Recently I have traveled North and Eastern part India and met many people who are either using IVR systems or are dealing with call centres. While interacting with them, one thing I realised that, people are now warming up to the concept of hosted IVR in India. Most interesting part is, even bigger companies are now a days receptive to the idea of hosted IVR, which few years ago was a complete no, no.

I think, there are two major factors which have helped people warming up to the hosted IVR services :-

1. Reliable Internet connectivity
2. Cost Benefit : Pay as per usage model

1. Reliable Internet Connectivity
In the last few years, quality of internet connectivity has gone up manifold and downtime is no longer frequent unlike few years ago in India. Reliable and dedicated internet connectivity was also costly and not available easily, specially outskirts of cities, where industries tend to exist!

This kind of internet connectivity has helped integration information available at the premises of an organization with of IVR system hosted some where else using internet connectivity. One can say, “IVR in cloud” is now possible, works reliably thanks to good internet connectivity.

2. Cost Benefit : Pay as per usage model
I think, I would give credit to hosted IVR providers in India, who have been able to convince IVR users about the cost benefit of using hosted IVR over on-premise IVR. It is not only about initial investment in hardware and software, but also keeping updated with latest CTI hardware and IVR tools.
Most of the people I have interacted with, have had clear idea about how hosted IVR can reduce initial investment an reduce time to live with IVR. Many of them were also happy with accessing IVR logs online by just visiting a website and logging in.

Apart from above two major factors, I think many business houses become focused on their core competence while outsourcing business processes to professionals. Many people were more comfortable with one time capital expenditure than recurring operational expenditures. But, in IVR, there is always an fixed or variable operational expenditure in the form of telephone rental and outbound call cost. So, many have started opting for just operational expense without any major capital expense and hosted IVR just fits in between.

Most probably, with slowing of economy world wide, even bigger companies might be finding it easier to go with “pay per usage” hosted IVR system to server their customers.

I would be happy to know feedback from others how they feel about hosted IVR in India.

There are many interesting hosted IVR ( Interactive Voice Response) applications which are used daily for completing various tasks. Once such interesting hosted IVR application is “Guarding the Security Guards” which are employed at ATM ( Automatic Teller Machine), gates at Bungalows, building, banks night and day.

Guarding Security Guards with an IVR

While during day, these guards perform their their duties well, but at night they also tend to sleep when there is no crowd, noise or anyone to supervise them! It is a human nature to fall asleep when lying idle! But with a simple outbound IVR alert system (either hosted or on premise), these guards can be kept alert as well as keep monitoring them automatically!

The system is fairly simple:-
1. Every guards is given either a land phone or a mobile phone.
2. IVR would call them up at night in every hour or 30 minutes, and tell them a random number which they have to punch back again. If the guard is sleeping or not alert, he will not be able to listen carefully, and punch in the correct numbers.
3. The IVR will store the random number generated and response from the security guard and prepare a report daily.
4. Other reports like, time taken to pick up call, disconnect in between the call can also be recorded.
5. This system can even generate alert if a particular security guard does not respond 2/3 calls continuously for manual inspection.

Benefit of this Guarding Security Guards by IVR:

1. This is an complete automatic system where no human intervention is required.
2. It helps security guards to remain alert all the time during their duty hours.
3. It will be able to detect any abnormality quickly and efficiently.

Only disadvantage system might be the outgoing call cost as well as annoyance of the guard! But the call cost can be reduced with on-premise solutions using local PBX. Call cost can also be reduced with CUG( Closed User Group) schemes provide by many telecom operators.

This is system which would be able to reduce complaint of sleeping security guards! So, if you avail services of security guards, or if you own a security agency, this is one alert service you must have!

In India, Niche Tech Services (P) Limited offers this “guarding security guards” service both hosted or on-premise model at and affordable rates.

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.

Being majorly software driven, hosted IVR based virtual receptionist can have any type of computation capability, easy integration with third party systems like SMS, CRM etc.

Few smart features which makes IVR based Hosted Virtual Receptionist interesting and a must have for many companies :-

1. Hosted virtual Receptionist would work 24 hours a day, play different greetings at different time. It can even use multiple languages depending on the caller ID. For example, it will greet ‘Good Morning’ in morning, ‘Good Afternoon’ in the afternoon. If it detects caller ID from Spain, it can greet in Spanish, like “Buenos días, bienvenidos a nuestra empresa” ( Good Morning, welcome to our company ) even if your company is in China!

