"25th Anniversary of 800 Service"
EDITORS NOTE: This is a nine-part press kit. See press kit summary below.
Monty Hoyt
908-221-8789
montyh@attmail.com
FOR RELEASE WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1992
AT&T celebrates 25 years of 800 services (press kit)
Part (1)
Dear Reporter:
It's human nature to take things for granted. Sometimes it isn't until we
hit a milestone -- whether it's a 40th birthday, a child's high school
graduation or a special wedding anniversary -- that we take the time to
stop and reflect.
AT&T is taking advantage of such a milestone -- in our case on consumer
habits and business developments over the years, we really didn't want to
celebrate alone.
Toll-free calling was invented by AT&T in 1967 for use by large companies
who wanted to pay for their customers' calls without the inconvenience of
reversing charges. That year Americans dialed 7 million 800 numbers; last
year the total number of 800 calls rose to 10.17 billion.
Please use the enclosed press kit to review some of the business growth and
customer service advances resulting from 800 service. Indeed, entire
companies have thrived with the simple addition of an 800 number (imagine
having to call a catalog company across the country without one!) and have
remained successful by earning customer loyalty through the accessibility
of an 800 number.
Included in this package are:
A backgrounder on the history of 800 service
From its humble beginnings as "Inward WATS" to its current status as
the telecommunications service that businesses look upon as the
lifeline to new markets.
A chart showing industry growth
This piece illustrates the steady increase in 800 number calling
volume from 1967 to 1992. (Note, this item is only available in paper
form.)
Twelve things you may not have known about 800 service
Some intriguing facts about toll-free calling that may impress you.
A list of some helpful 800 numbers
Here are some numbers you can call to get information on everything
from how to prepare seafood to a hotline for teenagers who are
thinking of running away.
"From Windexed lizards to lost boy scouts"
A look at some of the more interesting problems customer service
representatives have tried to help solve over their 800 lines.
AT&T 800 Service -- The Next 25 Years
An article on the future of the 800 service industry.
Our customers speak
How some companies are using 800 service to grow their businesses.
I hope you enjoy looking through this information. An AT&T spokesperson,
will be in your town this month. She, along with representatives from some
local companies who use 800 service are available for interviews. I will
call you soon to see if I may arrange an interview or provide you with any
additional information.
Thank you.
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Part (2)
Backgrounder on AT&T 800 Service: 25 years of toll-free calling
Redefining customer service
Since AT&T launched toll-free calling in 1967, 800 Service has literally
revolutionized the way companies and consumers do business, both nationwide
and worldwide. In its 25-year history, toll-free calling has created whole
new markets, enlarged existing ones, and made businesses more competitive
at home and abroad.
From its beginning as interstate INWARD WATS, used by a few large companies
to receive collect calls from major customers and suppliers, 800 Service
has grown into a major industry in its own right. If AT&T's 800 Service was
a company, it would rank among the nation's top 250 businesses.
Some 40 percent of all calls carried on AT&T's long distance network today
are 800 calls -- more than 11 billion 800 calls are projected for this year
alone. In fact, history was made during the airline price promotions in
June, when long-distance calling reached an all-time high on the AT&T
network, and 800 calls for the first time surpassed the 50 percent level.
American businesses currently handle 800 calls from more than 64 countries.
In the 800 industry, more than half a million businesses and government
agencies now accept 800 calls on more than 1.3 million lines, and the
number is growing daily.
Around the world, 800-like services continue to multiply, although less
rapidly than in the U.S. In France, Italy, Norway and Denmark, they're
known as "green number" services; in Japan, where toll-free calling was
introduced only a few years ago, 800 calls are known as "auto-collect
calls;" and in Germany, 800 numbers are called "130 Service." However, only
in Canada, where toll-free calling accounts for approximately 20 percent of
all calls, does the toll-free mark start to reflect its popularity in the
U.S.; in France and Germany, the number is less than 10 percent.
AT&T hardly envisioned changing the world of business when it introduced
800 calling in 1967. Started as a service to allow large businesses to pay
for direct-dialed calls from their biggest customers and suppliers, 800
Service was a technological convenience with limited appeal. Since then,
changes in technology, marketing techniques and customer acceptance have
helped make America a 1 800 world.
And, not surprisingly, most major innovations in the service originated at
AT&T, for 20 years the sole provider of 800 Service.
Evolution of 800 Service
As 800 Service evolved, it went through three separate phases.
In the Automated Collect Call phase (1967-1976), 800 calling grew slowly.
