Interactions Corporation announced results of a study on consumer perceptions of Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Systems on 23rd June 2011. Interactions Corporation commissioned Liel Leibovitz, New York University Assistant Professor of Communications, who conducted the study on consumer satisfaction on IVR.

The consumer research was completed in two parts. In the first part, 408 respondents completed an 11-question survey about general attitudes towards IVRs and other service options. In the second part, an additional 21 respondents were interviewed in person and in depth to provide greater insight regarding these customer service options.

“The study concluded that there is continued overwhelming dissatisfaction with Interactive Voice Response Systems, despite the increased investment in, and recent growth of, the IVR industry. Consumers still view them as difficult to use and less desirable than any other service option.

According to consumers, a key shortcoming of IVR systems is that they are difficult to use. On an ease-of-use scale, IVR systems scored lower than any of the other service options and was the only option perceived as difficult to use. In addition, IVR was the least preferred service option with only 15% of consumers choosing IVR as their preferred option. ” Press Release by Interactions, Inc

So, according to the study, they main shortcoming in any IVR system is, it is difficult to use! So, in order to make IVR easier to use by callers, one has to make the IVR very, very simple!

Over the years, I have seen that majority of the IVR systems uses one number to call and then it tries to solve multiple problems, offer multiple services or tries to do multiple tasks. This result in lengthy and boring menus or instructions!

So, the solutions for making IVR very easy to use for callers may be using “One Phone Number One Task IVR” policy! In this policy, an IVR would provide only one service. For example, in a mobile service provider, 1110 will provide prepaid balance of the caller, 1111 will lodge a complaint of the caller for X reason, 1112 will lodge a complaint of the caller for Y reason etc.

Now this will require the IVR user to remember many numbers for his services required! So he can either remember IVR numbers for corresponding services or he may choose to listen to menus!

So, I think the complaint of IVR being difficult to use will keep coming and IVR service providers will have to continuously monitor call abandon and keep trying to make it easier for callers to use!

Apex Voice Communication, one of the major IVR based Service Delivery Plateform providers in the world, has announced about OMNILITE™, a menu-based web portal for customizing applications designed and developed in the graphically-based OmniView® Service Creation Environment. It works as a compliment to

APEXVoice Launches OMNILITE

“The OmniLite product is the direct result of requests voiced by a number of our mobile Network Operator customers with call and contact centers,” said Elhum Vahdat, Executive Vice President of APEX Voice Communications. “They need changes in the customer experience to be made in various departments on systems hosted by the IT or Engineering department, without the need to involve IT or Engineering and without affecting the stability of the underlying application.”

The OmniVox3D SIP Application Server is the core component of the APEX Service Delivery Platform (APEX SDP™), a mature, field-proven and future-proof platform that delivers immediate returns on the new generation of voice, video and data enhanced services. The APEX SDPs inherent design ensures the scalability, reliability and high-availability required by mobile and fixed-line Network Operators and Value Added Service Providers, while its award-winning OmniVox3D and OmniView offer the flexibility for rapid deployment of service bundles across multiple networks – 3G, SIP/IMS, TDM/SS7, AIN/IN and converged. The APEX SDP and OmniVox3D together can process an almost unlimited number of applications, including converged Web 2.0 and Telecom services (mashups), Self-Service Optimization (APEX First Touch™), Network IVR, Video IVR, Interactive Text Response (ITR), Voice/Video Messaging, Real-Time Billing (Prepaid), Voice/Video Conference Calling, and Automated Collect Calling.

About APEX Voice Communications (www.apexvoice.com, sales@apexvoice.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , +1 818.379.8400)
APEX is a global provider of Service Delivery Platforms and Application Servers to Network Operators, Value Added Service Providers (VASPs) and Value Added Resellers (VARs) for voice, video and data enhanced services. With over 15,000 installations across 95 countries since 1989, APEX continues to be a leader in delivering the latest solutions for mission-critical and revenue-generating enhanced services.

For complete Press Release : ApexVoice.