2. Virtual receptionist can send you immediate alert for any incoming call either by SMS or E-email. This SMS or Email can information like Caller ID, time of call. And if the caller has recorded a voice mail, the recorded audio file can also be attached in the email as WAV file. WAV file can be played back on BlackBerry, IPhone or Android phones. So, one never has to miss any important update!

3. Call whisper is one important feature where hosted virtual receptionist can speak out the caller ID and ask for an key press option either to receive the call or transfer to someone else or to voice mail! This kind of call screening is specially useful for calls from irritating tele-callers or banks asking for loan returns. (Ok, the later part was a joke.)

4. Hosted IVR service providers would have record of each and every call, their status ( either forwarded, voice mail, or out office hour, holidays etc.). This is very useful for marketing and sales lead generation point of view as it provides real time, online report using which one can measure lead captures, converted etc.

Few practical and pressing reason why you should opt for hosted Virtual Receptionist ?

If you are small company and have to travel out of office during office hour or out-station, hosted virtual receptionist is the service for you!

Hosted virtual receptionist provider like Niche Tech Services Private Limited can provide you with 10 digit mobile number owned by you! So even if you change IVR service provider, the number remains with you!

With online and accurate MIS, accessible from net anywhere, your office people can no longer avoid or lie about any inquiries on phones to the office! One can fix responsibility if any one does not attend a call during office hour!

So, with hosted virtual receptionist, you no longer need to be afraid of high initial and recurring investment to have your own smart receptionist!

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 ?

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!

Cloud Telephony means, you do not have to deal with telephony jargons, knowledge of how telephone works as long as you know what you want your telephone to do! And most of the time, it is pretty simple for everyone to understand, make/receive(pick up) a telephone call, hang up or disconnect the call, play an audio file, transfer the call, conference the call! With Cloud Telephony, these kind of telephony functions can be added to any computer application!

Cloud Telephony offers many advantages

Cloud Telephony offers many advantages over traditional on-premise telephony applications. Traditional on-premise telephony applications typically consisted of PBX, IVR and lot of wires through MDF ( Main Distribution Frame)! IVR application is the only visible computer application which provides software like function and computational capabilities! IVR could pick up an incoming call, play a greeting, ask to dial extension number, transfer the call, if the transferred number did not pick up the call, ask the caller to record voice mail!

All these kind of telephony functions ( and much more!) are now available which can be integrated with any computer applications without knowing about telecom technology or worry about telecom infrastructure like PBX/IVR!

Typically, in a cloud telephony, few hundred lines of coding is enough to provide above functions. One can just subscribe to Cloud Telephony service provider with monthly subscription fee, or actual usage basis, use their API in his own applications! With standardization of VXML, a user can become truly independent of coud telephony vendor or hosted IVR provider!

IVR and Cloud Telephony

I would actually wish to view Cloud Telephony as IVR 2.0 which have graduated from specific telecom domain to web domain like any other computer applications! Cloud Telephony or bringing IVR to the web world, has given a new and fresh lease of life to the aging world of IVR!

With cloud telephony, one can hope to find any interesting and innovative telephony application to appear, solving real world problems and serving diverse population!

Tropo, Twilio and India’s own Kookoo are few of the could telephony providers where one can play around with their applications by adding telephony functions!

What IVR technologies or IVR applications would be hit in the year 2011 ? Here is a list of few IVR applications or IVR technologies that might see high usage as well wide acceptance among people!-

What IVR technology or Application will rule in year 2011 ?

1. IVVR ( Interactive Voice And Video Response)

With introduction of 3G technology in worlds most populous countries, India and China, IVVR should see wide application and deployment. I think, IVVR would be used in VAS ( Value Added Service) industry, customer care, virtual tour in hotel industry.

IVVR would also be used Tele-medicine in India as well as e-governance.

2. IVR in Payment

IVR would be increasingly used in phone banking as well as payment using phones. Recently, RBI ( Reserve Bank of India has introduced OTP ( one time password) valid for just one transaction for 30 minutes to 24 hours. So, the public confidence in payment using IVR might will increase. Many payment gateway providers are now trying to provide payment option using IVR with just a telephone call on the move.

