In the last post, I had posted about Call Back services ( both automated and manual). While both Automated Call Back as well as Manual Call back services have different usage, I would like to post how one can implement this kind of service using any CTI board. While Analog CTI boards can also be used to implement automated call back services, I recommend everyone to use a digital CTI board. Mainly because of various problems of detecting Caller ID using a Analog CTI boards!

The easiest way to implement automated Call Back service is to use both incoming IVR as well as outgoing IVR. Incoming IVR will ‘sense’ the incoming call, then retrieve the Caller ID and disconnect it. While outbound IVR will read the Caller ID and dial out!

So this is the simple procedure of operating principle of automated call back service!

Detailed Systems:-

Here are suggested hardware:-
1. 30 Port Digital CTI board ( Dialogic D300, Donjin DN300 or Synway SHD 1 E1 Digital Multimedia Board or similar board from CTI manufacturers).
2. One Server Class PC. It should normally be tower type so that it can house the CTI board.
3. One Database Server, a separate server class PC or one may decide to install Database Server in the #2 Machine itself.
4. PRI Connection from a Telecom operator like Airtel, Reliance etc. ( in India).
5. Optional internet connectivity with global IP. This is required if one intends to accept call back requests from websites!

And then the Automated Call Back Application!

Here is the theory of operation :-

1. Two processes will run concurrently, one to detect and process any incoming call and the other to make pending outgoing calls ( outbound IVR)!

2. As soon as the Automated Call Back ( ACB ) Application sense an incoming call, it will detect the Caller ID and store them in a “Spooler” Table in the database with time stamp ( or any other related information) with a reset flag. After that, it will disconnect the call.

3. Outbound IVR process will keep checking the “Spooler Table” ( periodically, say every second) for any entry with reset flag. If it gets any, it reads that entry and makes the outgoing call and set the flag.

4. In order to accept call back request from websites, web visitor will submit a form with phone number, which will be stored in the same “Spooler Table” as in #2 above so that Outbound IVR can dial out and complete the call back service!

5. Once the call is connected, outbound IVR can either transfer the call to a human agent or implement any IVR call flow!

Few enhancements:-
1. If the incoming call is disconnected just after getting the caller ID, and then if the number is dialed back within 2/3 seconds, this could be almost thought as “Toll Free Number” as the caller does not get charged! More intelligence could be implemented like first time callers will get to hear a message that his call would be disconnected and would get an incoming call!

2. SMS could be integrated with Call Back services informing the caller with expected time of call back if its a mobile number.

Many industries need call back services. Hospitality industries, Insurance, Retail Marketing are few industries which require call back services. This service can also be provided as a hosted service.

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!

But outbound IVR for reminding of pending payment would not embarrass a person so much as a call from human agent would! Recently, I had a discussion with my friend Rahul Mishra, who blogs about Indian Real Estate about how many people default payment for their housing loans or installment for their flats during construction of apartments! While some people love to be reminded, but majority of the people feel embarrassed! And automated IVR would not embarrass a person as he/she would be reminded by a machine called IVR with no emotion, heart or feelings!

So, and outbound IVR for reminding pending bills is one IVR application in which a person may not like to speak to a human agent! Here are my few ideas:-

1. Everyone should use outbound IVR for reminding a person for pending unpaid bills at least three or four times before any human agent or recovery agents calls up in order to avoid embarrassing a customer!

2. During this call, the person should be given options like press 1 if already paid, 2 if will pay next week and does not want to be reminded again in between, 3 if he wants some one to collect payment from his house etc. This way, payment reminder service would be delightful even for defaulting customers!

3. Outbound IVR can also be able to transfer the call to human agent of the called party desires so!

So, in order to recover money or take payment from your customers, are you treating them cruelly ? Use outbound IVR to remind them gently and treat your customers humanly!

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is being used in many fields, and it has also been used in social sectors too. One such example was surveying Mid Day meal scheme in India’s populous state Uttar Pradesh. Apart from this, there have also been usage of IVR in mass awareness campaign about various government schemes, services.

IVR in Grivance Redressal by NGOs

These services were normally alert type service where outbound IVR is used which dials out phone numbers and plays a recorded message. Centre for People’s Forestry, an NGO ( Non Government Organisation), based in Secundrabad, Andhra Pradesh in India has started an inbound IVR where tribal people in central India living in forest areas can lodge a complaint or message by calling the IVR number!