Created as a technology solution to meet an anticipated shortage of
telephone company operators, 800 Service was never part of a grand
marketing vision. Used with television pitches to help sell inexpensive
housewares, 800 Service quickly became associated with the products it
helped sell. But some businesses, such as the Whirlpool Corporation, with
an entrenched customer service philosophy, saw hidden possibilities in the
appeal of free calls to consumers. In 1967, Whirlpool's 800 number drew
10,000 toll-free calls, many from consumers curious to see what the free
service was all about.
The second phase of 800 calling's evolution, from 1977 to 1986, coincided
with the coming of age of the AT&T Worldwide Intelligent Network. Fueling
the explosive growth of 800 Service in the '70s and '80s was the
installation of Common Channel Signaling in AT&T's network, which made it
possible to connect calls faster than ever. The creation of computerized
data bases in the network, a second powerful innovation, allowed businesses
to advertise a single 800 number anywhere in the nation. The single
nationwide number freed businesses from having different 800 numbers in
different states.
As the popularity of toll-free calling increased, businesses awakened to
the service and sales potential of single-number 800 Service. National
advertising began to routinely include 1 800 telephone numbers. Blue chip
corporations jumped on the 800 bandwagon; start-up businesses learned of
its power. Consumers, affluent baby boomers and women entering the nation's
work force discovered a fast, convenient way to shop and, in the process,
helped spend the U.S. economy out of recession in the '70s.
In the third phase of the service's evolution, from 1987 to the present,
the Electronic Storefront unfolded. Competition emerged. Changes in the
regulation of telecommunications service charges brought prices down. And
shrinking leisure time led consumers increasingly to shop by phone for
time-saving products and services. According to a recent survey, more than
half of all U.S. consumers have made a toll-free purchase within the past
three months.
Small businesses enjoyed spectacular growth overnight as the popularity of
catalog shopping increased sharply. Catalog sales rose an astonishing 93
percent between 1983 and 1989. Savvy marketers invented vanity 800 numbers:
1 800 4-CAVIAR, 1 800 451-JAVA, 1 800 HOLIDAY and 1 800 BYA-BOOT are a
sampling. And Whirlpool, the corporate pioneer in toll-free calling for
sales and service, answered 1.7 million consumer calls over its original
800 number -- with a force of customer representatives 45 times larger than
its staff 25 years ago.
Variety of uses
As 800 Service has grown and evolved, so have its applications. No longer
does 800 Service simply handle collect sales calls, it has become a
powerful tool for over-the-phone assistance and information. Although 49
percent of AT&T's business customers still use 800 Service for sales and
order-taking, 21 percent use the service for product and service inquiries,
and 19 percent use it for inside-the-business uses. Another 12 percent of
AT&T's customers use 800 Service for credit card approvals, reservations,
trouble reports and consumer hotlines.
As the Electronic Storefront era continues to evolve, innovation in service
technology grows. AT&T continues to expand its service offerings to meet
the needs of the business community, both Fortune 500 and start-up
businesses alike. The company's original 800 offering, AT&T Basic 800
Service, is just one of a family of toll-free services geared to differing
customer needs, workplace trends and lifestyle changes.
After 25 years, AT&T continues to offer its customers the same commitment
to reliability originally offered a quarter century ago. Reliability
translates into faster installation, quicker service restoration, faster
call set-up times, higher call completion rates than any other long
distance company -- and the only money-back service guarantees in the 800
industry.
AT&T also stands alone in the 800 industry in its efforts to help its
customers and consumers do business. The company's nationwide toll-free
directories include 120,000 listings in its Business Edition and 60,000 in
its Consumer Edition. People without directories can call 1 800 555-1212 if
they want directory assitance on toll-free numbers -- a service no other
800 carrier provides.
Even greater change is on the horizon. As early as next March, companies
that offer 800 services will be able to change long distance companies
without changing 800 numbers. The change means 800 carriers no longer "own"
toll-free numbers -- customers do. And, with the advent of personal 800
numbers, the industry is well on its way to realizing a future where
individuals and businesses may keep telephone numbers for life.
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Part (3)
12 things you may not have known about 800 Service
1. Roughly 40 percent of the 135-140 million calls that go through the
AT&T network on a typical business day are 800 calls.
2. In the 800 industry, more than half a million U.S. businesses employ
more than 1.3 million 800 numbers.
3. You can have a live lobster overnighted to your doorstep simply by
dialing an 800 number.
