UK insurance company Ist Quote has added an Internet telephony facility to its Internet site to enable customers and brokers to communicate over the phone whilst both are viewing the same Web page.
Customers select the insurance service they require - car, pets, travel, boat, caravan, house insurance etc - on the Web site and then instigate the phone call, over the same Internet link, when they are ready to discuss premiums and close the deal.
The service uses e-TeleLynk - a voice over IP Web-to-phone product from Leicester-based Better On-line Solutions (BOS). Installed and supported by BOS' distributor Tekdata, the e-TeleLynk 4-port analogue unit is linked to 1st Quote's GoldStar PBX at the company's call centre in Chadwell Heath, Essex.
Any customer whose PC is equipped with a sound card may instigate a VoIP call by simply clicking the Lynk & Talk icon on the Web page they are visiting.
Ian Meyer, 1st Quote's chief executive, says: "With our Web-to-phone and chat room facilities now fully operational, we expect to do the majority of our business via our interactive Web site.
"And once the new National Motor Insurance Database is fully operational, we should be able to do away with much of the paperwork by sending vehicle policy documents by e-mail."