This is a simple inbound IVR which they are hosting with Niche Tech Services Private Limited, an established IVR hosting service provider in India.

Here, any one can dial the IVR number which prompts in four languages, Odiya, Telegu, Hindi and English. And this IVR is mainly aimed at Telegu and Odiya speaking tribes in central India. These tribes have been living in this forested central areas for centuries before these forests became ‘reserved forests’. Some time they face hardships and Centre for People’s Forestry has been working to address their grievances. In order to get news about their grievances, CPF has set up this inbound IVR.

Steps to use this IVR :-

1. Anyone will dial the IVR, he would be asked to choose his language.
2. Once the language is chosen, she is asked to speak her grievance and disconnect.
3. The recorded voice is then immediately emailed to concerned CPF ( Centre For Poeple’s Forestry) as well as an SMS alert is sent.
4. CPF personals can also visit website provided by Niche Tech Services (P) Ltd to listen to this message online as well as other call logs.

CPF personal then can call up the phone number who recorded the message, verify the complaint and take up the issue with state authorities for remedial actions!

Advantage of this IVR is lodging a complaint in his/her own voice by just making a call. Lodging a complaint by phone from distance is easy and less intimidating, specially for illiterate tribes.

CPF now gets any complaints instantly and serve people better with timely intervention. This may increase faith in them by poor tribal people.

This kind of simple complaint lodging inbound IVR could also be used by CVC ( Central Vigilance Commission) India, Women Police Stations, Help Centres, Trauma centres etc. to help victims.

What is predictive dialer and what is Click To Call ?

Predictive dialer is such smart automatic telephone dialer system which dials out a telephone number from a list of telephone numbers in order to reduce holding time for both agent in call center as well as the person who is called from it. Though there are various techniques to implement predictive dialer, the basic aims remains same :-
1. Called party should not kept on hold;
2. Agent in call center should not waste time in hearing RBT ( Ring Back Tone) of the called number.

Click To Call and Predictive Dialer

Click To Call Service is a one to one conference where the called party ( as in above Predictive Dialer Definition) initiates the call and speaks to human agent immediately! So the immediate purpose of reducing wait period for both called party and agent is automatically achieved!

Now, does that mean that Click To Call service would (should) replace predictive dialer in order to maximize use of finite and costly resource like outbound telephone call charges as well as time of human agent ?

The first consideration is predictive dialer is not used just as a call back service where some user or web visitor will register their phone number (submit their phone number by filling up a form) expecting a call back from the website or some call center of the company who owns the web site.

Also, predictive dialer can dial from any phone list, not necessarily gathered from web site visitors, but also from off-line registrations, manual phone number collection, collecting phone numbers by door to door marketing etc., not to mention collecting of phone numbers when a user provides his phone number when registers for service, like a DTH ( Direct to Home) TV service, registering for credit card, bank account etc.

While click to call service essentially collects numbers from website visitors only. Apart from traditional Click To Call service, now a days, smart implementation of click to call where a call is imitated as soon as a web form is submitted website visitor, which acts as an additional feature of immediate call back service on an existing registration form! ( Niche Tech Service private Limited provides such customised Click To Call service. )

So, most probably, it will not be possible that Click To Call Service would replace predictive dialer!

Both Predictive Dialer and Click To call service can have options to choose the time when a person expects the call back from the website or call center.

Predictive dialer is also used to make scheduled outgoing calls which is not either standard function in a Click To Call service or available only at extra cost or when a Click To call service with IVR ( Interactive Voice Response) functionality! But now a days, many Click to Call service providers can provide complete IVR functionality or solution in a Click To Call service too.

So, a click to call system, along with smart and customizable IVR at the back end of it, can be surely a next generation of Predictive Dialer and can potentially dethrone it from future call center!

Another important point to consider is, predictive dialer can no longer be used to blast out calls to random numbers after strict implementation of “National Do No Call registry” ( NDNC) in order to stop unsolicited calls. Click To Call service facility eliminates the requirement NDNC registry before making calls. But then, spammers can surely misuse Click To Call!

I had posted about possibility of replacing predictive dialer with outbound IVR, and now I feel, and and IVR system with outbound feature and Click To Call functionality can surely replace aging predictive dialer and bring in cost saving as well as ‘Cloud Telephony’ in Call Center world!