4. 800 service is an AT&T invention and an American phenomenon. In Japan,
toll-free calling was only introduced just a couple of years ago.
5. AT&T International 800 service now allows people in 64 countries to
call U.S. 800 numbers.
6. 800 service has sparked entire industries. Catalog companies use 800
numbers as their invitation to shop 24 hours-a-day. Spiegel and
subsidiary Eddie Bauer together posted $2 billion in sales in 1991, of
which 90 percent was made via 800 service.
7. According to a recent survey,* the use of 800 numbers to help
companies improve their customer service has grown significantly over
the past 10 years. The first study conducted in 1983 showed that
slightly more than one-third of the companies used 800 numbers. The
1992 profile found that almost two thirds of the companies have now
signed on.
8. The average call mix from companies' customer service 800 numbers is
54 percent inquiries, 30 percent complaints and 12 percent new
business orders and promotions.*
9. The number one reason for investing in an 800 number, according to the
companies surveyed, is increased brand loyalty.*
10. AT&T publishes a directory of 800 numbers for consumers. The directory
contains more than 60,000 listings for everything from adoption
services to retirement communities.
11. AT&T toll-fee directory operators handle nearly half a million calls
daily from consumers.
12. One of Goodyear Tire & Rubber's more than 200 toll-free 800 lines
serves as a 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week "rescue line" for commercial
truck tire blow-outs. This line receives about 2,000 calls a month.
-------------------------
* From the 1992 SOCAP 800 Number Study of some 400 companies. For more
information contact: Society of Consumer Affairs Professionals in Business,
801 North Fairway St., 4th floor, Alexandria, Virginia 22021. Phone:
703-519-3700.
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Part (4)
Some helpful 800 numbers
* 800 Directory Assistance - 800-555-1212; provides phone numbers for
all 800 customers across the nation.
* America The Beautiful - 800-522-3557; provides information and
resources to groups who are interested in beautifying their
communities.
* American Council on Alcoholism - 800-527-5344; provides referrals to
treatment centers, offers reading material, and has counselors readily
available to talk to callers.
* The American Seafood Institute Hotline - 800-EAT-FISH; provides
information about the purchase, storage, preparation and nutritional
value of seafood.
* Centers for Disease Control AIDS Hotline - 800-342-2437; offers
reading material, gives referrals to counseling or testing sites in
the caller's area, and answers questions about AIDS and HIV infection.
* Drug Abuse Hotline - 800-662-HELP; offers information about drug and
alcohol abuse, and gives treatment referrals.
* Nat'l Institute of Health Cancer Information Line - 800-422-6237;
provides information about cancer, related treatments, and/or concerns
of family members of patients over the potential consequences of the
disease.
* Runaway Hotline - 800-231-6946; offers medical, legal, and shelter
advice for children who have run away, or are thinking about running
away. It also provides a message relay service between children and
their parents.
* Social Security Administration Hotline - 800-772-1213; offers
information about retirement and disability benefits.
* USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline - 800-535-4555; provides information on
how to properly handle meat and poultry, gives advice on the safety of
food, and provides information to help callers better understand meat
and poultry labels.
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Part (5)
Problems solved by 800 Service customer representatives
From "windexed" lizards to lost Boy Scouts, help is just an 800 call away
The little boy on the end of the line was frantic. There were marbles stuck
in the ice maker. "It was sort of an experiment," he explained. His mom
would be home any minute. He needed help. Fast.
It was a typical call on a typical day to 1-800-626-2000 -- the GE Answer
Center. And like many callers, the little boy, who knew exactly who to
call, got the advice he needed to solve his problem.
General Electric is among the thousands of U.S. companies that have
established centers with 800 numbers to keep in close touch with their
customers. These centers serve consumers in a variety of ways, from taking
orders and answering questions about products to handling customer
complaints.
Most companies provide extensive training to their employees who answer
customer calls. But even the most thorough training programs can't prepare
these representatives for some of the calls they get:
* At the Drackett Co. in Cincinnati, JoAnn Margeson took a call one
morning from a man wondering if Windex® is harmful to reptiles. The
man had accidentally grabbed a bottle of the window cleaner instead of
water and sprayed his pet lizards. Margeson assured him the lizards
would be just fine (not to mention no streaks).
* At the IBM Personal Systems HelpCenter, a company marketing and
support representative recently took a call from a customer asking
exceptionally sophisticated questions about his PS/2 computer. The
conversation was interrupted when the customer's mother called him
down for dinner. "I can't come down now, mom," hollered the caller,
who turned out to be a 10-year-old boy. "I'm talking to IBM!"
