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!

With evolution of social media like Twitter and Facebook Fan page, it has become easy for celebrities in various fields to connect with their fans. While some fields, connecting with fans may not be important or necessary, but celebrities in the fields like Cinema, Music,TV serials, literature, connecting with fans is an important PR exercise to keep their fans engaged as well as well informed!

Celebrity IVR to connect with fans

How IVR can be used ?

IVR ( Interactive Voice Response System) can be used to where fans would be given a number to call and listen to news, greetings by the celebrity. The IVR can have options to record fan messages in voice too. This could be a simple inbound IVR, even on hosted IVR platform with original voice greetings from the celebrity.

There could be an option to listen to latest news or breaking news section where some important or immediate update about the celebrity could be stored to be heard by any caller.

The IVR could also be used to collect feedback from fans about new releases, or any activity by the celebrity. This kind of feedback could be very informative for the celebrity or her teams to get public sentiment and than strategise next performances.

Outbound IVR could also be used for campaigning any cause endorsed by the celebrity. With inbound IVRs, it can build up huge phone numbers which could be utilised to any kind of promotion or campaign.

What are the benefits ?

Since fans will listen original voice of the celebrity, IVR could be more “emotional as well as personal” kind of communication between the celebrity and her fans. So, IVR could make fans more loyal to the celebrity!

In a market like India where mobile penetration is much higher than internet, Radio or news paper, IVR seems to be better suited medium to connecting with fans for celebrities. By recording phone numbers using caller ID, one can build a database of loyal fans.

Using these recorded phone numbers, a targeted campaigning could be mounted for new launch of albums by singer, new movie release by film stars or release of new book by a writer, or even merchandise.

Fans will be able to dial the IVR number any time in the day, listen to her voices of her favourite star, leave message. It will make them feel important and make the celebrity more accessible to her fans.

Hosted IVR or On Premise IVR ?

Hosted IVR solution seems to be a better model for any kind of celebrity IVR as it will allow professionals to handle the technical nuances of running IVR! The contents could be uploaded by he celebrity using the same IVR over a phone. Or it could be done by her team using simple web interface.

So, after Twitter and Facebook, IVR could be another medium for celebrity to connect with their fans! It would gread if anyone shares their experience of calling any celebrity IVR!

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!

Most probably, travel agents, specially the ones who provides services like hotel reservations online, must be one of those who use telephone for most of their business activities. Though the big travel portals or travel companies have call centers which operate 24 hours a day for handling right from inquiry to ticket booking as well as hotel reservation. But there are many small and medium travel agents which have good web presence, but can not afford to have a call center, or can not operate office 24 hours a day.

But with implementation of simple IVR ( Interactive Voice Response) system along with voice mail system (VMS), travel agents can easily operate 24 hours a day and increase their revenue.

Why do travel agents need IVR ?

Many travel agents already have their websites which advertise their office phone numbers. Since websites are visited by people across the globe 24 hours a day, they may get many calls from all around the world, even when it is not office hours! So, if they use IVR, they can respond to every call, and with VMS, they can record voice messages from callers and many more!

There are many people, who finalise their programs at the last moment and require to book hotels at the last moment too! These kind of business traveler try to book hotel searching in internet and by calling office numbers listed in a website of the travel agents, even at non-office hours, hoping against hopes! These kind of calls not only help convert an enquiry quickly, but also help get a good price for the travel agents.

What kind of IVR travel agents require ?

While IVR can have many features for any type of industry, but travel agents need three features which may prove to be really useful :-

a. Database Look up and playback
The travel agent IVR should be capable of looking up hotel reservation database or API to be able to provide reservation availability to any caller. This will reduce burden of manpower involved during office hours and would be useful for caller at non-office hours! Apart from this, database look up capability can detect regular client for travel agents.

b. On Demand Call Bridging Facility

The IVR should be capable of making an outbound call and bridge them together. With database look up capability, IVR would be able to detect a regular client and that is when the call can be treated an urgent call and the call can be then connected to some one responsible who can help. This will increase customer loyalty as well as reputation.

c. Voice Mail System and Email/SMS (Short Messaging Service) alert
Voice Mail System is a must for IVR for travel agents. Using this voice mail system, a caller at non-office hours can leave a voice message on the IVR. By email and SMS alert system, some one responsible will be immediately notified of the voice message, who can listen to the voice mail either by dialing or through web interface.
Normally, serious caller will only leave a voice mail. So, this facility can effectively work as a call screening during non-office hours.

So, a smart IVR can surely increase revenue for any travel agent immediately. If you own a travel company and if you do not have IVR installed, then most probably, you are losing some business!

