We are surrounded in our lives by voices - from our family, our offices, the radio, the TV, barbershop, at the store. Some of these voices we recognize and are drawn to; others of these voices we do not recognize and are not drawn to. When the voice is coupled with a visual image and perhaps smells and textures, we have a lot besides the voice to give us information. However, when the voice is separated from a visual image of the speaker or other cues, such as we experience with the radio or telephone, our response/reaction is totally to the quality or character of the voice.

The name 'ToneBurst' is a proprietary brand name of VenturiPartners' and with this unique service we are screening for or calibrated to "selling voices," the voices of people seeking employment in companies with telephone services such as sales (for profit or not for profit organizations), collections of many kinds, community groups seeking support, etc. Such companies seek our services because they know that the instant the person we are calling picks up the telephone and hears our voice they make some critical judgments and decisions. "Do I know this person? Is this a friend? What does he/she want? Will I hang up or stay on the line?" Regardless of what the message is, we ask instantly, "Do I like this person's 'way' or 'feeling' enough to engage at all, a little, or with attention?" When we also realize that the caller not only must establish almost instant rapport with a stranger but also move the conversation to some kind of negotiation, agreement, or commitment, we see how important the selling voice is in telephone inbound and outbound calling.

If a call center, collections company, telemarketing organization, city fire department, etc. could know exactly that a prospective employee for telephone work has a selling voice, the company would significantly reduce risk and cost (both causes of high turnover rates) and just as significantly increase potential revenue. A strong selling voice in a telephone rep is a gold mine for an employer whose business is any activity related to telephone soliciting of any variety. The benefits in immediate financial success and longevity of employment are in the thousands of dollars a month for many companies in this industry.

So, the relevant issue with ToneBurst is, "How do we determine that someone has a 'selling voice'?" Can we actually make such a determination with accuracy? Are there metrics that are proven valid in discriminating among the voices of many people and picking out selling voices on a rational, measurable, and justifiable basis? Is there a "science" and respectable experience behind it? The answer is "Yes," and VenturiPartners makes available to its clients a unique and wonderfully accurate screen to identify and hire only "selling voices."

ToneBurst is a subjective evaluation that we calibrate among our reviewers for validity. Our claim to validity is our own preparation and consistent application of our criteria across the entire population of our screens. If a person is looking for mathematical or statistical validity, they are looking in the wrong place - that's the difference between qualitative or subjective data and quantitiative or numerical/statistical data. Both are important; both are valid when strengths and limitations are taken into account.