A more common question at the IBM HelpCenter is what to do when the
cat has knocked over a cup of coffee into a computer keyboard. Answer:
Shake it out and blow dry.
* Customer representatives at GE have been asked whether it's safe to
drink the water from a dehumidifier and whether refrigerator racks can
be removed and used for barbecuing. (The answer in both cases, a
resounding no.)
* Holiday Inn Worldwide saved the day for a lost Boy Scout who got
separated from his troop. He had forgotten what hotel they were
staying at, but did remember Holiday Inn's catchy reservations number
-- 1-800-HOLIDAY. The scouts weren't staying at the local Holiday Inn,
but a company operator called every hotel in town until she found
where the boy belonged.
* Last year on Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, General Mills
received so many phone calls -- as many as 200 an hour -- asking for
microwave instructions for its Gorton's frozen fish ntrees that the
company installed an automated voice-response system to answer all the
requests.
* Whirlpool manufactures major home appliances, but its consumer
consultants have handled their share of customers with holiday food
problems, too. Every Christmas, Whirlpool's Customer Assistance Center
gets a rash of calls from customers who have accidentally locked their
ovens with the holiday turkey inside. Dozens of Christmas dinners
across America have been saved by Whirlpool consultants who have
talked callers through the procedure to unlatch their ovens.
* One Chicago-area dad is still talking about how Pleasant Co., a
Wisconsin-based manufacturer of historical dolls and books, saved
Christmas for his little girl. "All she wanted for Christmas was one
of our dolls," said Jean Dollard Dunham, a supervisor in order
processing. "She wrote a letter to Santa but didn't tell anyone
because she was afraid her wish wouldn't come true." Her dad found out
just two days before Christmas. It was too late to have the doll sent,
but he called the company's 800 order number anyway.
"We were closing down for the holidays, but we told him we'd keep the
distribution center in Madison open if he could come pick up the
doll," Dunham said. "It was a four-hour drive and the roads were bad,
but he came and that little girl got her Christmas wish."
* One Lands' End customer used the company's 800 number to do some truly
last-minute shopping. "He called from the hospital birthing room to
order a diaper bag," said Mike Gillispie, Lands' End director of
customer services. "His wife's contractions were less than two minutes
apart. They were having trouble deciding whether to have the bag
monogrammed."
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Windex is a registered trademark of the Drackett Co.
Part (6)
AT&T 800 Service -- The next 25 years completing business with customers
worldwide
The "800" service industry is working hard to make the next 25 years of
toll-free calling as revolutionary for business as the past quarter of a
century. The industry -- led by toll-free calling's inventor, AT&T -- is
developing new services that cater to the needs and lifestyles of its
customers and move beyond merely completing a call to completing an entire
business transaction.
In the next few years, a shopper seeking new shoes may call an 800 number
and speak to a computer through a portable, pocket-sized phone. After
asking for the latest selection of footwear, video pictures of the shoes
may be sent to the caller's videophone -- or to a television at his or her
home or in the office. The caller may purchase the shoes by simply asking
the computer for them -- in plain English.
Computers that recognize speech have been commercially available since the
middle of the last decade. Today, such systems typically recognize numbers
from zero to nine, "yes," "no" and a dozen or so other words. By the middle
of the decade, computers will recognize thousands of words -- in a variety
of languages.
Another new technology under development by AT&T Bell Laboratories would
please even Dick Tracy: an 800 number that follows you around no matter
where you go, much like AT&T's newly introduced AT&T EasyReach® 700
Service. The receiver may not be a wrist watch, but the idea is the same. A
small, hand-held phone includes a device similar to a pager. When someone
dials your personal 800 number, the signal is broadcast nationwide -- or
worldwide -- and is picked up by the pager. Within a split second, the
pager lets you know about the call and prompts your phone to call back and
complete the connection.
The future is now
Already today, AT&T's marriage of the telephone with computer databases is
helping marketers identify industry segments for their products, provide
potential customers with more complete information and even ship products
-- while taking care of many bookkeeping functions, as well. Much of this
technology is commercially available now, or is quickly moving toward the
marketplace.
Today, many people get credit card and bank account balances, for instance,
over 800 lines without operator assistance. An increasing number of people
also use their touch-tone phones to transfer funds between accounts and to
make purchases. For the past two years, discount brokerage and financial
services customers have been able to obtain their balances, hear the latest
stock market information and complete stock purchases from their touch-tone
phone, 24-hours-a-day. Callers simply dial an 800 number, enter a personal
identification number and follow a series of spoken instructions. The
service has generated so many sales for one company that it has become, in
effect, its largest "branch office."
