We’ve all had the similar situation at one point. You know, you’re debating something random with a friend and you know what you’re talking about, but you just can’t prove it right then and there.
Well, the times they are a-changin’.
In a world of social networking, you better believe we can answer in-the-heat-of-the-moment questions right from your cell phone. No, I’m not talking about internet access on your phone-that’s old news. I’m talking about mobile Q&A services. All you have to do is send a question to a certain number and in no time, you’re proving your friend wrong. It’s simple, and it’s beneficial.
ChaCha and kgb_ are two of the largest answering services and have gained major attention in the US the past year. You can text any type of question ranging from simply absurd to completely legitimate. Questions such as “When do ants sleep?”, “What are the top Norwegian metal bands?”, or even “How do you heal strep throat?” are not viewed as odd questions, but rather a part of the normal bunch sent in each day. You can ask questions about sports, relationships, money, laws, books, lyrics, recipes, actors, schools-anything you can think of, you can just ask!
ChaCha, better known as “ur mobile BFF”, is privately owned and headquartered in Carmel, Indiana. Their answering service launched in January 2008 at the Sundance Film Festival and since then has received millions of questions each month. In April 2008, the company also launched a voice-enabled mobile search service. Instead of texting, you can dial 1-800-2ChaCha (1-800-224-2242) and receive the same answering service for any questions. The ChaCha website (www.chacha.com) may also be used to search questions.
ChaCha does not charge for its services. You simply text any questions to 242-242 (CHA-CHA) and your answer is sent straight back to your mobile phone within minutes. ChaCha employees, or “ChaCha Guides”, undergo training and workshops in order to become an official Guide and they make about $.20 per answered question. ChaCha has over 55,000 active Guides throughout the country. Thousands of those guides are online and at your questioning service at all times.
kgb is similar to ChaCha but has been around much longer with a standing history of 17 years. kgb was founded in 1992 and is a private New York-based company. To use the kgb service you text your questions to 542-542 (KGB-KGB) and, just like ChaCha, your answers are sent right back within minutes.
kgb wasn’t launched as 542-542 in the United States until earlier this year. However, kgb has used its 17-year history to create sectors in Europe with “The Number 118 118” and even in France with “Le Numero 118 218”. kgb’s “Ask Us Anything” service spans across multiple communication mediums including mobile and landline phones, SMS and the Internet. In 2008, kgb was awarded the Pelorus Award for the Best Text Directory Information Service in the United States.
kgb employees are called “Special Agents”. Just like ChaCha Guides, Agents go through extensive training and internet ‘boot camps’ in order to be qualified to begin working as a certified kgb Special Agent. kgb, unlike the free services of ChaCha, charges $.99 for each question that is answered correctly. If a question cannot be accurately answered or the information cannot be found on the internet, the customer is not charged. Even if a customer is unsatisfied when a question is sent as charged, they are allowed, and most times rewarded, an instant refund if the complaint is legitimate.
There you have it-two amazing, worldwide companies are at the tips of your texting fingers. So next time you and a friend are arguing about what day John F. Kennedy died or whether or not beans make you fart, text ChaCha or kgb to instantly end the debate!
