There are many benefits of using IVR (Interactive Voice Response) System in automating information distribution, but there is one benefit which I would like to discuss here.
There are many business activities where information keep changing and it is imperative to keep the updated information available to any customer, or caller. Some examples are :-
IVR Benefit : Updated Information always
1. Current trading price of a stock price of a company,
2. Current bill of consumer like mobile phone or electricity
3. Confirmation of payment made in Credit Card
4. Online tracking of courier dispatch
Many more!
IVR system can perform faster, better than human agent in such scenario where data update rate is quite high and accurate information is ‘perishable item’ as in vegetable. In a traditional system where there is no IVR, this updated information would be searched by human agent using a computer and then inform the caller.
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I keep getting direct questions which broadly translates into one single question, “What IVR tool/Software should I use for my IVR requirement ?”
Over period of last three years, I can classify, three types of people ask me such questions, they are :-
1. Representatives of companies who is looking for IVR systems and they also have an IT department.
2. Fresh Engineers who want to form a start-up company in voice applications
3. Students looking for projects while completing their course
While I always try to use encourage students to go for using APIs available in C++ with the CTI hardware, it is really difficult to suggest about IVR tools or IVR solution for type #1 and #2 above!
As for students, I feel it would do them good if they learn about those C++ APIs in order to understand the telecom protocols too!
I find it difficult to suggest an IVR solution for the type #1. Here are my few points #1 should consider while choosing an IVR solution:-
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Among the many applications available with IVR Hosting providers, which could be leveraged by any start-up companies or smaller companies, Virtual Receptionist is one of the most useful whose benefit is measurable and very evident.
While many traditional PBX systems too offer facility of virtual receptionist, concept of virtual receptionist is nothing new in telecom domain, when a ‘Virtual Receptionist’ is implemented using IVR system at the background integrated with SMS (Short Messaging Service), E-mail, Call Whisper etc. apart from intelligent call routing, the whole concept becomes very interesting an useful!
So, how IVR based hosted Virtual Receptionist is different from traditonal virtual receptionist available in PBX systems ?
First of all, choosing an hosted IVR has its own advantages like very small or no initial investment in hardware as well as time to set up the system! PBX based virtual receptionist has limitations in terms of configuring complex and intelligent routing, integration with third party business logic etc.
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Now a days, very often one gets to hear the term ‘Cloud Telephony’, but what exactly is this ‘Cloud Telephony’ and why is it relevant or important in the field of IVR ?
What is Cloud Telephony ?
(Technrati Claim code : 3QZAD2BS96BE)
In IVR, point of view, in a single sentence, Hosted IVR or IVR Hosting service where user can design, deploy their own IVR or Telephony Applications themselves is Cloud Telephony! Most probably, It has got its name to sound similar with ‘Cloud Computing’ and to bridge the gap between specialised telephony application developer with general computer/web application developer! And at the end, ‘Cloud Telephony’ does exactly that, it empowers any computer application developer to add Telephony functionality to their software applications!
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Sangoma Technologies Corporation, leading manufacturer of CTI hardware, based in Canada, has announced that it has acquired “the key assets of the VegaStream Group of Companies, a leading UK-based developer of VOIP gateway appliances”, as per News Release on Sangoma Website!
Sangoma Acquires VegaStream
VegaStream, started in 1998, supplies Vega gateways ( VOIP Gateway) are based on international communications standards, including SIP and H.323 to deliver an open and non-proprietary VoIP solution that can be seamlessly integrated alongside existing communications investments.
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Many people do not like IVR ( Interactive Voice Response) system simply because it is a ‘machine’, not human and they do not like the idea of ‘talking’ to machine! But there is an IVR application with whom many would like to deal with, instead of dealing with an human agent, the service is IVR for payment reminder!
One may forget to make a payment for utility bills, credit card bills or any other bill for many reasons! It is always embarrassing for a person to be reminded of pending unpaid bills! And if the payment reminder is done by human agent, many people feel uncomfortable with the knowledge that ‘other person’ too know know his secret of not paying bills!
There may be instances where a person is simply unable to pay bills! And with recent economic problems all around the world, many may have been victims of job loss and then one may become genuinely unable to pay bills! When a person goes through such distress, being reminded by a human agent of pending unpaid bills might result in more depression!
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Yes, you have seen the title of this post right!, No typo mistake or any other mistake! I was wondering if IVR industry can be compared with any other industry and for some reason fashion industry came to my mind, pretty quickly before any other industry!
Here are few reasons why I felt IVR industry can be compared with Fashion Industry:-
1. As in Fashion industry, IVR industry too has designers who design call flow! Fashion designers design some clothes, accessories, apparels which has wide application ind ay to day life! Similarly, IVR VUI designers design various IVR systems which have wide applications in a practical life!
2. Designing any apparel requires not only technical expertise, but also artistic creativity! Same almost goes for IVR designing which involves in script writing to recording voice prompts by voice over artist in a studio!
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What is IVVR ?
IVVR ( Interactive Voice and Video Response) system can be thought of next generation of IVR system which includes ‘video’ apart from only voice in a typical IVR system. In an IVVR system, a caller will use a video call, will be able to choose options from his mobile phone screen, view information required by him in video format. Since now, in an IVR, caller could only listen his information in voice and select any option either by DTMF or speech recognition! With IVVR, caller would be able to give command to IVR system through user-friendly way by choosing menu options as if browsing a website!
How tourism industry can benefit from IVVR ?
Tourism industry majorly thrive on ‘showcasing’ their attraction to prospective visitors! So, IVVR could be cheap, highly interactive, accessible anywhere tool for any hotel or online travel companies! Till, now travel companies may have been promoting their hotel, destination through either costly TV advertisements, CD/DVD distribution, or plain old news paper/ magazine advertisements without any interaction at all. Website is a good medium, but then an web visitor needs a laptop or PC, internet connection etc. to check the hotel or the destination.
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