Advertising with information
Bakom and advertisers will decide whether free information will be available soon
Bakom and advertising clients determine whether there will soon be a free directory assistance serviceBy Markus KnöpfliFrom May at the latest, Pearsoft will launch a directory assistance service. Compared to Swisscom's "Fräulein vom Amt", however, the Pearsoft service will be much cheaper. Perhaps even free, as it is financed by advertising. If Pearsoft finds enough "sponsors".
Hans Schweizer wants to call his grandmother, but he has misplaced the number. Should he call directory enquiries? Oh no, the call is not urgent enough to be worth 1.60 francs. Swisscom collects this amount even if it can't find a number. But wait, there's the new free 1811 option from Pear... Pearcing? - no, Pearsite?...it doesn't matter, the main thing is free. Swiss dials. Then he hears: "Hello, have you got your Ovi yet? No? Then let's go, there's a promotion at the Coop...". Schweizer is flabbergasted. But a friendly voice answers: "Pearsoft free information, would you like some?" "A hot Ovi, please," stammers Schweizer in confusion. Then he remembers: "Uh, no, my grandfather's phone number."
This or similar confusion could arise in two months at the latest. This is when the Internet service provider Pearsoft launches its own directory assistance service. According to Pearsoft owner Daniel Neuweiler, it remains to be seen whether this will actually be preceded by an advertising spot and thus the call will be free or whether it will cost something - even if only around half as much as with Swisscom.
Neuweiler is making the launch of the ad-financed version dependent on whether he can find enough clients to place an ad before the launch. This should be a maximum of ten seconds long, because "callers must not be annoyed too much".
As the caller can be geographically located in many cases by means of call identification, it is also possible to activate regional spots. Neuweiler does not want to comment on rates, but admits that he needs at least 80 centimes per call to cover his costs. The spots are currently being acquired via an advertising agency, which Neuweiler does not yet wish to name.
But who wants to listen to a commercial before getting address information? Basically everyone, Neuweiler is convinced. After all, Swisscom information is expensive, especially for cell phone users, which is why even well-heeled people will sit through a ten-second commercial.
Four-digit service numbers with difficult conditions
"It only drives consumers crazy, because they can't avoid it," says Karin Wietlisbach, advertising coordinator for VW at AMAG. "I can't imagine a product that can be advertised like that." Christina Hertig, Head of Communications at the Bon Appétit Group, also does not believe that "the Swiss, with their large proportion of stop stickers on letterboxes" want to hear advertising voluntarily. "There will certainly be SWA members who will cheer," says Fredy Schwab, Director of the Swiss Advertisers Association.
Be that as it may, like Pearsoft, Xentel and Tele 2 are not entirely averse to an advertising-financed free directory enquiries service. The three are among the 20 or so companies that were allocated a four-digit telephone number for a directory assistance service by the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) at the end of January.
However, the conditions for the concession were difficult to fulfill and, above all, were only announced after the fact. For the time being, Swisscom can continue to use the well-known number 111, which allows it to remain in pole position when it comes to directory assistance services.
In addition, anyone who wants to keep the license must record at least five million calls per year - around a tenth of Swisscom's volume. Pearsoft had previously assumed that it would initially have to handle around 6,000 calls per day with 20 people. However, this amounts to just over two million calls per year. This puts Pearsoft and other providers in a tight spot. They have to go over the books again. Swisscom's competitors are therefore examining joint steps against Bakom.
Hans Schweizer wants to call his grandmother, but he has misplaced the number. Should he call directory enquiries? Oh no, the call is not urgent enough to be worth 1.60 francs. Swisscom collects this amount even if it can't find a number. But wait, there's the new free 1811 option from Pear... Pearcing? - no, Pearsite?...it doesn't matter, the main thing is free. Swiss dials. Then he hears: "Hello, have you got your Ovi yet? No? Then let's go, there's a promotion at the Coop...". Schweizer is flabbergasted. But a friendly voice answers: "Pearsoft free information, would you like some?" "A hot Ovi, please," stammers Schweizer in confusion. Then he remembers: "Uh, no, my grandfather's phone number."
This or similar confusion could arise in two months at the latest. This is when the Internet service provider Pearsoft launches its own directory assistance service. According to Pearsoft owner Daniel Neuweiler, it remains to be seen whether this will actually be preceded by an advertising spot and thus the call will be free or whether it will cost something - even if only around half as much as with Swisscom.
Neuweiler is making the launch of the ad-financed version dependent on whether he can find enough clients to place an ad before the launch. This should be a maximum of ten seconds long, because "callers must not be annoyed too much".
As the caller can be geographically located in many cases by means of call identification, it is also possible to activate regional spots. Neuweiler does not want to comment on rates, but admits that he needs at least 80 centimes per call to cover his costs. The spots are currently being acquired via an advertising agency, which Neuweiler does not yet wish to name.
But who wants to listen to a commercial before getting address information? Basically everyone, Neuweiler is convinced. After all, Swisscom information is expensive, especially for cell phone users, which is why even well-heeled people will sit through a ten-second commercial.
Four-digit service numbers with difficult conditions
"It only drives consumers crazy, because they can't avoid it," says Karin Wietlisbach, advertising coordinator for VW at AMAG. "I can't imagine a product that can be advertised like that." Christina Hertig, Head of Communications at the Bon Appétit Group, also does not believe that "the Swiss, with their large proportion of stop stickers on letterboxes" want to hear advertising voluntarily. "There will certainly be SWA members who will cheer," says Fredy Schwab, Director of the Swiss Advertisers Association.
Be that as it may, like Pearsoft, Xentel and Tele 2 are not entirely averse to an advertising-financed free directory enquiries service. The three are among the 20 or so companies that were allocated a four-digit telephone number for a directory assistance service by the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) at the end of January.
However, the conditions for the concession were difficult to fulfill and, above all, were only announced after the fact. For the time being, Swisscom can continue to use the well-known number 111, which allows it to remain in pole position when it comes to directory assistance services.
In addition, anyone who wants to keep the license must record at least five million calls per year - around a tenth of Swisscom's volume. Pearsoft had previously assumed that it would initially have to handle around 6,000 calls per day with 20 people. However, this amounts to just over two million calls per year. This puts Pearsoft and other providers in a tight spot. They have to go over the books again. Swisscom's competitors are therefore examining joint steps against Bakom.
