One of the often-mentioned advantages of IVR Toolkit like VBVoice, Velocity etc. are its quick implementation of IVR system. To be more precise, implement the IVR call flow quickly with minimum requirement of coding!

While this is quite true that IVR Toolkit removes the requirement of coding the mundane subroutines interfacing the CTI boards, but question arises, is this advantage exclusively belong to IVR Tool-kits only ? I think otherwise! This advantage is equally shared by hard core C or C++ coding from old-school of IVR development!

IVR Tool-kits in a way can be considered modern day compact point and shoot digital cameras where anyone capable of pressing the shutter button can take beautiful pictures! And the learning curve to take picture consists of just three steps :

1. Insert batteries and switch on the camera
2. Point to the object and see the on the LCD screen
3. Press shutter button and look at the captured picture on LCD screen!

Rest of the things would be like aperture, shutter speed, ISO would be taken care by the camera itself! Similarly, with IVR Toolkit, just install the toolkit in your development tool like Microsoft Visual Studio, drag and drop the ‘IVR Controls’ to ‘define’ call flow your IVR and then compile and run! The IVR would be ready!

Now think of DSLRs or old SLR cameras which is used by professional photographers which offer them controls on Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO as well as many other parameters to control light for a better picture! This breed of photographers still stick to SLR cameras precisely because of the controls over those aperture, shutter speed, ISO etc. !

Similarly, old school IVR development, IVR coders have control over CTI boards completely without depending on any third party tools! They have direct access to APIs those control all telephony related functions like sensing incoming call, ISDN PRI command exchange and much more!

And as for the quick implementation of call flow, they can implement fast too, simply exploiting another old school technique called ‘re-usable code’. Over the years, C++ programmers have also developed their re-usable code for controlling all basic CTI functions which they can use in any new IVR applications. The call flow of an IVR is nothing but a smart switch structure which does fixed set of tasks like playing audio file, detecting DTMF or speech recognition, connect call or disconnect calls!

And there is a time tested, excellent tool for re-using code which is widely known as “Copy-Paste”, just copy the code of subroutines or functions ( which control the CTI board) and paste them in your new project with new call flow and you are done!

So, the quick implementation of any IVR call flow is also possible by seasoned and experienced C++ IVR developers. But, for a beginner, most probably, IVR Tool kit is the best option to develop their IVR Systems in quickest possible time provided they already know some development tool supported by the IVR Tool kit. FOr example, if some one know C# or Microsoft .NET, one can easily build IVR application using Velocity or VBVoice.

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!

3. Like in fashion industry, lot of design improvements in IVR are done after users feedback! And users of the both products do not care about the hard work put in by designers, developers and only care about the end product and how people are reacting to it!

4. Designers in a fashion industry design clothes for masses as well as classes! IVR designers too have to design their IVR for all, some smart users as well as not-so smart users! Many of the times fashion designers target their designs for high income groups. Some IVRs are also used in banking and some minimum knowledge like English language, Knowledge of Telephony jargon etc are expected from their users!

5. The way fashion industry uses raw materials to produce a product, in IVR industry too, raw materials like CTI boards, PCs or Servers and Software required to produce the complete IVR system!

These are the reasons why some time I feel like comparing IVR industry to Fashion industry! What Industry comes to your mind when you feel like comparing IVR industry to ?

There are many disadvantages of using analog CTI ( Computer Telephony Integration) cards. Apart from that, digital CTI boards offer many advantages over analog CTI boards and I would like to list three main reasons why one should upgrade to digital CTI boards from analog ones.

Even in India, E1 connectivity or PRI lines are easily available from any telecom service provider and it is much cheaper. And with, many new CTI manufacturers are offering high quality digital CTI boards which are easily available.

Here are three reasons :-

1. Dialed Number Identification ( DNI Facility)
Digital boards provide DNI ( dialed Number Identification) which is not available in analog CTI boards. DNI can be very useful. It provides options for separate CTI applications depending on the DNI detected. The same interactive voice response application could play different welcome prompts as per DNI. For example:- A digital interface with Telephone exchange may offer 30 different numbers, and one common number for all 30 lines. Now depending on caller dialing one or groups of numbers, a separate greetings, separate call flow can be implemented in the same CTI application. There would be flexibility to change, modify these numbers without having to change any physical lines.
DNI can also be used for shortcut in menu options. For example, there are 4 kinds of complaints in a company. Four separate numbers could be used for each of the complaints saving callers time to choose a complaint through menu. This can greatly increase usability of any interactive voice response system application.

2. Quick connections
Digital CTI boards uses digital protocol for quick call setup and quick information exchanges. So, any call can be connected quickly. But n analog, it order to CTI boards, one has to wait two rings before the call can be connected. Many of the times, analog CTI boards may not detect CLI at all. Any irate customer gets more irritated when her call is connected after 2/3 rings. It also saves time and handle more calls. So the throughput of digital boards is more than analog CTI boards.

3. Disconnect Problems
Analog CTI boards need to train on varius disconnect tones which may vary from one PABX to another. It takes time to setup detection of these various tones like Busy Tone, Engage Tone, Disconnect Tone, Dial Tone. Also, it takes some minimum time to detect any of these tones. So, analog CTI boards take time to dial out, disconnect.
During outbound calls, it is not easy to detect if called number has picked the call or not. Many people use here voice activity detection as ring back tone does not work with accuracy. With digital CTI boards, all these problems are removed. This not only saves time, but it increases efficiency, result in more number calls.