I attended VAS Asia 2010 held today in New Delhi. While writing my previous post about widely used IVR systems in India, I put IVR for Value Added Service at the top. If the overwhelming presence of CTI board manufacturers with stalls and two IVR platform provider any indication, then we are surely seeing some boom in IVR VAS in India! Incidentally, the last year too, there were many CTI board manufacturers in the same exhibition!

VAS Asia 2010 Conference

Incidentally, I could not find any stall of any big VAS companies except few like NetxCell, Spice Mobile. The big names in Indian VAS like OnMobile, IMI Mobile, Hungama Mobile etc. were not there! Content Developing companies VAS Application developer( one of fellow visitor asked me, “if I could suggest him any VAS content provider”)!
Nuance had big stall, and it is going to replace OnMobile ( which was principal sponsor for this VAS exhibition for last three years) as principal sponsor for next year.

Many CTI board manufacturer were there, I collected many visiting cards with interesting designations. One of the designation marketing manager of a CTI baard manufacturer’s business card reads designations like Sr. BDM Telecom and VAS ( Looks like, whole of CTI market in India is shifting towards IVR VAS only!).

Apart from Dialogic and Donjin, The following CTI board manufacturers were present :

1. Sangoma

Sangoma CTI Boards

Synway Stall at VAS Asia 2010

3. EastCom

EastCom - High Density Telecom Boards racks

4. Audio Codes

AudioCodes Stall

Interestingly, there were not many IVR platform providers except ExtendIVR and Telesoft Technologies! Telesoft launched its IVR platform for VAS industry. Aculab, I think whose CTI boards are most suited for voice portals, was not present!

ExtendIVR - Indian IVR Platform

Telesoft IVR platform

1. The session started with rosy picture of Indian VAS industry with a lecture from Mr. Arbind Rao of OnMobile ( which was the principal sponsor for the event) telling us that Indian VAS industry launches new services/products much faster than its European counterparts! He also informed that people whose mobile balance is Rs. 10(Approx US$0.22) at any point of time, VAS companies should sell them CRBT subscription per day basis! The present VAS market volume is Rs. 15000 crore ( more than US$3bn), likely to reach Rs. 70,000 crore by 2015 and Rs. 100,000 crore by 2020!
The next speaker Mr. Rakesh Mahajan, VP – Marketing & Business Head – VAS & Incubation, Airtel brought everyone on ground by asking, there are many products, services but how about the quality ? Answer to ‘what’ is not more important than ‘how’, he opined!

2. Lack of participants from core VAS companies ( though many were sponsors for the event) may be an indicator that not all is well in VAS industry in India and many admitted in private, VAS market is no longer booming in India! Nuance replacing OnMobile as principal sponsor for the next VAS Asia conference does not give out good signal about VAS Industry in India either!

3. Few specific issues like revenue sharing between telecom operator and VAS companies which is heavily tilted towards telecom companies ( Many claim it is now only 15% for VAS companies and for some unique and exclusive services it may be 35%) were not discussed or non raised, though Mr. Arbinda Rao raised something like, VAS companies should be given tax exemption by the government! No wonder low cost CTI manufacturers are present in big number in the conference!

4. Almost all speakers talked about using VAS in new areas ( eco-system as they called), like health, medicine, agriculture, targeting rural population in India. Also one speaker spoke about S Curve, saturation point!

Overall, it was good to be in the conference!

OTTAWA, ON– Pronexus, now entering its 16th year of operation and the developer of VBVoice, the leading Rapid Application Development (RAD) Toolkit for Interactive Voice Response (IVR) applications, announced today that IVRHost, a software-as-a-service platform, selected VBVoice software toolkit to develop their application “HearMyTweet”.

HearMyTweet is a service that allows “Tweeters” to listen to their own or others Twitter messages/updates from any phone via an IVR solution. This service can be valuable for an individual who enters their PIN to access their personal account, or a company that provides a free number to hear their Twitter messages.

“HearMyTweet is easy to use and will enhance your Tweets to make them easier to listen to. It’s a great way to share your Tweets with the ‘twitter-phobic’ or just help get your word out there” said Lee Decker of IVRHost. “With Pronexus’ IVR toolkit VBVoice we were able to develop a flexible feature-rich IVR application with web service integration that our users love.”