Another new 800-based service enables callers to speak with a florist near
the address where they want flowers delivered. Callers simply enter the zip
code. The long-distance network and computers do the rest. By contacting a
local florist directly, callers can find out what flowers are fresh and
available.
AT&T expects small businesses to increasingly use such services to expand
their markets. These examples are based on technologies that reside not in
the customer's office, but in AT&T's worldwide intelligent long-distance
network. One such technology, called AT&T InfoWorx, is a network-based
system that not only accepts 800 calls, but can communicate with a variety
of computers to send and retrieve information. In the case of the floral
service, InfoWorx accepts the call, asks the caller questions and finds the
nearest florist from another computer with a list of zip codes. As if
that's not enough, InfoWorx also automatically connects callers to the
florists.
For stock transactions, InfoWorx links directly into a broker's own
computers. The system reads stock prices to callers and provides account
balance information. Then it records all transactions, such as stock
trades, back into the company's own computer.
This ability to interact with other computer applications means that AT&T
can customize its service to handle many of the functions now handled
internally by a company. InfoWorx can automatically fax product information
to a number the caller provides, print mailing labels and even instruct a
warehouse to ship the product and print the invoice.
Going global
While network-based systems will make even a small company a marketing
powerhouse, today's increasingly global economy demands that 800 Service
set its sights beyond the United States. Since AT&T started offering
international 800 numbers seven years ago, the number of countries where
the service is available has grown to 64. It is expected to double in the
next two years.
Though 800 services still account for only a small percentage of
international telephone calls, many businesses, including mail order
companies, airlines, travel agencies and management consulting firms, are
beginning to use the service to gain a foothold in foreign markets without
having to open a branch.
One South Carolina golf course cooperative, for example, has used
international 800 number services to attract hundreds of thousands of
visitors from a variety of countries, including Sweden, Norway, Denmark,
Ireland, Japan and the Netherlands.
And when a non-English speaker calls, AT&T's Language Line® Services kick
in. AT&T Language Line provides 24-hour-a-day interpretation services for
140 languages.
International 800 service and the full spectrum of today's offerings -- and
tomorrow's -- will enable business people to operate anywhere on earth.
Mobility and the ability to fully complete a business transaction are
expected to launch 800 service into another phase of rapid growth. Callers
will routinely communicate through pictures and computer information
received on devices that haven't yet hit the drawing board.
But as businesses continue seeking new ways to reach and service customers,
toll-free 800 service will remain one of technology's most remarkable --
and flexible -- inventions.
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Part (7)
Changing how business does business
The advent of 800 toll-free calling has helped U.S. businesses,
associations and governmental agencies offer entirely new products and
services to their constituencies around the world.
Here are a few examples of organizations that use AT&T 800 Services in
innovative ways. To contact customers in your area, see the list enclosed
in this packet, or call your local AT&T Public Relations manager.
Entering new markets
From little acorns
When Tennessee Enterprises, an assembler and seller of oak reproduction
furniture, looked to expand into new markets, company President I-Chu Lo
turned to AT&T 800 Service.
"Our new international 800 number has increased business significantly and
opened new sales channels for us," says Lo at company headquarters in
Chattanooga. "Now we plan to expand into the Far East and other markets.
We're sure that AT&T's toll-free service will be there to help."
A better mousetrap
World Data Delivery Systems, Inc., of Harper Woods, Mich., didn't exist
before company founders -- two years ago -- realized they could combine
advanced facsimile services with toll-free calling to build a whole new
business line.
The company now offers a variety of information providers -- like
newspapers, brokerage firms and service bureaus -- the ability to
distribute documents and other typed information to their customers via 800
lines.
Lost and found
Parts Voice is a national automobile parts locater -- with a twist.
The Portland, Oregon-based company has an 800 number combined with a
voice-response system to help callers nationwide quickly locate local
stores that stock hard-to-find auto parts. An additional service: If the
local store has an 800 number, the call is transferred automatically.
Looking big when you're small
Giving a hoot
Buck Coggins is the owner of a small hunting and fishing store known as
Hoot's Outdoors in Albermarle, N.C.
But being small hasn't stopped Coggins from thinking big.
He and his five employees have conducted wholesale and public business in
the U.S. via an 800 number for years. Last year, AT&T suggested using an
international service for toll-free calls from Canada over regular U.S.
domestic lines.