3. Speaker Recognition

With increasing payment using IVR, speaker recognition technology will be used more and more. Most probably, this technology would be further developed.

4. Speech Recognition

With increasing usage of IVR in customer care as well as ‘self-help’ complaint management system, speech recognition usage as well as accuracy may increase in 2011!

5. IVR Hosting

Since many visual as well as online web-based tools are now available for IVR call flow designing, I think, IVR hosting will see increase in 2011. Presently, Click To Call is one service which is a hosted IVR service used by many people. Many people are also opting for hosted IVR solution in order to reduce initial capital investment as well as support.

6. Bulk Voice Call

Bulk Voice Call should see increase as well as competition in terms of per call pricing in 2011, specially in India. Reminder Service using voice call will also be used more and more.

These are the IVR applications which I think will be deployed and used by many people in the year 2011! I would like to hear from you too, so kindly leave a comment with your opinion!

MLM ( Multi Level Marketing) can be defined as a marketing strategy where its sales force earns from their selling as well as from those sales generated by people whom they recruit to sell. So, essentially if a sales person creates many successful sales person under him, he generates enough revenue without himself involving in any direct sales! Amway is one of the most famous MLM companies in the world with many products which they sell through their members only.

MLM is also known as Networking Marketing as well as referral marketing, there are many MLM companies in India now a days.

IVR in Multi Level Marketing Companies

The reach of MLM companies is now not confined to city or town areas in India where internet penetration is high, but also to villages where there is almost no penetration of internet and computer, but mobile phones have reached. So, providing updated account information as well as other MLM activities like adding new recruit, lodge any complaints using an IVR may not only add provide added facility to MLM company, but also increase its service area.

What IVR for MLM Companies can do ?

Here are few tasks an IVR can perform for MLM Companies 24 hours a day, without any break and any manual intervention :-

1. It can register any enquiry of new member which could be immediately alerted to any existing member in the same area from where one has made the call.

2. IVR can be used to retrieve member account information like commissions earned by his sales as well as his down-line distributors or any new member additions to his network. These instant and updated information keep a member motivated all the time.

3. IVR can be configured to act as an outbound IVR that can be used to blast mass voice message to all its members any important news, new scheme, discount or any service disruptions etc.

4. IVR can be used to play back recorded voice message of the managing director or owner of the MLM company which builds confidence in its members. This can also be used to gauge member enthusiasm about the MLM company.

So, if you own an MLM company and not using IVR, most probably, you are missing a tool which can not only increase efficiency of your MLM company, but also increase its profitability as well as reputation.

5. IVR can be used as complete automated complaint management system for its members. IVR based complaint management system offers many benefits like lodging complaints using just a phone call without any human intervention by the MLM company.

Apart from these, IVR could b beneficial to automate many mundane and routine tasks performed manually which can result in decrease in operational cost, increase efficiency resulting in increased profitability.

In India, not many courier companies have tracking system on IVR ( Interactive Voice Response) system, though almost everyone has web-based online tracking system. Majority of the courier companies have their offices or franchisees in many smaller cities for larger coverage as well as networks in India. Most websites of the courier companies list the phone numbers of these offices for local tracking of the shipments.

Recently, I have observed that, few employees are almost busy all the time answering telephone calls in these offices and tracking the shipment according to the consignment number. On top of that, these employees majorly check the status manually on their computer and inform status of the shipment to the caller.

All these processed could be automated completely using IVR hosting service at any location in India. It is possible since the tracking system is already cumputerised as well as accessible online. Courier tracking on IVR is being widely used in western countries like United States of America, Europe etc.

In any shipment, it has few finite status, for example, it will have the following statuses :-

1. Shipment in transit : This will state that, the shipment is on transit but it has not reached the destination. It can also announce the current city where the shipment has reached apart from expected delivery date.

2. Shipment at Destination : Shipment has reached the destination town or city, could be collected in person, but delivery will be made next day only.

3. Shipment out for delivery : Shipment is in destination city/town, and shipment is taken out for delivery. Most probably, many people would enquire during this status!