What is Phone verification ?

Phone verification can be called verification of a phone number entered in a form ( both online form or offline paper form ) either it is a valid phone number or not. Here, validity of the phone number does not mean only about the numbers entered numeric, length of digits entered sufficient ( which can be verified by smart software though), but the phone number works! It mean, the number has to ring when dialed from another phone number. Also it has to match the owner of the phone number with the name entered in the form!

So, most of the time the only way to verify the number is to manually dial and speak to the person.

Why Phone verification is required ?

Phone verification is required for many services for obvious reasons to authenticate credential of a person. Credit card, Banking, ID proof etc. are few examples where phone verification is a must.

A verified phone may also reduce many unproductive calls by any tele-caller.

How Missed Call and IVR can be used ?

A missed call is a call when it is not picked by the caller. Now that missed call may happen when called party does not pick the call even when ringing is over, or when called party disconnects call after one or few rings. Depending on the type of missed call, few messages are exchanged between called party and the caller. In India as well as other countries too, missed call is widely used by people!

“Missed Call” are also known as ‘drop call’ in USA, ‘prank call’ in United Kingdom and Australia, beep in Africa etc.

The same “Missed Call” can also be used to verify a phone number automatically using the following method :-

1. When a person enters a phone number in any online registration form, he is given a phone number to dial from the phone number she entered in the form within a given time say next 20 mins. The pop up clearly mentions that as soon the phone rings, it will be disconnected just after capturing the Called ID and the call will not be charged!

2. The person calls the number. The IVR receiving the call will capture the Caller ID and match it with the number entered in the online form. If it matches, the phone number will be verified and the registration would be accepted.

3. The IVR can now make an outbound call to inform that the registration is accepted and now he can proceed with his registration or any other purpose of the online form submission.

Any PRI connection in India is normally given 100 numbers in continuity. So, these 100 numbers could be used in random to get missed calls from different users in order to increase secrecy as well as security.

So, missed call with an intelligent IVR system could be used as completely automated phone number verification service.

Presently, outbound IVR ( Interactive Voice response) System is widely used in India as well as around the world by candidates in any democratic election in order to reach their electorate in the form of bulk voice call or broadcasting voice messages. In India, many political parties deploy Bulk Voice service during election campaign asking people to vote for their candidates.

But instead of using IVR only to broadcast voice message, political parties can also use inbound IVR in various ways to connect with their electorate regularly, instead of reaching out only during election. Now a days, even in India, many political parties are using websites to register members online, collect donations along with informing achievements their party agenda, achievements, leaders etc.

How inbound IVR can be used ?

Political parties can use inbound IVR for few specific ways. Some of them are :-

1. Register New members with phone numbers

Inbound IVR can be used to register new members with verified phone number. The phone number detected by Caller ID can be used as a verified phone number by the new registrant which is better than online web based registration where fraudulent registration may require manual verification. For more about IVR registration process, one may click the link.

2. Providing Information about the political party

Caller to the IVR number of the political party may be provided with options to listen to election manifesto, vision documents, party constitution as well as latest news about the party. It can be IVR portal to provide any kind of party information in voice format to any one having a telephone or mobile connection.

Apart from normal news, IVR could also be used to provide clarification to any controversial news about the party so that their is no confusion on the controversial topic in the electorate. This will increase confidence in the party as well as remove any malicious rumour.

3. Listen to speeches by key party leaders

Some important speeches delivered by the party leaders, be it in the parliament/senate or in an electoral meeting, could be provided in the inbound IVR for listening by party supporters as well as any citizen. This will help connect to more and more people.

Recorded voice by party leaders could also be accessed by party workers for specific information from time to time.

4. Complaint Registration and Complaint Status.

Another important use of Inbound IVR is to record complaints, grievances by the electorate against party candidate or any other. This will make the party more and more transparent, democratic. Complaints can also be treated as feedback to the political party. Elected representatives from constituencies may have dedicated IVR number or menu for lodging any grievances. This can make party more popular among voters.

5. Conducting Polls/Surveys

Inbound IVR can also be used to conduct surveys/polls about any policy among its supporters. This kind of IVR survey or poll can also be used to allow electorate to choose their candidate for particular constituency. Mechanism like one Caller ID being allowed to vote only once could be implemented in order to prevent fraudulent voting.