HearMyTweet allows the user the option to purchase a dedicated toll-free number and have their customers call in to hear their Tweets. In addition, the user can add their own introduction and ending message to promote their group or business, and provide phonetic translations so that the speech engine pronounces words properly. Integrated credit card processing allows the user to add minutes manually, while real-time management of their minutes provides the ability to notify them in the call when they reach a purchase threshold.
IVRHost developed HearMyTweet with a combination of web service integration, credit card processing and IVR application development software, VBVoice. VBVoice allowed the developers at IVRHost to leverage their current programming skills in industry-standard languages such as VB.NET and C#, thus shortening their learning curve and allowing them to create a powerful application for Twitter users.

“As social media continues to expand its reach around the globe, Twitter continues to be one of the fastest growing social networks,” said Pronexus CEO Gary Hannah. “HearMyTweet is a neat example of how VBVoice can be used to create a fun value-added application for this market.”

IVRHost offers a suite of hosted IVR applications developed with VBVoice, including HearMyFacebook and more. To see the complete suite of IVRHost’s services, please visit http://www.ivrhost.com.

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About Pronexus:
Since 1993, Pronexus has delivered proven voice applications and IVR development tools that developers rely on to help them integrate voice with business systems, including unified communications, customer relationship management and field service automation systems. Let us show you how we can help you reduce the time, cost and complexity of deploying speech and telephony technology by visiting our web site: http://www.pronexus.com.

About IVRHost:
IVRHost provides custom IVR applications charged on a ‘minutes used’ subscription basis. As a software-as-a-service platform, IVRHost relies on the Pronexus VBVoice software to offer robust and economical IVR solutions.

IVRHost offers robust integration using web services and other technologies to allow internal databases to take advantage of a hosted IVR service. IVRHost is perfect for replacing existing IVR solutions or to get running on a new application quickly. Please contact sales@ivrhost.com to learn more.

There are many interesting usage of IVR systems all across the globe. IVR is being used to earn money for company, save expenses, increase efficiency, increase sales etc. But how about using IVR to increase agricultural production ?
Yes, some industrious people have thought of that and implemented IVR which give out weather forecast to farmers. The IVR also provides information and tips about crop selection, proper sowing time, pest, choosing optimum time for using fertilizers etc.

Handygo Ltd., a wireless solution provider and VAS content provider, has started this IVR service Punjab and Haryana, two Indian states. They intend to launch the service pan India. With increasing mobile users in India, this IVR service may surely help farmers use of technology for their agricultural product increase.

Here is the news excerpts :-

Handygo Ltd, a wireless solution provider in Mobile and Value Added services is sharing weather forecast with the farmers. They are providing meteorological information through Interactive Voice response system (IVRS) and GPRS in the rural sectors. The technology is claimed to empower the farmers to have information along with weather forecast, an advice on agricultural inputs on various kinds of crops prepared by agricultural experts on their mobile phones. After signing a memorandum with Indian Meteorological department, has extensively researched and gathered information about the various regions, its locale and its agriculture.
Dr. L.S. Rathore, Head Agromet & Additional Director General of Meteorology from IMD said in New Delhi on Wednesday “Our association with Handygo is vital and their contribution in rural sector is overwhelming. We are proud to have such associates in the wireless markets. Also it is a good example of PPP (public private partnership) to render service for rural India”
Source : Voice of India

Link : http://www.voiceofindia.in/content/view/5777/74/

Email has revolutonised the way people communicate, exchange messages and information. Even after many innovative applications like SMS, web-based innovations like Twitter, Social Networking Sites like Facebook, Orkut, Myspace, email was holding its forte, exchange of mails.

Techcrunch

Likewise as I wrote enhancements, innovations about voice mail systems if implemented using CTI board and smart IVR application recently on 2nd November 2009, two days later, I had found a real innovation in voice mail system on Techcrunch. Google Voice has created quite an interest in managing and using voice mail integrated with web technologies, now Ribbit Mobile says, Goodbye to Voice mail, say hello to Ribbit Mobile!