4. Shipment Delivered : Shipment has been delivered on time and date.

In hosted IVR enthronement, it should be quite easy to retrieve the status of any shipment by its consignment number. Courier

Since online tracking is already available on web, courier companies can easily provide an HTTP based API ( Application Programming Interface) to retrieve the shipment status to hosted IVR system.

Here is tentative steps, how hosted IVR service for shipment tracking can work :-

1. Caller calls the IVR number and IVR greets him in his local language as per caller id.
2. Caller dials the consignment number.
3. Hosted IVR uses Web service API to retrieve the current status and announce that.

So, hosted IVR can easily provide telephone based shipment tracking system in easy and simple ways using the local languages. Hosted IVR for shipment tracking system can be very useful as it is quick to go live and does not require any big initial investment.

While web based shipment tracking is very useful, but it can be used by many illiterate people as well as those people who do not have internet access. But now a days, majority people have access to mobile phone or public telephone booth, using which one can track shipment status on IVR. Another main advantage of IVR is use of local language which is not possible in case of websites.

Hosted IVR based tracking system can reduce burden of employees of courier companies, provide useful and time tracking system to its clients.

Recently, I had a very interesting IVR enquiry. The person was looking for a hosted IVR solution for for his mobile number which will be diverted to the his ‘personal IVR’ after 9PM in the evening till 9AM in the morning. Apart from this, he also wanted the facility to divert the at will at anytime. And he does not want a mere ‘voicemail’ service which is quite common and easily available with any telephone company. Also, he wanted an SMS or Email alert for any call which a caller authenticate by entering a password ( provided by him to the caller) so that he knows it is an emergency and he may call back.

Personal IVR

I found it quite interesting IVR application. With recent availability of online ‘DIY’ ( Do it Yourself ) IVR, most probably, IVR will become a service to be used by individual people and people may start using IVR instead of ‘mere voicemail’ in near future.

Most probably, this kind of hosted IVR solution for individual would be natural extension of voice mail which is widely used in USA. Voice mail has not picked up well in India though its availability is almost as old as mobile phones. Its glamorous cousin popularly known as ‘Voice SMS’ became popular after mobile operators promoted it in line with SMS!

This kind of arrangement can easily be achieved and implemented by using call forward feature available in mobile phone. Many telephone service providers in India provide unlimited call in their home network, so if the IVR Hosting provider and the individual person are on same network, then there will not be huge call cost for the call forwarding.

The user can have his own personalised voice greetings, menu options to choose as per requirement. For example, a travel agent could store any enquiry, phone calls form the call records. He may also choose to speak to his existing clients whom he may share some passwords, of course voice mail feature is available apart from quick information.

Apart from obvious business activities, this may even be a huge deterrent from tele callers who have been on many people’s hate list now a days! It could even have some vanity values where the IVR could act as a digital secretary for an individual.

Feature-rich, personalised hosted IVR at affordable rate might bring IVR to masses to be used by everyone which voice mail system has failed to do. With availability of hosted IVR services, many web based visual IVR tools may make this kind IVR usage a reality!

What is Bulk Voice Call ?

Bulk Voice Calling is broadcasting of pre-recorded voice message to many telephone numbers simultaneously or sequentially. It is voice or IVR version of SMS ( Short Message Service) broadcasting which is now a days widely used for various purposes. Bulk voice calling is also known as call blast, voice broadcasting, Automated Voice Campaigns, Voice SMS etc.

Bulk Voice Calling is picking up

Bulk voice broadcasting is normally a hosted IVR solution or part of any IVR system.

How does it work ?

Bulk Voice calling is essentially an outbound IVR ( Interactive Voice Response) System with one specific function, that is to dial telephone numbers from database or a list, and play a pre-defined programmed recorded audio file and play it when the called party picks the call. It also has to keep record of all success calls ( outbound calls which were picked by the called party and heard the recorded voice message) or abandoned calls which were not picked by the called party.

It is easy to develop a bulk voice calling system. One can use either modem or analog CTI cards or digital CTI boards. The CTI board must be capable of CPA ( Call Progress Analysis) to detect call pick up, detect answering machine, voice mail or human.

To provide professional bulk voice service, one needs to have lot of telecm infrastructure :-

1. In order to make simultaneous calls, many PRI/E1 lines are required. Correspondingly, one will need digital CTI boards.

