Ringless Voicemail is a technological solution for delivering a marketing or informational message to a user’s cell phone without annoying the user with an annoying alert ring or necessity to answer the call. This is the equivalent of robocalling without the major downside of interrupting the daily activities of the call recipient.
Look for this technology to be integrated into financial alert messages, collections, and other non-marketing scenarios where you wish to “push” an unobtrusive message to the recipient.
How it works … The vendor’s software initiates a landline-to-landline session directly with the mobile phone carrier's voicemail system and inserts a message directly into a mobile user’s mailbox storage – without any initial ring or alert tone. The consumer will see a non-audible signal that a voicemail exists. There is no additional cost to the cell phone user for receiving, storing, or processing the message.
Is it legal? … Some consumer advocacy groups, like the National Consumer Law Center, are claiming that the ringless voicemail process falls under the Federal Trade Commission’s Do-Not-Call rules and is, or should be, a regulated business practice that should respect the “opt-out” wishes of cell phone users. Others see no harm as the practice is not intrusive and is without cost to the message recipient.
Is it effective? … Apparently, there are few users that are willing to share their success stories lest their competitors adopt the same practices and nullify its effectiveness by direct competition or unwelcome saturation of the sensibilities of the cell phone users. Most of the success stories are provided by service vendors who point to repeat service orders as proof of effectiveness.
Political ramifications … Look for the subject of ringless voicemail to be highly politicized. Already the GOP and the United States Chamber of Commerce has endorsed the practice as being beneficial to business and by extension our economy. Besides, political interests see this as another method of providing information to voters, and it is likely that politicians will exempt themselves from any laws or administrative rules and regulations.
Employment ramifications … One might expect that some low-skill jobs in the outward-bound telemarketing and market research industry might be lost to an automated solution. The idea that you can instantly place an order or seek further information with a single push of a button to redial a call center is also a desirable feature.
Consider how this newer technology might be used to cut costs and jobs in your industry, company, division, and department. Plan for the future.