Implementing multi-location BellFace! Reason why BellFace challenges Zoom now

Although it is not a Valentine's day for sales people, we released multi-location BellFace.

What is the multi-location BellFace?
It is a function that allows multiple people negotiate online only by sending URL to customers.   ※Supported browsers : Chrome only

“Do not BellFace make it possible for multiple people to use it?”

Three years after releasing the service, this was the most requested.

Then, we have answered like this.
“In that case, we recommend Zoom or Skype. Those service are free!! BellFace is using the phone for voice. Because the phone is stable and BellFace is specialized in sales.”

Audio is phone.
It seems a very old style of impression. But, BellFace became No.1 in a short time at domestic inside sales.

Shortly thereafter, we released all online models BellFace, but in conclusion that service is the same as Zoom and other conference services.

So, if you are familiar with the SaaS industry, you might think like this.

✅ Why does BellFace step into Zoom’s speciality are?
✅ Is there a possibility of winning?
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✅ BellFace was simple, would it become a grotesque product?

Of course  "NO"

This decision clearly shows the development concept and business mission of BellFace. We are emphasizing business side such as inside sales and customer success, but in reality, we are a thorough product oriented company.

Q. Why does bellFace use the phon, in the first place？

If you want to convert technology to business,
Three steps are too early,
it is two steps too early.
You need an exquisite step ahead.

In my previous work, I interviewed a lot of entrepreneurs who proudly talk about how cutting-edge technology is. Then, when asking, "Please tell me what specific merit there are for users," they often can not answer. It is difficult to use it, mostly it can not be used by technology alone.

The venture is required to have a sense of connecting "state-of-the-art technology" and "urgent task of customers".

In Japan where inside sales were not widespread, BellFace using the phone just fitted. Salespeople boasting calf muscles and customers with low IT literacy will not resist if they are on the phone

◆What if BellFace needed to install the application like ZOOM or Skype?
◆What if there are restrictions on available browsers?
◆What if the customer needs to prepare the microphone and the speaker?

Were BellFace became popular in such a short time?
I know it deeply, teaching the difference between IE and Chrome to the president of a small business is more difficult than teaching my 3 year old child to calculate.

And, I think you have experience, but it is always "voice" to despair at web conference. We were able to see the screen, but the voice was not heard, or often blocked.

Everyone has the experience of shouting vainly as if you were a gesture like an American, "Change microphone setting!" or "I can hear you!"
If you can not hear the other party 's voice, communication will not start in the first place. Even if the screen can not be seen, if you can hear the voice you can communicate, but not the opposite.

As an aside, do you know why the direction which the sound occurred is known even if the person is closing his eyes?
That is because our ears can distinguish the difference in sound arriving at each by 0.001 to seconds.
※Sound speed = 331 meters per second

So, the time lag or disconnection of the sound is a big stress even in 0.1 second. If that happens in the sales scene it may be the reason for withdrawal of inside sales.

On the other hand, if the voice is smooth, even if the image is rough or disconnected, we do not care much.

※Therefore, net video providers such as Amazon and Netflix prioritize audio bandwidth over images.

For this reason, BellFace has used the phone.

Stability is improved by separating voice and screen, salespeople and customers are accustomed to phone, and phone is almost uninterrupted.
Even if BellFace can not be used in the Internet environment, user can eventually communicate by phone.

And by investing in development resources secured by throwing out voice to all kinds of browser correspondence, we have increased product power.

Despite the fact that free web conferencing services are overflowing, the reason why the paid BellFace service has spread rapidly is that we were able to propose "half a step" to users, and specializing in sales.

Q. So why now BellFace implements a multi-location model?

There are three reasons.

①Expansion of usage and Whole Product

As a result of enlightenment of inside sales, users accustomed to BellFace and some users using Zoom and Hangouts also began to appear.

Especially for existing customers, the online style is very comfortable as the user knows the customer's IT literacy and e-mail address. Just a few years ago it was a rare case, but in the future it will increase rapidly.

In such a situation,
"BellFace for new customers with low IT literacy" and
"Zoom for existing customers with high IT literacy"
are extremely inconvenient for users, which is a loss of opportunity for us.

By the way, do you know the concept of “Whole product" which became famous for the book called “Chasm 2”

In essence,
“We need to provide everything from entrance to exit what users need to benefit from the service. As a result, users will not be able to leave our service and the competitor’s entry barriers will be higher.”

BellFace’s multi location model assumes that.

As I mentioned earlier, multi-location BellFace is completed online like Zoom and appear.in, so it depends on the Internet environment.  It's the same.
In conclusion, it can not win with this function alone. 
However, users who routinely use BellFace will no longer need to use other tools, and usage scenarios may expand further.

Multi-location BellFace was essential to become a "whole product" in inside sales.

②Increased development resources

We have raised funds, strengthened the recruitment of engineers and also increased the outsource budget, so that we can develop a lot more than before.
As you know, the new function is not the end of development, but continuous maintenance is required. Especially if we use totally different technologies like this time, we need huge maintenance resources.

Fortunately, the timing of became whole product and increase development resources were fitting.

③We can do it better

I mentioned that “Multiple - location BellFace can not win Zoom by itself” but in reality there is possibility of winning.
There are two reasons. “Technological innovation” and “Specialize the usage scene”.  

In the former case, new features are developed based on the webRTC standard.

WebRTC = Web Real-Time Communication, a standard that allows voice chat, video chat, file sharing between web browsers without plug-in. It is open source by Google.

Thanks to this standard, we won't have to develop the underlying technology for video distribution in-house, but I would like to see this.

In the low bandwidth (500 kbps), WebRTC defeats Zoom!?
Quick side-by-side comparison of Zoom vs WebRTC performance in an environment with simulated congestion. Left: Zoom. Right: WebRTC via Jitsi Meet.

Wow, WebRTC  beat Zoom!!
Such tests are inaccurate and Zoom improves day by day so I can not say anything, but at least it is equally fighting in stability.

As Google continues to grow stronger, webRTC compliant browsers proportionally increase their share, will close Flash in the near future, and will also respond to smartphones.

In other words, We are not alone against Zoom.
We use technology recommended by Google and the global market. 

If you need protection, you should rely on a strong man. Even Zoom which raised about 100 million dollars can not fight Google's deposit.

In addition, the speed of the Internet is getting faster year by year, and  Zoom's strength is stability, so their position will weaken.
The venture should fight in the growth market, but that also can be said of the selection of technology.

②Specialize in the usage scene

Please do not forget, the overwhelming advantage of BellFace is that it specializes in sales of BtoB.

So even when we released a multi location model, we also implemented a presentation function, beauty function, etc. that we have honed so far.　
We also considered how to display the setting menus for microphones and speakers in an easy-to-understand manner.

These are mere prologues. We will continue to pursue sales functions and stability that is surprising in the future.

The position that we are specializing in sales is really strong. I can make any number of practical and innovative ideas.

To be specialized, it means that it has truncated the other.

At least in its strengths,, we can not lose the general web conferencing service. I want you to expect BellFace in the future.

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