CHICAGO — An incentive-based wireless messaging service debuted yesterday at Customer Contact Week here.
The service, called ShowPhone, is available for free to anyone with a digital cell phone with messaging capabilities.
ShowPhone is a service from KikuCall Inc., Washington, a wireless marketing company that develops and operates promotions using text messaging and other mobile-phone technologies.
The ShowPhone launch at Customer Contact Week — the umbrella exhibition that includes the International Call Center Management Conference and Exposition, Customer Relationship Management Solutions and Field Enterprise Solutions — at McCormick Place Complex represents the first time KikuCall's applications have been used in a live, commercial environment.
Attendees arriving at the conference here enrolled in the program by dialing a phone number. ShowPhone then sent periodic messages for the duration of the conference to participants' phones via short text messages.
The messages advertised events, promotions and demonstrations and were accompanied by give-away incentives sponsored by the show's exhibitors.
For example, having opted in by dialing the ShowPhone number, an attendee might receive a reminder of a keynote address about to begin or a prompt to hurry to a particular booth to receive a gift coupon. Attendees dialing in also could answer questions to receive offers targeted to their personal or professional interests.
KikuCall operated the program in cooperation with Advanstar, which produced the event. Participating exhibitors included Verizon, WorldCom and Siebel.
According to KikuCall, hundreds of attendees here opted in for the service.
Show organizers report that based on its success here, ShowPhone represents one of the most promising new promotional platforms in the trade show industry.
“ShowPhone is a remarkable use of wireless technology to truly connect with our customers,” said Marguerite Gervais, marketing manager at Advanstar. “KikuCall devised, built and delivered an application that added real value to our show. The ShowPhone application enhanced the event experience for exhibitors and attendees alike.”
