Google Launches CallJoy, a Virtual Customer Service Phone Agent For Small Businesses (techcrunch.com) 34
Google is combining several technologies, including virtual phone numbers, audio transcriptions, automated reporting and analytics, in a new effort to help small business owners better manage their inbound phone calls. From a report: The company's latest project from its in-house incubator is CallJoy, launching today. Aimed at the U.S.'s 30.2 million small business owners, the system offers a low-cost customer service agent that helps block spam calls, provide callers with basic business information and redirect customers to complete their requests -- like appointment booking or placing a to-go order -- over SMS. Any other calls or questions would be directed to the main business phone number. Typically, customer service phone agents like this are out of reach for small business owners, but CallJoy is priced at a flat monthly fee of $39 to make the technology affordable.
Re: Google did, eh? (Score:1)
Welcome to the machine. [youtube.com]
Re: (Score:1)
I think you only meant small businesses foolish enough to embrace this new Google 'product.'
NOBODY CARES ABOUT GOOGLE ADVERTORIAL (Score:1)
Mozilla.org has deactivated all Firefox (Thunderbird too?) add-ons because they fucked up and let a intermediate signing cert expire, and Slashdot editor thinks it better to discuss Google latest project that they'll probably abandon in two or three years.
POST THE MOZILLA STORY SO WE CAN GET OUR FIREFOX HATE ON!!!
Killjoy is an apt name. (Score:3)
Kudos to the marketing shill that came up with it.
Laughable (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
What makes you think that? Their customer service hotlines are usually quite well staffed.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
But they support people who are paying for their products. Because It's them who make money. For small buisnesses, support is actually the main difference between free and buisiness grade services
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Well, I had my broken Nexus replaced even a few weeks past warrenty without problems.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
And they are running the Google store where they sell their products. Yes, they don't manufacture them, but then you couldn't call iPhone an apple product either.
Seems fairly redundant (Score:2, Insightful)
I'm a business owner and I've had to utilize telephone support in the past. I've never had so much incoming spam that the people I had (all two of them) in support couldn't keep up or handle legitimate enquiries. We had a basic telephone menu system which was about as much as we needed. I feel that any business with larger needs isn't being held back by a price tag, they're being held back back a lack of affordable actual support because employing and training people is expensive. Google isn't offering that
In a related press release... (Score:1)
Google announced they are going to wait until businesses have built difficult to reverse business processes around the new service, then announce it will be canceled in six months.
Do the service include recording of all calls? (Score:2)
Which we would naturally expect from any Google "services", right?
Not to mention the insertion of ads played to callers later on, right?
Re: (Score:2)
Not to mention the insertion of ads played to callers later on, right?
Good point - never thought of that. And it will REALLY suck when the ad that's played to the customers who call you, is an ad for one of your competitors.