As expected, the first list of IVR companies left out many companies. Last few days, I have found few more companies and I thought I would list them here before I forget. One day I hope to build whole directory of IVRS Companies .

Here it goes :

30. Prosodie Interactive Inc.
31. Canny Infotech
32. Metafor Solutions Inc.
33. Silicon Valley Infomedia Pvt Ltd.
34. TCMS Corp .
35. IVRS Development
36. Syntellect Inc.
37. Kleward Consulting Pvt. Ltd..
38. Westat, Inc
39. Tranx Continental Technologies.
40. Camrivox Ltd.
41. VXL Technologies

Adding some more IVR companies today 2nd July 2009 :-

42. SQUADM Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
43. GAYTES Information Systems Private Ltd.
44. 5G TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS PVT LTD
45. The Plum Group, Inc.
46. DEEPIJA TELENETWORKS
47. Redwood Technologies Ltd
48. S.K. InfoTech Pvt. Ltd
49. VSR
50. 360CompuTel
51. CTI Pro
52. APEX Voice Communications, Inc.
53. Datatel Communications Inc (USA)/ Datatel Inc (Canada)

I am sure, I have not added many companies yet. But this list will continue! I request my esteemed readers to kindly add to this list of IVR companies. Thank you in advance.

Both outbound and inbound IVR Application can be used as advertising tools. It can be quite effective as it can be really interactive with quick response unlike print or visual advertising.

Using Inbound IVRS as Marketing tools:
Inbound IVRS is those kind of IVRS where user calls to IVRS. Normally this kind of IVRS uses a toll free number. Else most probably, now a days nobody will make an outgoing call and listen to advertisements!

Voice Portals are such inbound IVRS where advertisement can be inserted. Voice Portal normally has many applications. Each application can have different advertisements. For example, if a voice portal has Music Application where user listens to songs, one can insert advertisements of upcoming music releases as well as movies. This kind of relevant advertisements will not irritate the caller much.
These advertisements can be interactive. For example, one can play promo of a movie, and ask people to rate the film. Same way for a song! This kind of facility is unique in IVRS.
Telecom companies can provide new schemes, services on their customer care number! This we may have experienced quite a time now!

Using Outbound IVRS
Outbound IVRS are those which make outbound calls to a person and provide some information as well as can get some feedback. Predictive dialer, Automatic Dialer are few such IVR Applications.
Using outbound IVRS as advertising tools has been there for quite some time now! Predictive Dialer is a kind of IVRS which is connected to a telephone database and it retrieves telephone number from this and makes outgoing calls. It tries to gather few information from the called person before it transfers the call to a live agent. Outbound IVRS can advertise the following way

1. Advertise about product after the connection. Give the called person option to rate the product, to give feedback in voice, to record if he is interested in the product and know further. Depending on the customer’s choice, IVRS can either transfer the call to a live agent or store the number is prospective client.

2. During election, candidate can make a “Vote for me” appeal on phone!

3. Various queries, opinion polls can be conducted.

4. Telecom companies can announce new services, schemes and prompt subscribers to avail them.

5. In medical industries, outbound IVRS can be used to advertise new drugs, its feedback. It can also prompt patients about daily medicines.

6. Many campaigners like awareness program can be undertaken effectively. For example, AIDS awareness, Pulse Polio Drops, Road Safety etc.

Continuing with earlier articles of Voice Portal, Use IVRS as Voice Portal and Voice Portal – Technical Challenges, here is my thinking about IVRS as Voice Portal and its challenges as a commercial revenue generator.

We are operating a Voice Portal with various services.  The challenges we face can be explained as follows:-

1. New Application

As the name suggests, new applications need to kept added to the Voice Portal Services. It is not easy to predict if new applications will be a success in terms of popularity or not. But new application has to be properly timed, back up by advertisement and up-to-date contents. Also, if you launch many new applications in quick succession, it confuses users and some really good applications may fail. And if you do not keep adding new applications periodically, regular users get bored and stops using the portal.  So new application must be launched like any other product in an industry.

2. New Contents

As I mentioned above, new contents must be added regularly. For services like, Music, Jokes, Astrology, Travel etc. new contents must be added regularly on daily basis so that even regular user get new contents.  Contest is one application which does not require to be updated for the period of contest. News must be updated at least thrice a day. If the voice portal supports multi-language, then new content is quite a challenge! It requires script in every langauge, recording, editing !

3. Advertising and Promotion

Advertising and promotion of new applications as well as regular applications is a must like any other product.  This one aspect where many Voice Portal operators lack in experience and expertise. At least we did during our initial months as there was no expert consultant or not budgeted. Voice Portal contains many applications. Each application needs to be promoted singly. IVR itself is a very serial operation and it is not always easy to use for first time voice portal or IVRS caller. So each product must be given its own gestation period before doing any analysis. This is one mistake we did. SMS bulk message is a very good form advertising. FM, News paper and other visual media advertisement has its own pros and cons. In Print Media, oen can explain the call flow better while it may not be easy on FM and SMS.

4. Review and User Analysis

Analysis of CDR and usage of applications, contents is a must! Without analyzing user activities of the voice portal, one should not waste in advertising. Profiling of user is very helpful.

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5. Interactive

Interactive Applications in Voice Portals normally do well! It keeps people happy and feel connected. All applications should be made interactive.

6. Localization

Local content is useful. Also the voice prompts should have a local accent which helps users connect with.  Choice of Local language is almost compulsory in India. Other countries which has one language can be happy here!

Finally, Voice Portal does not mean only a technically sound Voice Portal Application, but it must have constantly update contents. Without content, voice portal is like a gun without ammunition! So, one might be tempted with low cost Voice Portal Applications to launch his/her won Voice Portal, but one must be aware of the content generation part.There are IPR for Music content too which many people seem to ignore!

Easiest way to start Voice Portal by Media houses is to outsource the Technical Part of the Voice Portal and manage the operating and promotion part.