Texperts

Infobox_Company
company_name = Re5ult Ltd, trading as Texperts
company_
company_type = Limited company
foundation = August 2003
location_city = Cambridge
location_country = United Kingdom
key_people = Sarah McVittie - CEO
Paul Butcher - CTO
Thomas Roberts - CPO
Bridget Kerle - CFO, General counsel
Rhodri Thomas - DBS
Giles Adams - Marketing Director
area_served = United Kingdom
num_employees = 250+ in 12 countries | industry = Search
slogan = "How to know, on the go!"
products =
services = SMS-based question answering
homepage = [http://www.texperts.com/ Texperts.com]
intl = yes

Texperts is a "mobile find" SMS service that allows users to text a question to a team of research experts who provide individually tailored, relevant answers to their mobile. Any UK phone can text a question to 66000 and receive an accurate answer within minutes for £1, plus a standard network charge (about ten pence). If for any reason the correct answer cannot be found there is no charge. The company has been shown to be faster than rival services in independent tests. [cite web
title = Q&A text services battle it out
work =
publisher = Stuff.tv website
date =
url = http://stuff.tv/news/qanda-text-services-battle-it-out/default.aspx
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2006-12-06] The service is available on all UK phones, wherever they are located in the world.

History

Re5ult Ltd launched initially with a subscription-based service called 'Re5ult' on a normal mobile number (07781 484950), with the management citing that revenue shares given by network operators seemed too low to allow it to run on a premium text code. However in the face of competition from AQA, in August 2004 the service was launched on a premium text code and rebranded as 82ASK. The text code being 82275. In 2007, Re5ult switched phone numbers and brands again relaunching the service as Texperts on short code 66000.

Performance

A recent 'road test' on the question 'How many people were alive compared with all who had ever lived' resulted in the service answering the question in five minutes, with the closest rival answering it in twenty-two minutes. A similar question asked for 'a hotel in Ireland within half an hour of Rosslare en route to Westmeath', with similar results. [Citation
last = Keegan
first = Victor
author-link = Victor Keegan
title = The answer is just a text message away
newspaper = The Guardian
year = 2006
date = 7 September 2006
url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2006/sep/07/comment.comment2] The company sees an average monthly growth of 20% [Citation
last = Ringshaw
first = Grant
author-link = Grant Ringshaw
title = Rising star to float phone research lines
newspaper = The Sunday Times
year = 2007
date = 19 August 2007
url = http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/telecoms/article2283038.ece] , and has one of the most recognisable brands in the UK market [ Along with Any Question Answered and [http://www.ansanow.com/ ANSA] .]

The Texperts

The 'Texperts' (a portmanteau of "text" and "experts") are mostly graduates (87%)Fact|date=September 2008, with 44% coming from either Oxford or Cambridge universities, and a significant group (19%) currently completing PhDs at Cambridge UniversityFact|date=March 2008Fact|date=September 2008. There are Texperts on 24-hour call to answer questions in more specialised fields such as maths and sciences.

Awards and partnerships

The company has won several national awards [cite press release
title = 82ASK wins Eastern Region’s Shell LiveWIRE Young Entrepreneurs Of The Year 2005
publisher = Re5ult Ltd
date = May 26 2005
url = http://www.texperts.com/2005/05/26/82ask-wins-award/
accessdate = 2007-08-17 ] [cite press release
title = SMS font-of-all-knowledge honoured with gong
publisher = Re5ult Ltd
date = June 18 2005
url = http://www.texperts.com/2005/06/18/sms-font-of-all-knowledge/
accessdate = 2007-08-17 ] [cite press release
title = 82ASK wins British Business Angels Association Award
publisher = Re5ult Ltd
date = June 12 2006
url = http://www.texperts.com/2006/06/13/82ask-wins-bbaa/
accessdate = 2007-08-17 ] [cite press release
title = 82ASK wins NatWest Startups Award 2006 - “Best Use of Technology”
publisher = Re5ult Ltd
date = 2006-10-20
url = http://www.texperts.com/2006/10/20/82ask-wins-natwest-start-up-award-2006-best-use-of-technology/
accessdate = 2007-08-17 ] [cite press release
title = 82ASK wins National Business Award
publisher = Re5ult Ltd
date = 2005-07-05
url = http://www.texperts.com/2007/07/05/82ask-wins-national-business-award/
accessdate = 2007-08-17 ] , and has business deals with several multinational companies, including Multimap, GlaxoSmithKline and "The Relationship Specialists", [ http://about.82ask.com/partners/ 82ASK & Multimap] . The company also has exclusive access to the Official Guinness World Records database, and also operates several other text services, including partnerships with Thomson and BAA [ http://about.82ask.com/2006/09/26/edinburgh-airport-pilots-sms-service/ 82ASK site ] . On November 9th 2006 82ASK published Do Sheep Shrink in the Rain?, a collection of "the 500 most outrageous questions ever asked and their answers" [ [http://about.82ask.com/2006/11/09/book-launch/ Texperts - 66000 » Do Sheep Shrink in the Rain? ] ]

ee also

* Mobile search
* Any Question Answered
* AskMeNow

References

External links

* [http://www.texperts.com "Texperts" main site]
* [http://www.tex-factor.com "Texperts" quiz site]