Tello raises $2.7M, launches Tello for Business

Faith Merino · February 28, 2012 · Short URL: https://vator.tv/n/24a0

The consumer review app launches a service for businesses

One year after the launch of its consumer review mobile app, Tello is kicking it up a notch with Tello for Business and announced Tuesday evening that it has raised $2.7 million in a Series A round led by True Ventures and Bullpen Capital. The funding includes the $1 million that Tello raised in seed funding in 2010.

To recap, Tello is an app that lets users rate and review nearby businesses, including individual employees.  When Tello launched this time last year, it had partnered with Localeze to build up its database of 14 million businesses so that users could find virtually any store, shop, or service provider they wanted to rate.  The new service, Tello for Business, follows up on CEO Joe Beninato's hint last year that Tello would monetize by allowing the very businesses users are rating to see their feedback and metrics.

While the Tello for consumers app allows users to rate and leave feedback on their favorite (or most loathed) businesses, Tello for Business allows those businesses to get immediate notification of feedback and to respond in real-time.  Businesses with less than three locations can take advantage of the free basic version of Tello while larger businesses can use the premium service for $99 a month per location.  The premium version also comes with the added bonus of being able to respond both publicly and privately to individual ratings.

Tello for Business customers can also check out dashboards, get customized views of customer feedback, see business metrics and employee ratings, and more.

“Tello for Business gives companies both big and small a scalable platform to monitor customer feedback and resolve service issues that can have a direct effect on sales," said Beninato in a statement.
So why don't those businesses just do what so many others do and offer rewards to customers who go online to fill out a customer service survey?  The truth is that people who fill out online surveys on businesses are more likely to be satisfied with the service they received (which is totally contrary to my assumption that people only fill out online surveys when they want to blast someone--at least that's the only time I fill out online surveys.  You should've seen the review I gave the Days Inn in Ogden, Utah.  I gave them such a tongue-lashing...).  Tello for Business allows users to see reviews from both purchasers and non-purchasers alike.

While the company declined to disclose how many users it now has, a spokesperson said that the service is now being used in all 50 states and is now spreading to Europe, Asia, and South America.

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  • Tello's mobile apps for iPhone/iPad and Android are the fastest and easiest way to rate customer service wherever you go. Had a good experience? Share it! Got something to say about less-than-perfect service? Want the business to get back to you? Now you can rate any employee, at any business, and even request a reply, in just seconds.
  • Tello lets you find nearby businesses with just one tap by using your current location. If a business is not listed, you can simply add it to Tello via the app.
  • Once you locate the business, pick an existing employee by name or add a new one. Then, rate your service experience with a thumbs-up or down. You can even include a short comment about the experience.
  • You can share your rating on Facebook or Twitter directly from Tello. These social features help you discover great service and direct your friends to deserving businesses.
  • You can also use Tello to research and compare other people's customer service ratings for businesses before you decide where to go.
  • Signing up for Tello is easy -- you can use your email address or Facebook Connect. To download Tello for the iPhone/iPad, go to www.tello.com or http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tello/id393722575.