:) (118145)CALLS TO BE CHARGED AT 5P PER MINUTE WHEN LAUNCHED-   Hi there everybody, may I introduce myself, I am Baz Ramsbottom a sayno regular user, althogh I have been a member of Saynoto0870 and a regular user for a numbr of years, I have not participated in the forum until now so here goes.  I have studied the now defunct DQ192 and the new WRIP OFF DQ118 service that replaced it for some time and I am in the process of obtaining the 118145 number to offer a DQ service for only 5p per minute. Both business and residential searches will be charged at 5p per minute and the caller will be connected via the onward connect faciliy at no extra charge. Research suggests that most callers would welcome the onward connect facility if it was not such a wrip off. It is our intention to offer the 118145 service and roll it out nationally as soon as the service is approved. The DQ services provided are declining and research suggests that callers only use the service if they do not have an alternative. At RINGLOCAL it is our intention to change the trend and offer customers the service at 5p per minute. All RINGLOCAL callers will be connected directly to the destination number only needing to dial one number. In addition to the telephone programme the RINGLOCAL number will be web based and all clients and callers feedback will be available for all to see.  We appreciate that there will be people with reservations and may not be comfortable with the service because all other providers charge extortional rates. At RINGLOCAL this is not the case becasuse we are using a state of the art (VOIP) programme with an automated facility enabling callers to be connected in seconds, this reduces the connection cost and the saving is passed to the customer. We are compiling a prefered supplier client list, all clients will be charged FOR THE CONNECTION TIME to a caller, and the caller will only be charged 5p per minute(with no hidded charges) the client pays the bulk of the call cost not the caller. It is our intention to invite all customers to use the service when searching for both residential numbers and the prefered supplier listings. In the initial stages the prefered supplier programme will be launched in a small pilot area to test the response, but the residential listings will be available on a national basis as soon as the programme is launched. We have had very good feed back from everybody that has been approached, we would appreciate all comments and views from sayno users.

That's VERY hard reading (separating it into paragraphs would help).

Frankly, it's a bit of a ramble too and I lost what you are trying to say.  For example, is RINGLOCAL the name of the service or something else?  What do you mean clients will pay for calls?

Anyway, 5p/minute sounds great but, having been caught before, I'm going to ask the obvious question.  How much will the CONNECTION charge (NOT onward connection) be?  If it's to be, say, 50p connection + the 5p/minute, it's not of interest (118226 is a flat rate 23½p for up to 2 enquiries).

Heinz

Please accept my apologies, this is my first forum on sayno, I have re-hashed the plan and inserted paragraphs in an attempt to make it reader friendly

RingLocal is the name of the service
Clients will be invoiced for the call and not the caller
NO CONNECTION CHARGE
NO ONWARD CONNECT CHARGE
NO HIDDED AD ON'S

Every enquiry is charged at 5p per minute, and we are using state of the art high speed IVRs
An average connection time will be 20 seconds

All callers will be transfered to the destination number and still charged out at only 5p per minute

I know it sounds to good to be true but I have been researching the 118 service since its inception in 2003 I hate the present service with a passion.

Thankyou very much for you feedback - I hope this answers your questions, if you leave me a landline number I will give you a call as I would be very interested in your comments

Alternatively you can contact me on 01226210893 (Baz)

Riiiight, I am nearly there; but who are the clients? The called parties? Advertisers? Or, well who?

Thanks yz724475a / bazzerfewi.

OK, so a member of the public will call your 118145 number (if you get it) and will be charged their provider's connection fee (6p in the case of BT) plus 5p per minute (or part thereof?).

They'll ask for the number they want and your system will automatically connect them (if they want that or not) at an on-going cost of 5p per minute.  I assume your system will verbalise the number* before connecting them to the wanted number.

If the enquirer doesn't hang up, they'll be automatically connected and will keep paying 5p/minute (or part thereof?) for the remainder of their call.  That's where you'd make money because, obviously, the call will not cost you 5p per minute.

Have I got that right?

So where does the client come in?  And how will you recover money from them?  If mine is the number you give out, you won't be getting any money from me, I can assure you!

* This is the point at which the canny enquirer will hang up and dial the number themselves either for nothing via their own inclusive calls package or for a flat rate of 5p, via 1899, 18185 or 18866).

