Newsgroups: rec.music.gdead
From: kgrant@.com (Ken Grant)
Subject: Re: New Hotline Message
Summary: Info on new Hotline system
Reply-To: kgrant@oracle.com (Ken Grant)
Organization: Oracle Corporation, Belmont, CA
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 15:19:53 GMT
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              at Oracle Corporation.  The opinions expressed are those
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In article <182734@pyramid.pyramid.com> glambert@pyramid.com (George Lambert) writes:
>Mr. Marcus also informs us to watch for the new computerized Mail Order
>Hotline, whatever that might be.  They (GDTS) want to get everything
>about it 'perfect' before starting it up.

Here is some information about the new Hotline, taken from the Well...


Topic  97:  415 457-8457, a new hotline system, any suggestions?
#  1: Dead Ducats (smarcus)      Tue, Jul 14, '92  (14:58)      18 lines

 phoffman has been on my case for about one year to replace the old tape
 hotlines with computerized menu type hotlines.  Well, with his help I have
 most of the new system for the mail order hotline in house.
 
 With this new system, *you* can choose from a menu what you want to listen
 to so that you don't have to listen to the same crap over and over.  For
 example,  when you first call in you will get a message telling you that
 this message was last updated on X-date and includes this-or-that new
 concert. From there you can press 1 for GD tour dates, 2 for JGB tour
dates,
 3 for Bob Weir tour dates, 4 for GDTS mail order instructions, 5 for tour
 ticket prices and mail order address(assuming that you know the mail order
 instructions!), 6 for merchandise information, etc.
 
 Anyway, that is the idea.  It will not necessarily be in that order.  But I
 am asking for suggestions on how to break down the information.
 
 Also, with this system each caller will come in at the beginning of the
 message!!


Topic  97:  415 457-8457, a new hotline system, any suggestions?
#  4: Dead Ducats (smarcus)      Tue, Jul 14, '92  (15:27)       9 lines

 If this system works out, one will be set up to replace the East Coast
 hotline.
 
 The main idea is that now when people call they have to listen to the
entire
 message to find out what they want to know.  With the new system, you will
 know within 45 seconds whether you want to stay on and listen or hang up
and
 wait until next time.  And if you are only looking for prices and mailing
 address you can press that number and be off the phone in 2 or 3 minutes
 instead of 10-15 minutes!!

Topic  97:  415 457-8457, a new hotline system, any suggestions? 
# 14: Paul Hoffman (phoffman)      Tue, Jul 14, '92  (21:46)      28 lines

 > Does this mean less busy signals?
 Absolutely. By watching the lights on the current setup, my first estimate
 is that people listen to the tape for an average of at least 5 minutes.
With
 the new system, that should drop to under 1 minute. Dial in, hear when the
 message changed ***and why*** (some people don't care about new Jerry shows
 or new East Coast shows), and be off within 15 seconds. Even with the
 increased information we might put on (such as when all the orders for
 a show were mailed out by), I think 80% of the calls will last under2
 minutes.
 
 >BUT - What if you don't have a pushbutton phone?
 We'll play every damn message on the line for you. If you haven't pressed
 a key in 10 seconds, we'll just start playing all the messages. (We may
 put in a suggestion that you save yourself some money and buy a $10 used
 TouchTone phone, however...)
 
 It'll take a while for me to code this whole thing. The software is, er,
um,
 a bit primative, but very complete. They need a technical writer badly
 <heh heh>.
 
 So, what do you think we should have that we may have forgotten? I've
 got:
 --common tele numbers and addresses
 --dates when tix were mailed out (so you don't have to call the problem
line
   so often!)
 --what's still for sale and what's sold out (Steve doesn't like this so
much)
 
 Eventually, we may even have a survey.

Topic  97:  415 457-8457, a new hotline system, any suggestions?
# 16: Paul Hoffman (phoffman)      Tue, Jul 14, '92  (22:54)       5 lines

 You don't need TouchTone, just a push-button phone with a "tone" setting.
 The difference is part of corporate history, but any push-button phone made
 in the last 10 years will do (well 99% of them). You can tell if it will
 work by whether you get a beep when you dial (good) or a series of clicks
 (bad).

Topic  97:  415 457-8457, a new hotline system, any suggestions?
# 22: Dead Ducats (smarcus)      Wed, Jul 15, '92  (10:53)       5 lines

 The East Coast hotline is run out of John Schers' office in Montclair, NJ.
 I fax them the message and they record it on their machine.  With the new
 systems I can federal express a floppy with my voice on it.(I don't want to
 use an independent call in because asshole hackers are too smart and would
 probably screw upmy message.
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Newsgroups: rec.music.gdead,phl.music