"The Canadian service has been a big success," says Coggins. "We've picked
up many new customers. Now, we're planning to expand our overseas
marketing. We're looking at Japan, for instance, where western and outdoor
gear is popular."
Offering new products and services
One of the first
Whirlpool Corporation, based in Benton Harbor, Mich., has long been one of
this country's pioneers in toll-free service.
Recently, Whirlpool tied an image-retrieval system into its 800-based
service center, allowing customer representatives to diagnose and respond
in seconds to questions on its major home appliances. As a result,
Whirlpool expects to handle some nine million customer calls annually by
1995 over its 800 lines.
Keep on truckin'
Some companies grow through 800 Services. Others find it hard it exist
without toll-free calling. Such is the case with Werner Enterprises of
Omaha, Neb.
Like other truckload carriers, Werner relies heavily on 800 Service for
booking freight, scheduling loads, administering payroll, recruiting
drivers and keeping in touch with its 3,800-strong work force -- many of
whom are truckers out on the road.
Managing in a crisis
Open for business
The recent Los Angeles riots affected almost everyone -- in some way --
nationwide. For PRN, a Michigan-based pharmaceutical supplier, the rioting
forced the closing of their California office. But because of AT&T's 800
Service, PRN remained in business.
Through AT&T's 800 Assurance Policy -- which guarantees to re-route calls
to a designated location within 30 minutes -- PRN was able to send all L.A.
calls to Michigan and, company officers say, no sales were lost during the
emergency.
Water, water everywhere
When the Chicago River rushed into basements and other underground
facilities in the city's downtown area recently, Commonwealth Edison was
flooded with more than water: Customer calls overwhelmed the power company,
too.
Commonwealth Edison turned to AT&T for help. Company officers asked that
three brand new 800 numbers be turned up within hours, and AT&T obliged.
Edison went on the air the next morning with the new numbers, allowing the
company to field flood-related questions and also continue with normal
activity.
Two for one
Wing Aero Products, a Garland, Texas-based distributor of pilot and
flight-training supplies, was seeking growth when it got safety, too.
Wing Aero has been a long-time user of AT&T 800 Service to manage customer
orders from around the country. When the company opened a second
distribution center in Atlanta, it wanted to keep a single 800 number.
The answer was AT&T's Area Code Routing feature that automatically sends
callers to the closest distribution center. As a bonus, the system acts as
a back-up should one of Wing Aero's two centers have an emergency.
The globalization of 800
The "healthy way" to profits
Health Professionals International, based in Winnetka, Ill., finds that
toll-free international service keeps the company one step ahead of its
competition.
The health-care recruitment firm uses the service to receive toll-free
calls from 19 countries. "Interested candidates respond more quickly when
toll-free service is offered," says Recruitment Coordinator Doug Pendry.
"We're in a competitive business, and 800 Service gives us an edge. We're
constantly expanding the number of countries we serve."
Staying "ship shape"
Carnival® Cruise Lines is celebrating an anniversary of its own this year
-- 20 years in service. The "Fun Ships" of Carnival now carry more
passengers than any other line in the world. The Miami-based company
attributes much of its growth to AT&T 800 Service.
"We have 384 incoming lines for reservations and administrative calls from
travel agents in Canada, Mexico and the Bahamas," says James Bussey, vice
president, Information Systems and Administrative Services. "Travel agents
choose from just a handful of numbers, depending on the nature of their
request. It has made us easier to do business with and increased our
international business significantly."
Expanding opportunities
Keeping pace
Walker Financial is a highly successful telemarketing company based in Fort
Worth, Texas . . . so successful that the company recently became
overloaded with customer 800 calls.
At the suggestion of AT&T, Walker installed a high-capacity, private-line
circuit with 800 service. The move paid off. Walker reduced its
long-distance costs by 20 percent and increased productivity more than
seven percent, helping to position the company for continued growth.
Jobs, jobs, jobs
The State of Connecticut has suffered tough times in the recent recession.
But state officials are now using 800 services to help turn things around.
As part of a three-year campaign, Connecticut is promoting a series of
business loans, grants, tax credits, diversification programs and trade
assistance to attract new companies. The program and its toll-free number
have attracted interest nationwide. During the first four weeks of the
campaign, more than 3,000 calls came in from interested companies.
A "net" gain
JBS Associates, a check-verification company, was founded in 1974 in a
basement with a single 800-line telephone on a ping pong table.
