Testing yellow pages by phone

Donnelley of Cary rolls out free service in four markets; may be expanded later

Yellow pages publisher R.H. Donnelley is experimenting with another way to connect advertisers and consumers.

The Cary company is testing an automated telephone service that would enable people to call and get free information about businesses -- in essence, a yellow pages by phone.

"Voice-enabled search is a pretty significant marketplace, and one we haven't played in before now," spokesman Pete Larmey said.

The initiative comes on the heels of announcements in July and August that expanded Donnelley's push into online searches: a deal to sell ad placements on Yahoo Local; and the acquisition of Business.com, a site where companies can search for services, vendors and potential customers.

Yellow pages publishers such as Donnelley are looking for new sources of revenue to supplement revenue from print ads, which is stable or eking out small gains.

The phone-based search service is being tested in four markets: Denver, Phoenix, Spokane, Wash., and Tucson, Ariz. Donnelley, the nation's No. 3 yellow pages publisher, produces directories in those markets under the Dex brand. The company also is consolidating its online presence under the Dex brand at a single site, DexKnows.com.

If the trial is successful, Donnelley would look at expanding the service to other markets.

"We want to see what kind of feedback we will get," Larmey said.

"This is a relatively new area for yellow pages publishers," said David Goddard, senior analyst at market research firm Simba Information.

"I think all of the publishers have recognized that every new technology is an opportunity that they need to look at."

Callers who dial 1-800-call-Dex can get information about businesses in those markets, including addresses, phone numbers and operating hours. Callers also can be connected directly to a business through the phone search. The information supplied is limited to businesses that advertise in Dex yellow pages directories.

During the trial, advertisers won't be charged for being included in phone searches. Whether charges would be assessed if the service advances beyond the trial stage hasn't been determined, Larmey said.

The technology, supplied by Call Genie of Toronto, enables callers to search for businesses by neighborhood and intersections, or by citing landmarks in the vicinity.

Call Genie has been providing a similar service to Yellow Pages Group Co., Canada's largest yellow pages company, for several years, said Mark McCormack, Call Genie's chief marketing officer. The company has found that nearly two-thirds of callers are "out and on the go" and therefore calling from mobile phones.