Reply

1) no the number will not be verbalized becuase the system is designed to take out the hastle, nobody will need to make a note of the number
2) Research suggests that callers prefer the onward connect facility so long as a premium is not charged.
3) Yes all callers will be connected to the requested company or residential number automatically
4) Yes a percentage of the charge will be commission but it is minimal
5) Our revenue will be collected when the customer and client are connected, the client will then be charged by the minute. Every potential client that showed an interest said yes and when will it start
6) The client will only be charged at the point when the customer(caller) and the cleint are connected. The clients are the advertisers
7) Our strap line is
(if you could advertise on the outside cover of the yellow pages and only pay for the ad when your customer read it wouldn't that be great)(all interested parties love that strap line)
A service that nobody pays for until they use it

Apologies I do hope this answers your queries

Didn't Scoot try this?

I remember when they first came out, thinking it was a usefull alternative to DQ, let you find a business by type.  (pre 118 and the proliferation of companies) However they only ever seemed to offer you the advertisers whom had paid them, unless you said "no, who else if there locally?"  They are still going it seems, though I've not tried using them for many years, and won't be doing on an 0900 50p/min number!  Pay to find an advert?

I think you will find that most people dialing a 118 DQ service are after a particular company or individual, and won't take kindly to being automatically forwarded to someone else who has paid to head up the list.  "Can I have the number for my Auntie Jane in Birmingham please?" "Connecting you to Auntie Annie's Pub Co. Ltd, London NW5, now.."   (No idea who they are, I just did a name search for "auntie" on scoot, since it was still open!)


So.. if you don't offer the callers an unbiased comprehensive listing service, they are not going to use you to find a number - the first time you can't answer a query, or send them on a wild goose chase, they'll find someone else to ask, and probably stick with them for the next time.

And if you do offer a sensible service, how are you going to convince potential advertisers to pay you?  What feature can you offer them that's worth paying for ovre and above the free listing you'll need  to give everybody?

Me, I never pay to find a number.. there are plenty of web based enquiry systems out there when i'm at home, and the few times I've needed to find a number when out, I've managed using the (free) WAP on my phone..

Oh, and as for "only pay for the ad when your customer read [the ad]" I'd be bankrupt in no time!!  Only pay when customers phone me would be better - this is exactly how pay-per-click advertising works on the web, and yes, when done right, it works well (just ask Google AdWords).

I've lost interest now.  Because, obviously, paying clients will receive 'top of the list' treatment, it sounds to me that the chance of being connected correctly is pretty remote.

FOR HEINZ
Although paying clients will take preferance as they should if a customer asks for a specific provider they will be transfered to the provider of their choice FOR EXAMPLE if a customer asks for Mr EDDY TAXIS they will be transfered to them even if they are not a prefered provider

the programme is very simple to use and designed to benefit the caller.
We are always interested in feeback the programme has not been launched yet but if we can obtain the number it will only take a few weeks to launch it.

the 118145 number will connect customers to prefered clients clients that the customer requests and all std DQ numbers for only 5p per minute

We think all callers will benefit from this service we welcome all comments.

(118145)CALLS TO BE CHARGED AT 5P PER MINUTE -   Hi there everybody, I have had a number of replies requesting that I make it reader friendly, so here goes.

We have studied the now defunct DQ192 and the new RIP OFF DQ118 service that replaced it for some time and we are in the process of obtaining the 118145 number to offer a DQ service for only 5p per minute. Both business and residential searches will be charged at 5p per minute and the caller will be connected via the onward connect facility at no extra charge.

Research suggests that most callers would welcome the onward connect facility if it was not such a RIP off. It is our intention to offer the 118145 service and roll it out nationally as soon as the service is approved. The DQ services providers are declining and research suggests that callers only use the service if they do not have an alternative. At RINGLOCAL it is our intention to change the trend and offer customers the service at 5p per minute. All RINGLOCAL callers will be connected directly to the destination number only needing to dial one number. In addition to the telephone programme the RINGLOCAL number will be web based and all clients and callers feedback will be available for all to see.

We appreciate that there will be people with reservations and may not be comfortable with the service because all other providers charge extortionate rates. At RINGLOCAL this is not the case because we are using a state of the art (VOIP) programme with an automated facility enabling callers to be connected in seconds, this reduces the connection cost and the saving is passed to the customer.