Today, the company annually logs 20 million requests to verify $6 billion
in checks for 40,000 retailers nationwide and in Canada. JBS operations are
now located in Ringwood, N.J., where multiple 800 lines were installed --
along with multiple ping pong tables. In recent months, JBS removed the
tables in favor of a state-of-the-art authorization center.
Providing world-class service
A friend in Pennsylvania
Travelers rarely find a single source of information when headed in new
directions. But Hershey Entertainment & Resort Co. provides exactly that
through an 800 number that offers visitors to Hershey, Pa., all the
information they could want.
Through 1-800-HERSHEY, tourists can access information about the hours of
operation, admission and events at Hershey Park, ZooAmerica North American
Wildlife Park, Hershey Park Arena and Stadium, and Hershey's other
facilities, as well as the local museum, gardens, theatre and area golf
courses. The 800 service also offers convenient lodging and reservations
information and even provides a weather report.
Trying harder
When you're stranded on the road, there's nothing like an 800 number to
come to the rescue.
That's the opinion of Avis Rent A Car headquartered in Garden City, N.Y.,
which is using an advanced application of AT&T's toll-free service to
provide quick and personalized roadside service.
By calling a single nationwide 800 number, customers are automatically
routed to the nearest Avis road station where help can be dispatched.
According to the company, it's the first service of its kind in the
industry.
The gift of giving
800 Service helps AT&T provide world-class service to its customers. And it
helps AT&T customers provide world-class service of their own.
Take the case of U.S. Healthcare, a managed health-care company
headquartered in Blue Bell, Pa. The company participated in a recent
national program to help disadvantaged students discover the importance of
reading.
U.S. Healthcare provided a toll-free number through which consumers could
inquire about a widely watched television broadcast that featured First
Lady Barbara Bush and other celebrities promoting the cause of literacy.
-------------------------
Part (8)
AT&T family of 800 Services
AT&T 800 StarterLine(sm) Service
Aimed at smaller businesses that use 800 service less than three hours per
month. Delivers toll-free calling (intrastate and interstate) on existing
phone lines; no new equipment or lines needed. Cost is $6 per month plus
usage.
AT&T 800 ReadyLine(sm) Service
Targeted toward small-to-medium- size businesses with higher volume (up to
500 hours per month) 800 calling needs; uses existing phone lines, no extra
equipment or installation required. Interstate, intrastate and Canadian
calls over the same line; custom calling features available. Installed in
one day; costs $20 per month plus usage.
AT&T 800 MasterLine(sm) Service
Targeted toward high-volume calling. In-state, out-of-state and Canadian
calls on the same dedicated line. Customers save on installation and access
charges, since they don't need multiple lines at each location. Cost is $20
per month, plus $36.70 per line and usage charges.
AT&T Megacom® 800 Service
A productive and reliable solution for highest-volume businesses with 10 or
more lines or over 500 hours of usage per location per month. MEGACOM 800
calls are delivered over direct access lines from the AT&T network to the
customer. Interstate or intrastate service available on the same line;
Canadian service available on the same or separate line.
AT&T 800 Basic Service
A toll-free service for businesses requiring dedicated access lines. The
traditional 800 service, introduced in 1967, was first known as INWARD
WATS. Pricing was changed to distance-sensitive basis in 1989. Separate
lines are required for interstate, intrastate, Canadian and international
service. Recommended for up to 500 hours of inbound calling.
AT&T 800 Basic Gold Service
AT&T 800 ReadyLine(sm) Gold Service
AT&T 800 MasterLine(sm) Gold Service
AT&T Megacom® 800 Gold Service
Premium services at prices approximately 7 percent over regular 800
services, available since April 1992. Offer installation in half the time
of regular services (one hour for 800 READYLINE Service, five days for
Basic 800 Service and MASTERLINE 800 Service, 15 days for MEGACOM 800
Service). Repairs in five hours or less (one hour for 800 READYLINE
Service). A guarantee of 99.9 percent call-completion rate and a 15-minute
back-in-business assurance among other improved services.
AT&T International 800 Service
Opens up the global marketplace with 800 service from 64 countries (nearly
twice as many as the nearest competitor). Flexible access arrangements.
Calls routed directly to subscriber's office; no operator assistance
required.
AT&T 800 CustomNet(sm) Service
A discount calling plan for multi-location businesses which automatically
combines charges for two to 55 locations into a single monthly invoice.
Residential numbers may be included in the plan. No monthly service fee as
long as monthly usage exceeds $50.