There is one benefit of having analog lines. out of many analog lines, if one cable is cut, remaining lines will work, in digital, it is only one wire, so one cable is cut, whole of your lines or at least minimum 30 ports would go down.

So, if you are still using analog CTI board, consider upgrading to digital CTI boards now!

I had visited India Telecom 2009 exhibition held from 3rd December 2009 to 5th December 2009 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India. Though it was mainly an exhibition about Indian Telecom Industry, but I found many companies from IVR industries present there. I thought I would update about them.

These are the companies I found :-

1. Aculab
It came with CTI boards VXML interpreter. While I was visiting the stall, there were some visitors and I did not speak to anyone, did not fail to pick up their brochures. But I think, Aculab got good number of visitors.

ACULAB at India Telecom 2009 Exhibition

2. OpenVox
Among many Chinese Telecom companies in the exhibition, I never expected to see Openvox. I was looking for Miss Lily who commented about Donjin DN300 board. They were offering various IP PBX solutions based on Asterisk. I think, would start working on building PABX using Asterisk too.

OPENVOX at Indian Telecom 2009 Exhibition

3. Synway
Synway was there too with their many CTI boards. When I saw OpenVox, I was certain to see Synway too. Synway is now quite known in CTI market in India. There were many visitors when I was passing through it.

SYNWAY at Indian Telecom 2009 Exhibition

4. Alliance Infotech
I saw stall of Alliance Infotech too. It is a Indian IVR company, based in delhi and they are also reseller of Digium boards. I forgot to take a picture of their stall.

After seeing the above IVR related companies, I was hoping, I might get to see about few more too! For example Dialogic, Donjin, Pronexus with VBVoice, Invox with their IVR designer products as well as Hosted PBX, Syntellect with their Envox products. But no, they were not there!

Overall, I think, there were less visitors this time at India Telecom 2009. There were many notable absentees. Also, many stalls were empty. If the empty stalls and lesser crowd at India Telecom 2009 exhibition in crowded India with 1.2 billion population, are any indication, than, most probably, Indian Telecom industry may not be doing very well in 2009.

There has been lot of talk about video IVR or IVVR ( Interactive Voice and Video response System) recently. Dialogic also has announced recently of their availability of Beta DiaStar™ Server, Version 1.1, “Allowing developers to create video applications for fixed and mobile phones. this brings into variety of existing video features into open source marketplace.” (Dialogic Press release) Indeed a good news for large open source Asterisk IVR/IVVR developers.

Dialogic Releases Beta DiaStar

Dialogic is no doubt the leader in the field of CTI boards, Telephony Signaling products in the world and this initiative by Dialogic to make their existing Video enabled products accessible by open source developer community will boost the development of video IVR applications.

Now, can Video IVR or IVVR can be the next big VAS for Telecom operators ?

I think so and here are my reasons:-

1. 3G is available
3G has been introduced almost everywhere in the world including big Telecom market India by state run mobile service providers BSNL ( Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) and MTNL ( Mahanagar Telecom Nigam Limited). MTNL operates in two big Indian metros New Delhi and Mumbai while BSNL operates all circles in India other than New Delhi and Mumbai. 3G is the requirement for video call in the mobile network and 3G enabled phone is the requirement at the user end. 3G enabled mobile phone with twin camera for video calls have been in the market for long time now. Also entry level 3G enabled with camera is now available at less than $100, even in India. So using video applications or services by large number of users is a reality in India.

2. Innovative Video Application
Think about getting an SMS alert about Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s huge six with a link to make video call to watch it! Or an SMS alert informing about Irphan Pathan getting out Ricky Ponting out by a yorker ? Who in India or in Indian subcontinent want to miss it ? Video IVR creates possibility of many innovative video application which will entice user to avail video value added services! If YouTube could be such a hit, video IVR with large contents and innovation would also be hit!

3. Concept of citizen journalism or citizen activism
People are getting used to the idea citizen journalism now. With video IVR, there will be people who would be uploading video footage about events immediately for large audience which will be available simultaneously on internet, TV or mobiles of any 3G users!

4. Customer care
Video IVR may revolutionize customer care and call center industry! With video call, many problems by customers could be solved remotely as proper instruction could be provided to the customer for self-help. Frustration with traditional voice based IVR where they are made to speak to machine, by customers would also reduce as through video IVR, they can discuss with customer care executives face to face!

5. Video Advertising, blogging, cinema etc.
Video blogging can be expected to increase by many fold! Video portal would have much larger audience with 3G users. People would be able to watch trailer on movies before they buy a ticket for it over video IVR! SMS advertising would give away to video advertising now! Watch TV advertising on your mobile!

6. Utility Services
A user will be able to video weather conditions live at any place! Phone banking will be replaced by video banking which will make it more secure as well as personal! It will be very useful in healthcare industry where specialist would be able to instruct many locations simultaneously from a remote location!

So, innovation and ideas are many for video IVR applications! So, if video IVR is introduced after 3G, it may be the next big VAS ( Value added service) for mobile operators!