MCI WorldCom Introduces Interactive Phone Survey Cards

LAS VEGAS, CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW (CES) -- MCI WorldCom today announced the availability of an Interactive Survey Prepaid Phone Card that helps companies obtain real-time customer feedback in exchange for free long distance minutes. To redeem long distance talk time, users call the toll-free number and are prompted with several short survey questions the first time the card is used. Questions are defined by the provider of the promotional phone card, which allows them to capture consumer information in a much more user friendly and effective method than traditional direct mail or telephone surveys. And, response rates on these surveys are high, typically in the 25 to 50 percent range.

The General Service Administration's (GSA) Federal Technology Service (FTS) is an early adopter of MCI WorldCom's Interactive Phone Survey Cards, recently distributing the cards via their direct mail campaigns to gather marketing feedback for FTS programs and services. "The MCI WorldCom survey calling card is an innovative way for us to manage one of our most important core values - customer satisfaction," said FTS Commissioner Dennis Fischer. "It also allows us to customize a welcome and thank you message, so that each time the card is used, these greetings can promote our business." Following the short survey consisting of three to six questions, taking approximately three minutes to complete, results are automatically compiled and made available real-time via the Web. Applications for this technology are unlimited, from capturing demographic information, measuring quality of service, understanding competitive issues or simply finding out why a consumer chose your product or service. "This application of promotional prepaid cards benefits both the consumer who receives the card as well as the company who gives it," said Chris Smith, Director of Prepaid Channel Marketing for MCI WorldCom. "With the Interactive Phone Survey card, a product or service provider can 'kill two birds with one stone' by rewarding the consumer with free long distance while receiving the information it needs to better job target it's products and services."

Prepaid cards are a proven premium item with more than $300 million sold for promotional purposes each year, according to Atlantic ACM. Available in increments from 15 minutes to more than 100, the MCI WorldCom Interactive Phone Survey card can be designed to meet the individual needs of any product or service company.