Malawi's companies to maximize phone usage

Launching the product last week, TT managing director, George Layisani said the product that will provide callers to companies and organisations important packaged information every time the call is put on hold.

"Advert on Hold is a simple plug and play device that will connect with a PABX telephone system to provide with music or advert on hold alert," he said.

In an interview, Layisani said CDMA mobile lines will also be able to utilize the facility as this can be changed from fixed lines through router.

"Hence we can say this product can also cover those organisations which are using mobile lines through PABXs," he explained.

Layisani explained that although they have unveiled this product they do not have a figure of subscribers in mind who might take up your products.

"As of now we have more enquiries and demonstrations and I think the response is overwhelming as every company wants promote its products to a particular audience," he said.

He also said while they do not have any idea as to how many firms are there that utilize CDMA, they are only looking at all companies using the PABX system where they are taking a simple message to them that this is a cheapest and easiest way of advertising.

"We have a series of product launching and demonstration. The concept is simple advertise to the callers at no charge and use the same infrastructure you have," he said.

At the launch he explained that research has shown that 70% of all calls are placed on hold with silence and that 60% of callers hang up while 30% of callers who hang up will never call back and that 88% of callers prefer on-hold messaging to silence.

"An effective voice on hold campaign will reduce caller hang-ups by 45% and increase caller enquiries by 15%," said Layisani. "On hold marketing is the easiest and most efficient and cost effective way to pass valuable information to callers."

The Malawi head of the Teleservice Traders Ltd which was established in 2001 and incorporated in 2008 says although they already command a good market share they still believed there was need for such a product because once companies or organisation have it installed in their telephone systems clients have something to listen to while waiting and for a company, it can avoid losing sales by customers disconnecting.

"You can increase profitability and achieve brand exposure by informing clients of services they may not know that you provide," said Layisani, who added that advert on Hold will help differentiate a company from a competition as well as enhancing a company's image.

For more, go to www.teleservice.co.mw