Today eStara (whom I associate with their "web call me button" product), announced a SME solution that enables SMEs to use web advertising and still convert using phone as opposed to the website. If you are running a specific campaign, you can create/provision a unique phone number and eStara will track the leads to this number. This has been done for decades in the call center arena, but what's new is eStara has extended this feature into the Voice over IP realm, which enables not just call centers, but also small-to-medium sized businesses to track their campaigns as well. They offer comprehensive real-time reporting and provisioning using a web browser.

Check out the news release...

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eStara Launches First VoIP-Based Nationwide, Local Call Tracking Service

IP-Based Technology Outperforms Legacy Switch-based Services; Makes Local and Toll-Free Numbers Ubiquitous, Affordable for Enterprise Customers and Online Advertisers

(Reston, VA) – eStara today launched the industry's first nationwide Voice over the Internet (VoIP) based call tracking service designed for both enterprise customers and advertisers working with directory, yellow page and search companies. Traditional call tracking technology required expensive, hardware-based, switched services. In contrast, eStara's VoIP-based call tracking service leverages the cost-savings, flexibility and scalability of IP-based services to track inbound calls from any online or offline source. eStara's service proves out the value of online and offline advertising and, with eStara's real-time reporting tools, dramatically reduces incidents of "lost telephone leads."

"eStara has a new kind of call tracking service that offers real-time number provisioning and sophisticated reporting at an incredibly attractive price point. Our eStara team has been extraordinarily responsive and dedicated to making NVR's call tracking program a success. They are truly a new kind of call tracking provider," said Wendy Weaver, director of media services for Williams Whittle Associates, an integrated marketing communications company, on behalf of NVR Homes, a national home builder. "eStara has great technology, aggressive pricing and strong customer support. They promised more than every other call tracking vendor and they have delivered."

In November 2004, eStara began working with Leads.com, an online advertising agency dedicated to helping businesses reach local consumers online, to provide its customers with VoIP-based call tracking services. Leads.com CEO Todd Walrath added, "Leads.com went out looking for best-of- breed service and eStara's call tracking was the clear winner. For the first time, eStara's ultra-competitive pricing, national coverage and fast provisioning makes call tracking truly viable for small and medium sized businesses. eStara provides a competitive advantage for Leads.com."

Prospects interested in finding available local and toll-free call tracking numbers can search by area code/NNA at http://www.localcalltracking.com/.

"eStara's innovative call tracking solution is based upon our extensive history of building applications that connect buyers and sellers online over a VoIP-based technology platform," said John Piescik, COO of eStara. "We have the broadest footprint in the industry and we drive lower costs for our customers and higher margins for our partners."
Call tracking services from eStara includes real-time phone number provisioning for both local and toll-free numbers, geo-targeted calling, advanced number scrubbing, scalable capacity and extensive real-time reporting capabilities. eStara call tracking offers:

• Local numbers in over 3,400 U.S. cities, as well as U.S. and Canadian toll-free coverage.
• VoIP-based platform, hosted in multiple data centers, which provides greater scalability and reliability at significantly lower price points compared to traditional switched-based services.
• Number selection and allocation system that lets customers choose local tracking numbers based on Rate Center, NPA NXX and distance from target customer base.
• Real-time reporting and provisioning powered by eStara’s WebCare portal that enables customers to add, remove or update tracking numbers immediately and continuously from the web, through XML, or in readily accessible Excel or CSV files.
• Geo-targeting gives customers the ability to limit usage of call tracking numbers to prospects within a specific area.
• “Lost Lead” reports which can be faxed or emailed to an advertiser or the sales office daily with the name of a caller, time of a call and phone number to facilitate follow-up contact for missed calls.
• Optional two-way call recording that enables advertisers or sales managers to validate quality of inbound call handing and customer service.

eStara's business applications have been deployed by more than 350 global enterprises, spanning diverse industries including yellow pages and directories, financial services, retail, travel and hospitality, real estate and automotive. Tier-one directory services customers include Verizon SuperPages, Amazon subsidiary A9.com and Martindale-Hubbell's Lawyers.com.