[asterisk-users] click to call

[Nick Seraphin]

On Sat, 2 Jun 2007, Dean Collins wrote:

> Hi Nick,
> Totally disagree with you. We the prevalence of skype, im and MP3's
> You'd be surprised how many users have headsets.


Well, I'm probably one of the geekiest guys in this geographic area.  I've
been online since 1986, been on the internet since around 1991/92, and
been running an ISP since 1995.  I love electronic gadgets, computers,
networking, telephony, etc.  I write software.  I build things.  I've even
spent hundreds of hours reading various ILEC and CLEC tarriff filings "for
fun".  I'm about as geeky as they come, outside of silicon valley.  Yet, I
do NOT have a headset/mic thingy for using voip from a computer, and I've
never used skype in my life.  Never even been to their web site.  Oh, and
my very large MP3 collection is ripped from legally purchased CD's, not
downloaded from the internet (unless you count purchased iTunes songs).

Anyway, other than possibly a few local ISP-owners/techs I know personally
in the area, I don't know of ANYONE who has a headset/mic setup for voip
over the net, nor anyone who uses skype or has ever used skype and
mentioned it to me.  Now, I don't know alot of 14-24 yr olds, which may be
the demographic that embraces those things...  I mostly know people who
are between 25 and 65.  Yet every single person I know, from age 5 to age
95, has a phone or has access to a phone.

Now maybe in the big cities... or out in silicon valley...  the numbers
are quite a bit higher in your favor.  But in "flyover" country I'd say
the number of people who have a computer with internet access and a
headset/mic setup for voip is much less than 5%.  Compared with 99.999%
that have a phone or access to a phone.

And even if they HAVE the device, most people feel far more comfortable
talking on a phone than they do at a computer console.  Again, VOIP
wouldn't be very popular at all today if it weren't for the ability to use
your regular phone, and/or phone-like devices (IP phones).

I guess it depends on where you are and who you know as to what "seems" to
be the average behavior of people.  For me, it "seems" obvious.  But maybe
the people you know, in your area, are completely different than my
situation.  If your site markets to people outside your area, however,
then it's important you know what the people around here are like, because
I'd bet this is more "average" nationwide.  (I could be wrong)

 
> What you are missing here is the additional functionality you get from
> using a browser delivered call then a pstn call.
> 
> If you have the right business drivers allowing your users to reach you
> for free via IP Click-to-Talk is a huge plus over the older generation
> Click-to-Talk.


Well obviously it's cheaper, since you don't have to pay for PSTN
termination.  And certainly, if your target market is people who have
those devices, then it makes perfect sense.  Or likewise, if you offer it
as "an additional option" to the standard methods click-to-call methods,
and phone/email like everyone else has.  There's definitely a place for
what you describe.  But the typical non-geek consumer won't have a clue
what to do with it.  Like I said before, it just creates a barrier that
doesn't need to be there.  Everyone has a phone, so using a phone is going
to allow you to reach the most potential customers.

It's kind of like companies that build their web sites so that they only
work with IE.  They alienate a huge base of users that either refuse to
use IE, can't use IE, or really don't want to use IE.  I'm the latter.  So
I have to make a choice... do I want to visit that site bad enough to open
up an IE window (and possibly move to a different computer terminal if I
don't have IE on the one I'm using), risk the security problems of IE, and
be generally inconvenienced?  Or will I just go to a competitor's site, or
find another source for the info/product?

If you are selling a product or service, and make money from your site,
you NEVER want to give the customer ANY reason to even THINK about going
somewhere else.  Especially if there are easily implementable ways to
avoid it.

-- Nick

P.S.  If this came across at all as being irritable, sorry, it wasn't
meant that way.  I think this hot weather is getting to me.  :-)