“Last minute tips and tricks on how to crack CAT? What really attracts investors in a business at various stages? ” – these are the kind of questions one typically has and the most credible reply should come from experts in that field.
VoiceTap lets you speak and interact with the experts who have “made it” – the USP being the fact that this expert‘s 
knowledge/advice is not available anywhere else.
Mumbai based startup has co-founders from diverse background and the team has roped in few experts like IIT JEE 3rd ranker, an angel investor, CA, management consultant, INSEAD alumni etc.
The product is in alpha stage and is expected to go beta shortly.
There are a few candid questions to Voicetap team – are you a platform or a consumer service?
If you are a service that provides expert help on selected topic, beware that even Google’s attempt to scale it’s expert QnA didn’t work (they shut it down few years back) and in general, there is a thin margin between seeking information vs. knowledge (one of the most commented post @ pluGGd.in is “Part time MBA vs. Full time MBA” and comments usually are ‘Is <abc> a good B-school to get into?’ – is that seeking knowledge or information?)
The trick for Voicetap is going to be on positioning the service (after all, Rediff/other sites do organize these ‘Chat with experts’ series).
Share your opinion on Voicetap. Will you use a service like this?
Also see: Zendle – Publish your Expertise | IBM’s HSTP – Hyperspeech Transfer Protocol for the Talking Web
Its worth a shot. Its in a forever-happening, specific market where anxiety is the only permanent need, and any help towards any form of decision making could help. I like the vertical focus, even though its similar to Google’s earlier experiment. I’m also guessing they’ll have closer ties and a stringent selection of the “experts” within this.
Hey Ashish,
First of all thanks for featuring Voicetap ..
First things first –
Voicetap is a service that connects knowledge experts and knowledge seekers over the phone in a moderated and structured format.It might become a platform but at a later stage.
No doubt on the fact that information and Knowledge share a very thin line but then in case of Google QnA, the end yser was seeking information and some knowledge, however at Voicetap the experts share their knowledge on a one to many basis and that too over the phone which makes it really interactive and hence more authentic.
At Voicetap, we get the best experts as per the demand of the users, so that the expert in his limited time can deliver maximum value to the knowledge seekers.
The fact that we connect the right people over the voice and not the chat, positions us completely differently when compared to any other discussion forum.
Great concept…I like it….Awesome!!!!!
The VoiceTap’s concept is great. It provides the information right form those who have arrived. You get a first hand perspective. The information or knowledge that you seek is not based on notions. It originates form the experts- Directly. And can be very helpful, especially when you don’t know the right reliable source. then you got to tap VoiceTap.
Ashish,
Thanks for featuring Voicetap. Let me take a stab at your particular questions:
1. Is it a service or a platform? Its a service – because a platform requires immense scale, expenses and an enviornment where ‘transcations’ can thrive on their own. We are not there. Yet.
We have big plans for voicetap – and allowing people to use it as a platform is amongst them.
2. Googles QnA service and scaling up: There are two fundamental flaws when one seeks ‘advise, how-to and tips and tricks’ (aka ‘knowledge’) vs. ‘background information, trends, answers to specific questions’ (aka ‘information’). The difference is that people want to speak with experts, as they dont know who the person really IS who replies to them online. Voicetap allows that. The other big issue is that if the service is one to one – no expert has the time, energy or patience to get onto a call again and again. Thats why – for an expert – its short, for the user – its available and because of voicetap – its structured and moderated.
When we reach a stage where we have multiple experts for the same thing – we might look at other elements.
Thanks again for featuring us.
Mrigank
IMHO…1-to-many voice is a bad concept on the phone for a service.
I want to get answers to the questions i have from the expert and not
general lecture… which is available in abundance everywhere.
Then it is more of 1-on-1.
1-on-1 won’t work commercially for the expert.
My 2-rupees.
Hi Ashish,
Would like to thank you for this post.
Frankly speaking I believe, there is a requirement for the kind of concept that this start-up is aiming towards.
As there is a need to consult on the career options available and if they are able to provide a community platform with experts and users with Q’s on them. It would definitely help close the gap that there is right now.
Would wish them all the best.
my 2 bits.
Hey Mantis,
Many thanks for your kind words and wishes. We do believe that our model ensures value for the knowledge seeker at a very crucial juncture and efficiency for the knowledge expert.
Do ask people to register for the service – its free.
Thanks,
Mrigank
This appears to be a very novel idea! It would be really helping a lot of upcoming entrepreneurs like me to get first hand feedback on my ideas!
I just happened onto your site!! Gad's, just what I've been looking for for years. Do you handle really technical subjects? Like, eaves-dropping via telephone. what I have in mind is not in violation to any laws…it's personal. But no one I've contacted will talk to me.