service may include a number of features not | | | | the value of "talk to your prospects while they are |
| found with other phone systems. Each number is | | | | hot for your product!" So only you can decide. Click |
| logged, allowing the business to call back if they are | | | | to Talk is being used in all sorts of businesses: real |
| called out of hours. To prevent abuse, all IP | | | | estate, training consultants, lawyers, hotel and |
| addresses are also logged and a phone number or IP | | | | accommodation bookings, holidays, furniture |
| address can easily be banned. | | | | manufacturers and many others. As one client put it |
| Some services allow the business to change their | | | | "It is easy to install, cost effective and provides |
| incoming number at will or to set up different | | | | immediate results. I would recommend this to any |
| numbers at different times of the day and week. | | | | company that wishes to be in closer, more immediate |
| Callers using the service after hours may be greeted | | | | contact with their potential consumers. This low cost |
| with an appropriate message on screen and with | | | | Click to Talk technology will soon become a 'must |
| some click to talk services the interface screen is | | | | have' tool. |
| fully customizable with the company logo and text. | | | | |