Tech500 InterCall Interview

InterCall, a Tech500 finalist, explains its key to success.

You get what you pay for.

It's an adage we've heard over and over, but nowhere is it more true than the conferencing service industry.  Kathleen Finato, CMO for InterCall, says that in a world of allegedly free conference call services, her company is standing out thanks to its quality calls and custom-based communications solutions.

"Free isn't always free," she says, referring to the plethora of free conferencing services known for dropped calls, staticky lines and difficult-to-navigate customer support.

InterCall made it on to Lead411's Technology 500 list thanks to three things, says Finato: "choice, flexibility & quality." The conferencing service provider doesn't focus so much on the technology as it does the customer. And it's not a one-size-fits-all solution for its customers, which run the gamut from mom and pop shops to Fortune 500 companies. InterCall has partnered with the likes of Microsoft, Adobe and Cisco to provide a variety of custom solutions. " We've got the flexibility to tailor solutions to meet  the unique needs [of our customers]", explains Finato.

Solutions, Big and Small

InterCall prides itself on having a diverse client base. From small businesses to mega-corporations, and from law offices to government organizations, InterCall has one-of-a-kind solutions for each and every client. Each industry has its own set of needs. Law offices, for example, might need audio conferencing, whereas West Coast businesses might need more global capabilities. Smaller businesses with fewer than 100 employees focus on audio conferencing, where larger corporations are hosting web conferences.

The company website boasts the following statistics on who it hosts conference calls for:

• 73% of Fortune 100 companies
• 59% of Fortune 500 companies
• More than 75,000 organizations worldwide
• More than 1.5M unique conference call leaders

Changing with the Times

Speaking of web conferencing, that's just one of the trends that InterCall has identified and developed as a result of its research. "We really look at trends on how people meet and share," says Finato. Because so much business interaction does not happen face-to-face, InterCall has made it its mission to develop tools that help people share, wherever and whenever they need it.

Another trend is a result of the economic downturn. People are getting by on less, and InterCall is taking that into consideration in developing new pricing and features.

Mobile, too, is all the rage in conferencing (and everywhere else for that matter). InterCall offers its Mobile Assistant for iPhones, Blackberries and Android phones. This app lets business users access stored conference call information with the touch of a button when they're on the go.

Marketing the Product

Coming from a long history of working at companies that pushed heavy marketing, Finato says InterCall takes a completely different approach to selling. Rather than buying in to advertising and branding campaigns, the company invests in a solid sales staff that has its "feet on the street" to stay on top of trends in the marketplace and find ways to meet the needs of customers.

InterCall recently launched its ecommerce platform,which removes the need for an account rep in the sales process. Now visitors to the company's website can order conferencing services directly online, saving them time and money.

For the future, Finato says InterCall will continue to delve into how to replicate the all-so-important face-to-face interaction in its offerings as well as capitalize on video's place in conferencing services. "We remain singularly focused on delivering applications that make meetings more successful, more engaging and more personal."

Interview from Lead411's blog.