Yell directory enquiries chooses WIN plc for new SMS service
Directories business Yell has announced that WIN plc will provide the software platform for its new 118 24 7 TextBack service. The service will respond to simple text enquiries by sending SMS containing a click-to-call link for the business.
The service operatres 24/7, and costs £1 per response. If more than one text is needed for a single enquiry, than subsequent texts are free.
From the release:
Mark Canon, president of new media for Yell UK, said: “For occasions when making a phone call isn’t appropriate, 118 24 7 TextBack makes it easy to locate and call a late-night taxi, a nearby Italian restaurant, or find out cinema information and film timings. We expect it to be a very popular and useful way for consumers to contact our database of more than 2.3 million businesses.”
Graham Rivers, WIN plc CEO, said: “We already handle more than one million customer interactions a day on behalf of brands and organisations and the new 118 24 7 TextBack service from Yell cements our position as the UK’s leading provider of interactive information services for mobile phone users.”
What we think?
This is a handy little add-on for Yell’s service. It’s not going to be used every day, but it’s perfect if you need to use directory enquiries somewhere that you can’t speak. Two examples I can think of are the cinema (although you shouldn’t be texting in the cinema anyway, have some decency) or in a club, where there’s too much background noise to be heard anyway. The thing that immediately occurred to me was that if you didn’t get the result you need first time, sending texts back and forth would be an incredible annoyance. But Yell have had some consideration for this problem already, by offering that “subsequent texts are free” service.
Hi - I work for Yell that has just announced the handy 118 24 7 TextBack service. Just wanted to clarify your last point where you refer to the cost of subsequent text messages sent:
Each individual text message response containing requested information will cost the caller £1*. Any texts that 118 24 7 needs to send to clarify the consumer’s specific request, ie. where not enough location information is provided will not incur a charge from 118 24 7.
*Texts to 118 24 7 charged at standard network rates, replies cost £1 per text. Customer service: 0800 900600.
No charge will be made by 118 24 7 in the event that a request cannot be fulfilled (network charges still apply).
Hope that clears things up.