This kind of anonymous voting/survey encourage grass root level party workers as well as general citizens to voice their opinions which may help party to choose right policy, right candidates!

Apart from listed above, I think inbound IVR could be used many ways by Political parties. So, most probably, it is time Political parties start using IVE beyond bulk voice messaging.

Timely information and timely action can earn a lot for any stock trading company or may lose for the lack of it! With advent of online share trading systems where anyone an buy/sell shares online using a PC with internet connection, lot of automation has taken place increasing profitability to any share trading companies.

Presently, many share trading companies maintains dedicated call center to serve their clients where many of the incoming calls are just to check their portfolio positions for the day! Also SMS ( Short Messaging Service) is being used to update both share trading tips as well as portfolio status to registered numbers.

IVR ( Interactive Voice Response) System can be used to perform regular enquiries like portfolio status, stock market update etc. which will free up human agent in call center for other tasks to assist actual stock trading assistance to callers.

Both Inbound IVR and outbound IVR can be deployed by any share trading company to automate timely information update to its clients as well as provide their portfolio status on demand.

1. Inbound IVR

Inbound IVR, where caller will make a call to the IVR number, can be used to provide the following updated and rea-ltime information :-

a. Portfolio Status
A quick information about the current portfolio status is what everyone wants to know at the end of the day or weekly to help plan then about buying or selling shares or doing other stock trading. Getting updates on IVR is much easier and its available on any phone both land-line and mobile.

b. Quick Stock updates
A caller can also hear latest stock exchange index, top performing companies, top loss making shares etc.

c. Call transfer to human agents
IVR can provide option to transfer the call to human agent intelligently like while announcing the top earning shares so that it may persuade them to do any transaction.

2. Outbound IVR

Outbound IVR can be used same wa as inbound IVR as described above,e except that the all would be initiated by IVR to the client.
The only difference is, the outbound call can be triggered when some important announcement or alert ha to be sent to the client. Some sudden fluctuation of share price owned by the client may trigger a call to him informing about the fluctuation and then IVR can immediately transfer the call to human agent for further assistance.

Voice call alert are more reliable as it can be ascertain either the call was received by the called party or not in time. In SMS alert or EMail alert, the client may not open the SMS or email in time which may cause him to miss the important update.

Outbound IVR is also useful to provide clients with timely stock tips which are very urgent in nature.

So, if you are in share trading business and if you are not using IVR, then most probably you are going to lose out to your competitor who is using IVR!

Admission Process in any institute or university/college is always seasonal and almost routine process. Admission department in universities are seen very busy during admission season which may occur once or twice depending on the university or college.

IVR for Univeristy Admission Process

Websites of any university now days have a dedicated section for providing all required information about admissions to the university to students as well as parents. Apart from website, a dedicated IVR portal can also be used to provide admission related information on phone. One of the main advantage of using a phone for providing admission related information is, it is instant and convenient and high penetration of phones.

How IVR can be used to deliver information to students on time:-

1. Incoming IVR
An incoming IVR can be set up where anyone will be able to dial and listen to any recent update about admission to different courses, scheduled admission or coming a academic year.

Incoming IVR should also be capable of connecting to concerned admission official for any further assistance on demand.

The IVR should maintain all call records. These call records can be analised to know information like which courses are getting more caller. From the caller ID, one can find information about geographic locations of the caller.

These information will improve designing courses.

2. Outbound IVR

Outbound IVR can be used to alert students abut dispatching admit card for written test, sudden change of schedule for admission.

Outbound calls can also be made for promotional activities during admission season.

With more than 690million telephone users ( both land line and mobile), India is one of the fastest growing growing telecom market. Very quickly advertisers thought this an opportunity to market products and they started bombarding mobile phone users with various promotional messages which led to creation of Do Not Call Registry (NDNC Registry) by TRAI ( Telecom Regulatory Authority of India).

BULK VOICE MESSAGE IN GROWING

Though many opine that people are using NDNC Registry as database of mobile numbers which are active, still the growth of SMS ( Short Messaging Service) advertising as well as SMS as tool of alert is slowing down while bulk voice calling is growing more and more. SMS is still widely used in India for, but Bulk Voice SMS or outbound Voice calls are also catching up.

