Sometimes we need to talk to someone. We may need to vent frustration, celebrate a win, or want a friendly ear during a time of loneliness. The problem is many people do not always have someone ready and willing to listen.

Dallas-based startup Listeners on Call is trying to solve the problem through its consumer listening services connecting people in need to an empathetic listening ear. The company believes in the power of meaningful conversations.

Listeners on Call launched in July of 2020 in response to the growing pandemic of loneliness exacerbated by Covid-19. The platform promotes mental health by connecting callers to a trained team of listeners. The company website states, “Everyone has something they need to share. Not everyone has someone to listen.”

The Dallas-based startup matches Listener on Call users to others who provide an empathetic ear and share experiences. The company believes sharing with someone who can relate to your problem can be life-changing. Callers can rest assured their privacy is protected as all calls are anonymous.

The Listeners are not trained medical professionals and do not give out medical advice. The platform is not designed to provide therapy or counseling. Instead, Listeners on Call’s goal is to be a “first step” for those seeking support. Dallas-based CEO Cole Egger told the Dallas Business Journal, “the company isn’t looking into the crowded field of telehealth companies providing professional services instead of seeing itself as the first step in seeking care and support.”

After downloading the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play, users can select their listener to find someone who shares a connection to what they are experiencing. The company website states, “We are committed to connecting anyone, anywhere, anytime with someone who has a related personal experience and is ready to listen and are proud to offer on-call empathy, privacy, and support for millions of people who need to feel heard.”

The next step is to find a convenient time to speak directly to the listener. The app allows users to connect immediately for urgent conversations or to schedule a time in the future when it is convenient.

Next, Listeners On Call connects the user to the listener on a private line to help maintain privacy and anonymity. The calls can be as long or as short as needed. Users pay $0.50 per minute to use the service.

Every day people can apply to be listeners and be paid for their time. The application process is spelled out on their website. The company seeks out people who have empathy and who have a “natural spark of curiosity that makes people want to open up to them.” The listeners are trained through the company’s Listening Academy.

The Listening Academy involves a series of short courses focused on the art of Connected Listening, which the company explains as “how to create a bond with strangers based on a shared experience.” The program provides listeners with tools and techniques to help callers feel heard and valued.

The techniques employed by Listeners On Call is backed up by data showing an individual’s emotional state can be improved by exposing them to an empathetic listener. The company performed research evaluating callers disposition before and after engaging with a listener on their platform.

Listeners on Call partnered with Morphii, an experience measurement technology to complete the study. Morphii’s patented technology quantifies users’ emotions and feelings after engaging with various technologies.

During the study, Listeners on Call evaluated a caller’s disposition before and after a call with a trained listener. The Morphii system then quanitfied the caller’s pre and post-call emotional state.

The results were summarized in a press release as:

• Almost all Callers (97% leave the Listeners On Call platform in a more positive state.
• Overall, Callers experienced a 115% improvement in disposition from pre-to-post call.
• Callers identifying isolation/loss as the reason for seeking Listeners reported an average improvement of 151%.
• Callers seeking Listeners to cope with stress demonstrated a 184% improvement.
• Lastly, Callers who did not designate a specific topic, but who simply needed to talk/vent averaged an 89% improvement from pre- to post-call.

The mission of Listeners on Call is to make sure no one ever feels like they are alone. We all need someone to talk to sometimes. Perhaps, this platform can help the world feel more connected.