AT&T Advanced 800 Features
Permit subscribers to customize their 800 service with area code routing,
exchange code routing, courtesy response, time and day manager, call
prompter, command routing, call allocator, single number service and
routing control service.
AT&T 800 Assurance Policy
Gives an automatic guarantee for 800 customers that if they experience
service disruptions caused by equipment or local-line failure, AT&T will
have them back in touch with customers within 30 minutes. Customers, once
they have reported the problem, may choose to have calls rerouted to
another existing 800 line, have a temporary 800 service installed
immediately on any regular telephone line, or have calls routed to a
customized announcement. If the disruption is AT&T network related, usage
during that time and any necessary installation are free.
AT&T Service Monitor
Available only with MEGACOM 800 Service. Provides comprehensive daily,
weekly or monthly reports that tell 800 customers about call activity.
Reports break activity down (into call attempts, incompletes, busies,
abandons, etc.) as well as a warning if call rates drop below specified
levels.
AT&T 800 Validator(sm) Service
A flexible, high-performance service for credit verification customers who
receive many short-duration calls (less than 18 seconds). Service is
designed to work with automated credit verification systems (or any brief
data transactions) by establishing a 6-second minimum time requirement on
interstate calls, providing the most savings possible for short calls.
AT&T Signature(sm) 800 Service
A new 800 service for residential customers. It is designed for families or
individuals who want to make it easy for others to call them, such as
families with college students or relatives living in other parts of the
country or families with members who travel a lot.
AT&T Toll-Free Directory
Over 120,000 AT&T toll-free numbers nationwide listed in annual Business
edition and 60,000 in Consumer edition. First offered in 1984, and now
distributed to more than two million businesses and consumers each year.
Specialty 800 directories (gifts, travel, work-at-home) are now being
published.
-------------------------
Part (9)
Media tour schedule for AT&T 800 Service 25th anniversary
LOCATION DATE(S) SPOKESPERSON(S)
======================================================
Tampa July 22 Bonnie Guiton
Miami July 23 Vincent Salas
Rosemary Ravinal
Jacksonville July 23 Bonnie Guiton
Pittsburgh July 27 Bonnie Guiton
Washington/Baltimore July 28 Bonnie Guiton
Philadelphia July 29 Bonnie Guiton
Minneapolis/St. Paul July 28 Evelyn Kanter
Omaha July 29 Evelyn Kanter
Denver July 30 Evelyn Kanter
Dallas/ Ft. Worth July 30 Vincent Salas
Rosemary Ravinal
Houston July 31 Vincent Salas
Rosemary Ravinal
San Francisco Aug 3 Bonnie Guiton
Los Angeles Aug 4-5 Bonnie Guiton
Portland Aug 5 Evelyn Kanter
Los Angeles(H) Aug 5 Vincent Salas
Rosemary Ravinal
San Diego Aug 6 Bonnie Guiton
Seattle Aug 6 Evelyn Kanter
Phoenix Aug 7 Evelyn Kanter
Cleveland Aug 10 Bonnie Guiton
Detroit Aug 11 Bonnie Guiton
Chicago Aug 12 Bonnie Guiton
St. Louis Aug 13 Evelyn Kanter
Boston Aug 13 Bonnie Guiton
Kansas City Aug 14 Evelyn Kanter
Atlanta Aug 14 Bonnie Guiton
Newark Aug. 24, 25, 26 Bonnie Guiton
New Jersey Aug. 24, 25, 26 Bonnie Guiton
New York Aug. 24, 25, 26 Bonnie Guiton
New York(H) Aug 25 Bonnie Guiton
National media Aug. 24, 25, 26 Bonnie Guiton
(H) = Hispanic media
-------------------------
Press Kit Summary
Following are nine separate items from the AT&T press kit celebrating the
25th anniversary of 800 telephone service in the U.S. Included are
1. A sample letter to reporters outlining the celebration and the
significance of this anniversary,
2. A backgrounder on the history of 800 service,
3. Intriguing facts on 800 services,
4. A list of some helpful 800 numbers,
5. Some interesting problems solved by 800 number customer service reps,
6. A look at the next 25 years in 800 services,
7. how some AT&T customers are using 800 services to expand their
business,
8. A list of the family of all AT&T 800 services and
9. A list of cities, dates and spokespeople involved in AT&T media
activities supporting the 25th anniversary of 800 services.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
AT&T Media Relations Section Editor / Andrew.B.Myers@att.com
AT&T Media Relations Section Development / D.Brian.Larkins@att.com
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