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Easy Button

Staples Easy Button ad givaway
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You've all seen the commercials for Staples office stores: 'Why don't we just push the easy button?' I say to you, "Why <i>don't</i> we!?" I propose that Staples could select possibly its top tier of buyers, those who buy perhaps several thousand dollars/month at the store. Staples could then give away, (or later, if it's a hit, sell) an "Easy Button." A simple device looking just like the button on the TV ad, but having a phone cord attached. The device is plugged in between an existing telephone and its wall socket. The device would be pre-programmed with a toll-free Staples phone number that would, when the phone was off the hook and the "easy" button pressed, automatically connect the phone to the nearest store's customer service dept.
wittyhoosier, Oct 03 2007

Customize the Easy Button's sound http://www.metacafe..._say_what_you_want/
How to hack a different sound into an Easy Button. [funp, Nov 27 2007]

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       They actually do have easy buttons. However, when pressed, all they do is say "That was easy". Not sure how to get them though.
Shadow Phoenix, Oct 03 2007
  

       I didn't get this first time. But you mean an automatic dialler programmed to one number?   

       You don't need to have this plugged in to the phone line, as long as it's a tone- dial system. All you need is a little battery-powered gizmet that makes the correct tones - just hold it to the phone's mouthpiece and let it go beep- boop-boop, and the number is dialled. If you did it that way, it might be cheap enough to make and handy enough to use to be a hit. Pretty soon, every major retailer would be giving away their own easy buttons. [+]
MaxwellBuchanan, Oct 03 2007
  

       [MaxwellBuchanan] Pretty soon, every major retailer would be giving away their own easy buttons.   

       Until some disgruntled employee with access to design specs adjusts the number...
xipetotec, Oct 03 2007
  

       Good call[MaxwellBuchanan]! I hadn't thought of that!
wittyhoosier, Oct 04 2007
  

       (-) Hm. Getting connected to a call center doesn't really feature in anything I'd call "easy".   

       So, I'd ditch the Staples tie in. However, a business card that, on demand, plays the touch-tone number on it - that's brilliant. (I've seen PDAs do it, but not business cards.) What would that cost to produce, you figure?
jutta, Oct 04 2007
  

       Well, it could be cheap. The "phone phreakers" make "red boxer" widgets out of Hallmark music cards to play money-received tones into pay phones. A music card could probably be made to make dialing tones.   

       I Googled "tone dialer". Radio Shack doesn't sell tone dialers anymore.
baconbrain, Oct 04 2007
  

       Is it somewhat like candy and also a little bit jolly?
marklar, Oct 04 2007
  

       I'd like this more if it went to a dedicated line which got answered quickly...
vincevincevince, Oct 04 2007
  

       //They actually do have easy buttons. However, when pressed, all they do is say "That was easy". Not sure how to get them though.//   

       i have one, [ShadowPhoenix], but i got it from a client, so i have no idea where it came from. probably China...
k_sra, Oct 04 2007
  

       Actually the easy buttons are available right at the staples store. Just walk in and ask for them and they will point you to the rack.
jhomrighaus, Oct 04 2007
  

       Really? Thanks for the info. Got to get me one of those. Mayme it can be rigged up to a detonator. Push it and something blows up. Then it says "That was easy!". Or maybe something more helpful, like "RUN!"
Shadow Phoenix, Oct 07 2007
  


 

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