According to the article, Ribit mobile takes over the voice mail of your mobile phone and routes any voice mail to the server of Ribit Mobile, and stores there with new greetings. It also sends out email using text to speech conversion engine to the subscriber’s email id, send SMS to his mobile phone! Though, I am wondering what is the use of converting the voice to text for sending it to Email account when it can send the voice messages itself in compressed WAV format as email attachement ? Now a days, no PC or laptops comes without sound card and multimedia. Even many mobile phones can play WAV files!

So, I was just wondering, will voice mail system go email way ? Freely available and accessible on any PC/Mobile with internet connection ? Will there be another hotmail.com ? May be HotVmail.com ?

But I think, integrating IVR applications and web technologies, some ‘killer application’ could be innovated by some smart kid!

I had posted a report few weeks back about IVR market growing to $2.7 billion by 2011 provided by DMG Consulting LLC, and today I had come across another press release while Googling, which says IVR market will grow to $514million from present estimate of $431million this year, as per T3i Group LLC, which “provides market research, data, analysis, and consulting and advisory services to the telecommunications industry.”

Few Key findings of the report says :
1. 95% of IVR shipped would be supporting VXML from recent less than 75%.
2. Top three IVR systems are
a. Inbound Call handling for contact centers
b. Inbound IVR self service transactions
c. Outbound IVR for alerts like appointment confirmations, payment collection remainder.
3. Inbound IVR will see decrease by 10% by 2013.
4. Outbound IVR will grow by 12% yearly.
5. Analog CTI boards are decreasing and DTMF based menu in IVR application are also on the decline. Speech enabled menu is growing and will be have 2:1 advantage over DTMF.

Complete Press release, Please visit : http://telecomweb.com/aboutus/pressreleases/262963.html

About T3i Group LLC

T3i Group LLC provides market research, data, analysis, and consulting and advisory services to the telecommunications industry. It has clients in 46 countries and conducts its business through four operating units: InfoTrack publishes reports that analyze shipment, revenue, market share and other pertinent data of importance to telecommunications equipment manufacturers; TelecomTactics maintains a database of the features and functionality of major telephony systems; Tarifica maintains a database of pricing-related information covering 400 telecommunications carriers operating in 130 countries; and TelecomWeb (www.t3igroup.com) serves as T3i Group’s primary delivery mechanism for distributing its reports, analyses and data to subscribers.

T3i Group LLC is headquartered in Parsippany, N.J., with additional offices in New York City; London, England; and Cherry Hill, N.J.

EGAIN, IVR System, IVRS Company

I came across an interesting IVRS ( Interactive Voice Response System ) application on net while browsing Google search results. eGain, the leading provider of multichannel customer service and knowledge management software, headquartered in California, USA, has recently added “Intelligent Voice Self-Service Solution to Its Multichannel Customer Interaction Hub Suite”!

That must be a smart IVRS application! As per their press release, their solution enhances user experience in the IVR “integrating it with other communication channels“. By applying web self-service best practices such as seamless escalation, unified cross-channel content, and CBR-guided interactions to IVR, it redefines phone self-service and increases customer adoption of the channel, as they claim.

eGain has patented CBR System ( Case Based Reasoning) which captures agents expertise of a contact center and with help of this, the IVR Software can prompt customers with intelligent questions based on caller replies and finally provide the correct information to the caller.

With eGain IVR, businesses are able to:
a. Allow IVR users to access the same information and complete the same transactions that they would be able to accomplish through other channels.
b. Offer context-aware escalation to multiple channels, including live agent channels such as phone and chat, and asynchronous agent channels such as email.

About eGain:
eGain (OTC BB: EGAN.OB) is the leading provider of multichannel customer service and knowledge management software for on-site or on-demand deployment. For over a decade, hundreds of the world’s largest companies have relied on eGain to transform their traditional call centers, help desks, and web customer service operations into multichannel customer interaction hubs (CIHs). Based on the Power of One™, the concept of one unified platform for multichannel customer interaction and knowledge management, eGain solutions improve customer experience, enable self-service adoption, optimize service process end to end, increase sales, and enhance contact center performance.

Complete details of the press release, click here.