2. One must have web-based control panel to allow users access the reports, trigger bulk message etc. API ( Application Programming Interface) is also desirable to give white label solutions.

3. Finally, intelligent outbound IVR software.

Few essential points one should look for in a Bulk Voice Call providers:-

1. How many simultaneous calls possible at one point of time.

2. Since audio needs to be played real time, so duration of the recorded audio file is the duration of each calls. So, one should know how one call is counted, in 30 seconds pulse of 60 seconds pulse.

3. Online and live reporting of calls and reason for any call failure.

4. Refund policy for failed outbound calls, call attended by answering machine, voice mail etc.

5. Caller ID for making outbound call whether it is dynamic or fixed caller id.

Usage of Bulk Voice Calling

Now a days, bulk voice calling or call bast is being used in many ways.

1. Alert System/Reminder system
2. Pill remainder System
3. Electioneering
4. Automatic registration welcome and verification of phone number
5. Payment remainder
6. Promotion and advertising
7. Appointment remainder

and many more!

Bulk Voice calling can be used just like SMS is being used! Using Bulk voice calling has few advantages over SMS blasting like live monitoring, delivery report and instant monitoring!

IVR Hosting is growing world-wide and many people are increasingly opting for Hosted IVR solutions. Though hosted IVR Solution may not be able to replace On-Preimse IVR solutions in some cases, but here are top five reasons why one should opt for IVR hosting :-

IVR Hosting ay be your ideal IVR solution!

1. Future Proof

With increasing number of CTI vendors as well as available CTI boards, it has not only become difficult to choose a CTI board, but it has also created a new risk, that is obsolescence! Many people may remember buying good old D/4PCI without any fear or consideration of going obsolete, but not anymore!
With recent advancement in speech recognition technologies, as well as complex IVR systems which may require data exchange between servers located at many places, one can safely say that, today’s IVR technology is going to be obsolete a lot quicker than before.

In hosted IVR solution, this is never going to be a problem for user! One can expect, the hosted IVR service provider will always be updated with latest technologies, features available in IVR technology.

2. No maintenance and no support nightmare

IVR System consists of more than one components. For example, it has telecom components which connects you to the PSTN ( Public Switch Network). Then there is a computer Server and power as well as power back up. Apart from this, there is one CTI vendor as well as IVR Software vendor!

Most of the times, you do not find one single vendor providing you all above components. So, one needs to contact all these vendors for support. One may even encounter a problem like, CTI vendor blaming the Telecom connectivity for the IVR system malfunctioning, while the computer hardware guy blaming the IVR software.

In hosted IVR solution, you have only one problem, only one support, either your IVR is working or it is not. And contact only one support for this. It will save time and resources for any company.

3. Real-time monitoring of expenses and exit route

With IVR hosting service, one can actually measure ROI ( return on Investment) quickly and in real time. From the monthly payment to the Hosted IVR service provider, one can measure exact number of calls, call abandonment, successful calls and any saving in human intervention. But one may argue, these data are available on On-Premise solution too. Yes, but when you know use of IVR is not reducing burden of human resources, you have had already invested on the IVR systems as capital expenditure!

But with Hosted IVR solution, you have quick exit route or try out different type of call flow, different features. On premise IVR, one can not expect these benefits!

4. Focus your core business, no allocate resources for IVR a business tool for you

IVR system is a business automation system to automate customer care, reduce human intervention, increase accuracy of information as well as collecting measurable information about callers and customers. Maintaining or developing IVR system may not be your core competence. So, one should devote resources in their core competence rather than devoting resources in IVR upkeep.

Hosted IVR is the perfect solution which offers complete IVR solution without having to know anything about IVR yourself.

5. Quick upgrade and expansion

Hosted IVR offers facility to upgrade capacity of calls, or any other required feature quickly. One can also opt for using different technology for different kind of calls. For example, one may opt for VOIP for outbound calls while using TDM network for incoming calls by the customers. The best part is, one can change this kind for arrangement frequently as per requirement. With On-Premise IVR, one is stuck with the CTI board purchased as well as initial SRS ( System Requirement Specification) of IVR.
These kind of flexible features are available with IVR hosting and if one requires these facility, he might have invest a lot in different hardware alone!

So, it may be time for you to think about IVR hosting seriously!