I have also been getting many questions/enquiries from our readers about outbound IVR to make bulk voice calls and such questions/enquiries are growing over the time. Here are few reasons why, I think, IVR bulk voice call is growing and is set to grow more:-

1. Voice can be of any language
While information and messages in SMS are written in English language or Roman script only, IVR Voice call does not have such limitation. Though India has fairly large number of English speaking population, but when they are greeted with their own mother tongue or vernacular language, it instantly attracts and connect with them. Also, there are millions of mobile users who do not simply read SMS or do not know how to read! How voices in different languages is important in India, one may be able to gauge by the fact that India has more that 22 official languages each spoken by at least 10million population. This is apart from more than 250 dialects.

2. Message Delivery and Delivery Report

Another problem with SMS have been it delivery and delivery reporting to advertisers. While it may be condonable in case of product promotion, but delivery report is a must for any utility service using SMS. IVR outbound calling maintains complete delivery report whether call was picked up by the called party or not, if the destination number was answering machine, FAX or voice mail. Also after picking up the phone, did the destination number hear whole voice message or not, all these information are available with bulk voice calling.

3. Land Line numbers do not have SMS facility

India also has large number of land line numbers and only voice message is the only option to alert them. With easy availability of bulk voice calling service now a days, many people have started reaching out to these land-line users too, either for promotional activities or telemarketing. Also, many have realised that land line numbers already has a proven address which is required for many services like credit card, online shopping etc.

4. Instant Feedback and Interactive

While using SMS also one can expect some interactivity as well as feedback, but using voice call by an outbound IVR is much easier and faster. It is more convenient for the called person who can respond to any call just by speaking a word or pressing a key. While in case of SMS, one needs to type few words and send SMS! More ever, while sending out SMS, user is charged for sending SMS and in case of voice message call, it is completely free. So this encourages people to respond to surveys conducted by voice call than SMS.

Recently, there have been many outbound bulk voice service providers in India with competitive pricing. So, if one has been using SMS for alert and promotional activities, it is time to use bulk voice message!

Internet offers many services which are useful in our day to day life. There are many web portals which providing directory services which list traders, shops, local business houses, various service providers etc. along with with easy ‘search and find’ option.

Web Directory Service IVR

There are few challenges for maintaining a directory service portal with accurate information. For example :-

1. Many directory service web portals still list phone numbers which are no longer in service or disconnected for may business houses. These phone numbers need to be periodically checked and verified. Or before listing them, one needs to verify it. When outdated phone number is listed against any shop or service providers ina directory listing website, it loses confidence in web visitors.

2. Address verification is another tedious and manual process which takes a lot of resources of the web portal. By providing accurate address, a directory web portal increases reputation among web visitors and gain popularity.

3. Many directory services allow web visitors or local business establishments to list themselves on the web portal. The phone numbers, addresses provided by them needs to be verified before publishing them. It is tedious and time consuming process.

IVR ( Interactive Voice Response) System can automate all the above verification process and can easily verify all the data.

How IVR can help directory services ?

1. IVR can make automatic outbound calls against any phone number listed against any address or business establishment. It can dial out the number and report back if the number is not reachable. If it is land-line number and does not ring, gets disconnected immediately or does not get busy tone after trying three times, it can safely assume that, the number does not work or exist and stop it getting published on the website.
When the phone number rings and picked up, then it can announce purpose of calling and then verify his address by asking him to press few keys!

This process can be completely automatic and can be done periodically to keep phone numbers updated and accurate.

2. In order to verify correct information or address, IVR can dial out the phone number, read out address using TTS ( Text To Speech) and then ask the called party to press a key to verify. IVR can also transfer the call to some human agent in case further assistance is required. With accurate address, the web portal can increase its credibility and respect by web visitors.

3. For user submitted data ( where web visitors are allowed to submit their shop, services to be listed in the web directory), IVR can be used quite effectively to validate phone numbers, verify address without manual intervention. While user submitted data can help a web directory portal grow, but these kind of data seem to be most inaccurate. With use of IVR, the accuracy of user submitted data can be improved.

Apart from IVR for verifying data, another important IVR application, Click To Call can be used to track leads generated by its listing, as well as allow added facility for web visitors to speak to these listings free of cost!

If you own a web directory service, yellow pages, it is time to augment your effort using IVR system!