Affordable Cloud Call Banks for Political Campaigns

December 14, 2009 by Doug Mitchell · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Campaign Technology, Red Alert Dossier

(By John Burnley, Contributing Author)

For many years in IT infrastructure, I would try to deploy technology that not only fulfilled business requirements, but also considered other organizational interests such as security, DR (Disaster Recovery) and BC (Business Continuity), etc. Before leaving one former employer, I was pushing for the placement of call center personnel to some of our other various locations. With the voice over IP (VoIP) telephone system we had installed, call center agents could be deployed anywhere and appear to be at one central location.

There were advantages and disadvantages for having staff in multiple locations. Advantages included easier coverage of various time zones and locales as well as business continuity if the main call center became inoperable. Disadvantages included managing remote staff as well as potential higher employee cost, depending on the area.

Corporate workers in a virtual workplace are no different than campaign volunteers using virtualized tools, and it may make it as easier for those individuals to become involved. There are many functions that can be pushed out to the virtual world, and one which caught my attention is phone bank operations. Now, I know there is tremendous interest in finding new processes and technology that will revolutionize campaigns, but there are some traditional methods that are still viable for reaching constituents. However, there are different approaches on how those traditional methods can be managed and implemented.

Traditionally, phone banks were centrally located with rows of volunteers placing calls from voter roll lists. Larger operations could run different shifts depending on whether the race was local, state or a national venue. Now with VoIP (voice over IP), SaaS (software as a service), virtualization etc., the doors have been opened to implement this functionality in a non-traditional way. Barack Obama’s successful presidential campaign did this by leveraging volunteers following time zones for their call bank function.

There are many options available ranging from simple tracking to providing autodialer functionality, funneling answering machines to an automated message while handing off a live call to an available agent. Many are internet based and the functionality is delivered via SaaS or using existing infrastructure; the call agents may be located anywhere. Of course, costs depend upon the level of functionality.

One example of is VoterFetch . The site specifically targets conservative and Republican campaigns. Another example is CallFire . Their ‘Cloud Call Center’ product targets a commercial audience, but could be effectively used for campaign purposes. Please remember, vendor sites mentioned in this post are used as examples only. Any products or services described should not be construed as an endorsement by ORS or me.

Consider the implications of implementing a virtual call bank for a grassroots campaign. Instead of leasing expensive office space and equipment to manage the call bank, small volunteer groups could meet at a Starbucks, Panera, local library meeting room or anywhere with internet access armed with only laptops and cell phones. Volunteers could also host small groups from their own homes on a rotating basis. Viola – instant phone bank. Individuals could also do the same from home, or virtually anywhere.

What is exciting about this technology is that any campaign, regardless of size or venue, can realize the benefits of a call bank without the need for a war chest to fund it.