In mobile world, we often hear about ‘Smart Phone’ . Now what is a smart phone ? As per Wikipedia definition :-

A smartphone is a mobile phone that offers more advanced computing ability and connectivity than a contemporary basic ‘feature phone’. Smartphones and feature phones may be thought of as handheld computers integrated within a mobile telephone

Now the question what ‘smart phone feature’ does it have ? Can a ‘smart phone’ IVR like services ? Smart phone features of IVR like voice mail, answering machine or any other smart call features which presently handled by switch or PBX ? When it can not do any of these smart things expected out of a ‘phone call’, why do are they called ‘smart phones’ ?

IVR Functionality in Smart Phones

May be, the time has come when Mobile Phones will have built-in IVR capability in it or some smart guy will create an App down-loadable from IPhone store, which will have start voice mail function when the phone is in silence mode or when a person is in a meeting, in a conference or busy, without having to pay the phone company for using these services! After all, the so called phone is almost hand-held computing devices running highly technical sounding operating systems like Android, Windows Mobile, IPhone OS4, Linux etc.!

And that may explain the sudden visits to this IVR Blog by people searching “Embedded System for IVR Software of Mobile“, an interesting phrase, in Google. And most probably, some people may have already started working on developing IVR capabilities in mobile phones!

Think about the dual SIM ( Subscriber Identification Module), which could have have call patching or call bridging feature and do many more thing itself without having to use conference facility provided by telephone company! A truly smart feature in a mobile phone, right ?

One should not be surprised if next generation Smart Phones will come with IVR feature among others!

Implementing traditional voice mail using analog CTI boards is quite tricky. If the switch of EPABX does not support certain features, than it is almost impossible to implement traditional voice mail system with traditional operation. The major issue is finding out information of caller ID.

In a traditional voice mail system as I explained in the previous post, Voice Mail System and Answering Machine, it becomes difficult to provide two caller ID to the voice mail system. For example, C is the extension line to which voice mail system connected. Now if A calls B, B does not pick up so needs to transfer the call to C. So now C needs both caller ID, A and B, in order to store voice mails of B from A.

Voice Mail System using analog CTI board:

Voice mail systems are built in with EPABX or telephone exchanges. One can build a Voice Mail System using a simple 4-port analog CTI board and a PC. To build voice mail system, one will need the following hardware:-
1. A PC with one PCI slot free to install the analog CTI board.
2. Operating System to be installed on the PC as per driver availability for the CTI board. I think, only Dialogic provides driver for multiple or all operating systems for its CTI boards.
3. A database. Microsoft Access is a good option for Windows based PC and smaller voice mail systems. For large voice mail systems, either MS SQL or Oracle is recommended.
4. One 4 port CTI board
5. Four telephone lines of extension lines of EPABX
5. VMS software
VMS software is nothing but an IVR application which will record voice with caller ID and time stamp. And it will also playback the recorded voice messages as per owner or recipient of the voice mail messages over telephone. The recipient of the voice mail can also manage his messages like delete, purge etc.

Now, how to solve the the caller ID problem ?
The simplest way is to program the EPABX such a way that, when B ( as per above scenario) dos not reply, call A should be forwarded to C with caller ID of both A and B clubbed together with # as separator between the two! But, does the EPABX support this kind of intelligent programming ? If it does not, than most probably, you can not implement a voice mail system using analog card. You will have to use a digital CTI board where you will get these information easily. SS7 is the best as you get maximum information about the call.

There are few work around. For example :-

1. To ask the caller enter his number using DTMF. It may be little difficult for the caller and time consuming, but it is good option.

2. Map every voice mail account to every port of the analog CTI board. For example, port 1 of the CTI board will record messages only for B as in example above. This will requre some programming in the EPABX, but this is workable solution. The only problem will be future increase of number of users! But if number of voice mail users is large, one should never opt for analog CTI board!

Actually, implementing voice mail system using CTI board and IVR software has many advantages over built in VMS in the EPABX. For example :-

1. Customisation
Customization of voice mail system become much easier. New prompts, call flow of voice mail can be changed, upgraded much easier and quicker.

2. Many enhancements and features
Many enhancements and features could be added to voice mail system. For example, as soon as a voice mail is received for particular VMS user, SMS alert can be sent to him. Email alert along with the voice message itself could be sent to him immediately. In fact, it can be integrated with outbound IVR System which will dial out to the voice mail user, play the mail, give options to reply! This kind of simple application was marketed in India as voice SMS quite successfully by many mobile operators!

3. Stored voice mail can be hard by local LAN as well as remotely over telephone. Better MIS and usability can be increased.