We are compiling a preferred supplier client list, all clients will be charged FOR THE CONNECTION TIME to a caller, and the caller will only be charged 5p per minute (with no hidden charges) the client pays the bulk of the call cost not the caller. It is our intention to invite all customers to use the service when searching for both residential numbers and the preferred supplier listings. In the initial stages the preferred supplier programme will be launched in a small pilot area to test the response, but the residential listings will be available on a national basis as soon as the programme is launched. We have had very good feed back from everybody that has been approached; we would appreciate all comments and views from sayno users.

It is true that SCOOT started a service and charged 50p per minute and it cost them as it was too early and customers stopped using hte service. A RINGLOCAL if a caller asks for their aunt Jane in London and their is a company called AUNT JANES the caller will be prompted for the full address or post code. All calls will be automatically monitored and will be diverted to a live operator if required. (At no extra connection cost)

Only pay for he ad when somebody reads it is a strap line the meaning being that CLIENTS will not pay for the service unless they are contacted by a customer that needs their service. All customers will be qualified by the IVR prior to connection, we guarentee a satisfactory connection or your money back.

All customers will be transfered to a client of their choice, if for example they require a taxi and they are not a client of RINGLOCAL the caller will still be connected assuming there is a customer information match

This service is designed with the customers in mind and if is intended to assist all callers and give them an alternative to the expensive DQ services on offer.

I would appreciate feed back from all interested parties

Quotes
"Hi there everybody, I have had a number of replies requesting that I make it reader friendly, so here goes."
" Only pay for he ad"
" We are always interested in feeback the programme has not been launched yet but if we..........."
"take preferance"
" NO HIDDED AD ON'S"
and more.

Let's be honest. I have little faith in you as a sales rep for a DQ company.
It is bad enough ringing the various DQ companies at the moment, and having to spell your needs to them. As their origin and mother tongue provides problems with the variety of English accents. But at least their ads read correctly.

You have had several opportunities to amend both grammar, spelling and punctuation. Yet you still fail.
Whilst your personal situation is just that. It doesn't provide a good or even satisfactory image to a service that relies on such necessities to appear professional.
Might I suggest that further communication on this subject be carried out by the sales dept, who should have more experience at projecting the image required.
I do wish you the best of luck in getting the service up and running, but I also wish you would let the pro's do the selling etc for you.

It is our intention to provide a service that will match customers to clients and only charge the Client/Trader when the call is connected to the customer. The customer will be connected to the client FREE of charge and the client only pays for the service when they are introduced.

At present the main facility is provided via the rip off 118 service providers but let me tell you that this market is diminishing by the day. At RingLocal we are going to provide a local service for local companies providing local services to local customers.

We aim to directly attack the 118 rip off service that is provided at present, we have carried out extensive research in the area and the feedback has been very positive.

We plan to launch the RINGLOCAL programme and test it in Barnsley initially if everything goes well we will expand the service to other areas.

This programme is designed for the smaller trader to give them a foothold in the marketplace and give them a fare share of the market just as the larger companies do; the beauty of the RINGLOCAL programme is that companies will only pay for the service when they are connected to the customer.

Strapline
IF YOU COULD ADVERTISE AND ONLY PAY FOR POSITIVE RESPONSES WOULDN'T THAT BE FANTASTIC.

RINGLOCAL offers just that for all clients and we aim to match customers to clients every single time

We have designed and tested the RingLocal programme and we will have the service up and running by mid January. We still have a mammoth task promoting the programme on a limited budget and limited staffing[size=12][/size] we would appreciate all the assistance that any member can offer.

Everybody will benefit from RingLocal because the customers will be connected free and the client will only receive positive calls.

PLEASE HELP US CREATE A FAIR DQ SERVICE FOR EVERYBODY.

We plan to go live with the site in January all feed back welcome.

Bazzerfewi

Baz

At least two Freudian slips there - the word is FAIR, not FARE.

Never heard of the word FRUEDIAN

Yes I see I have made an error, but what do you mean by FRUEDIAN

I cannot find a definition that fits your description.

Baz

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freudian_slip - "A Freudian slip, or parapraxis, is an error in speech, memory, or physical action that is believed to be caused by the unconscious mind."