Austereo has developed an on-line resource which will allow advertising agencies to plan and buy advertising schedules 24 hours a day, seven days a week on any Austereo station. The new web facility is “an Australian radio first” according to Austereo’s Director of Sales Strategy & Operations, Michael Anderson.
While there are other online buying initiatives available, such as that offered by the Regional Radio Bureau, the Austereo site goes further, allowing direct bookings to be made on the web in real time.
Anderson spoke to radioinfo about the new service:
radioinfo: How is it different from the other on-line booking systems already around? Anderson: It has full access, you can book one or all of our stations at the same time… You will be able to see reach and frequency of your campaign and will be able to check bookings online.
radioinfo: Does this follow on from other internal changes you have been making lately? Anderson: Yes, it is part of our ongoing series of moves to provide a more comprehensive service to our clients to make their lives easier.
radioinfo: What else can it do besides bookings? Anderson: Clients can check their booking details before they go to air and can also post-check to confirm they went to air as planned. Eventually clients will also be able to listen to their ads via the web to check the right ad is on air.
radioinfo: Did you develop this in house? Anderson: Yes, we based it on what we currently do and then took that and put it on the web.
Located on the Austereo.com.au website, the service has been designed over the past 12 months with “extensive industry input” to ensure it delivers on agency needs.
“This new on-line service is not expected to replace the people interaction which occurs on a daily basis between agencies and Austereo… However, there are many instances where the opportunity to streamline the planning and buying function will save time and allow greater focus and pro-activity on the client’s business,” said Anderson.
The initial offering from the new service will enable agencies to:
*Quickly check advertising availability
*Plan advertising schedules on any Austereo station/s
*Access contract rates
*Check key numbers
*Access pre and post times
*Book schedules and receive immediate confirmation
*Access a Customer Spend report for budgeting purposes
*Detail material instructions
Additional features will be included over coming months as the service progressively rolls out. Phase One involves key Sydney and Melbourne agencies and Phase Two will see the system go national early next year.
Austereo will provide training, and a support hotline. The planning and buying system has “the highest security possible, built
around the ‘Token Key’ system.” Each user will receive a unique electronic key which generates a new eight-digit access number every time they log on to ensure secure access.