So, voice mail system with CTI board and smart IVR application can add many enhancements, killer features to any voice mail system. UMS ( Unified messaging system) is an example of such application.

What is a Voice Mail System (VMS) and a Answering Machine ?

Voice mail system can be thought as a message box for phone user to store voice messages and retrieve it through telephone. User can divert all his calls to his voice mail system when he wishes so.
Main difference between answer machine and voice mail system is that voice mail system is a centralized system where voice mail boxes are managed for many users, while answering machine is an independent individual system connected to a telephone line. Many telephone instrument comes with built-in answering machine.

Typicl picture of Answering Machine

Answering machine is usually suitable for home use for single line, while voice mail system is more suitable for office use where there are multiple telephone connections as well as extensions through EPABX.

A typical voice mail system operation:
A traditional voice mail system operates in the following way :
1. A dials B.
2. B is unable to attend the call. So call from A gets diverted to voice mail box of B.
3. Caller A hears a greetings from B welcoming him to mailbox of B and asks A to leave/record his voice message after a beep.
4. Once caller A speaks to record his voice message for B, he gets option to hear what he has recorded or hang up.
5. Next time whenever B lifts his phone, he gets to hear a message that he has an unheard voice message that can be heard by pressing some key.
6. If B is out of town, B can dial his voice mail box number ( a predefined number connected to voice mail system) to check if new voice mail has arrived. Then he can browse through his voice mails, listens them, delete them.

A Typical Answering Machine Operation:
1. A dials B.
2. After certain number of rings ( programmable or configurable), answering machine attached to the telephone of B gets activated and answers the call of A.
3. Answering machine greets A and asks to leave a message for B after beep.
4. A records his message and hangs up.
5. B can see a alert text message on his answering machine that a message is stored.
6. B presses a key on the answering machine and listens to it, can delete.

Normally, voice mail system is like an IVR system, invisible to the real user and resides somewhere else, normally at Telecom operator office. While answering machine is a small device attached to the telephone line lying nearby to the telephone instrument or inbuilt into the telephone instrument itself.

Many voice mail systems offer option to reply the voice mail sender through voice again, which is not possible in answering machine! Answering machine is being replaced by voice mail system as voice mail systems offer more features, accessibility.

Recently voice mail systems has developed into a powerful unified messaging solutions integrated with many other communication media line Email, SMS, FAX etc. thanks to smart implementation of IVR systems. I will be updating about it more in my next post about building smart voice mail system using a low cost 4 port analog CTI board.

Recently, I commissioned a IVR Software in a call center in India. I have gone through a good learning process about not only Call Center, but also how IVR can be used smartly to serve customers better, solve customer problems at shortest possible time as well as minimizing call agent intervention!

My client is a ISP (Internet Service Provider) as well as Cable TV operator. They have large subscriber base with almost 10000 calls to the call center a day with calls ranging from customer complaint, inquiry for cable TV connection, internet connection. They had existing CRM software and they were trying to augment their call center with smart IVR Software which could integrate with existing CRM software for lodging complaint and generate complaint ticket, retrieving existing complaint status as well as retrieving officer in charge for rectifying the complaint and expected arrival time at his premises. The IVR was also expected to make outbound calls as soon as a complaint is rectified and customer had option to close if the complaint is resolved successfully or re-lodge the complaint if not resolved to his satisfaction.

One more part was to send an SMS informing the complaint has been rectified if customer has a mobile number stored in its customer record. Also SMS intimation along with complaint ticket number generated by IVR system as soon as call is disconnected from IVRS.

We used Dialogic D300 boards and ISDN protocol. The total Call Center Software consisted of IVR, Voice Logger, ACD ( Automatic Call Distribution), IVR Triggered Agent Screen Capture Module, SMS (Short Messaging Service) Module and MIS ( Management Information System).

So, using this smart IVR Application, a customer could do the following without having to talk to call agent :-

1. Lodge a complaint, get a complaint ticket as his service like internet or cable TV. Complaint ticket is read out to him through IVR instantly as well as expected rectification time.
2. He gets an SMS alert as soon as complaint has been lodged which he can use for checking complaint status in future.
3. While checking complaint status, he could escalate his complaint if he was not satisfied with the status.
4. He could lodge an inquiry about new connection with inquiry number.

So mainly, with this smart IVR with integration with existing CRM, a caller could get a complaint rectified without having to talk to any call agent. This has increased efficiency of call agents as well as improved rectification time for any complaints.

Though I have previously written about tools for developing IVR software as well as standardised VoiceXML based IVR Software, I was always thinking about writing rapid application development tools for developing simple to complex and large IVR software available in the market presently.

What is Rapid Application Development Tools for IVR Software ?
These are the tools like a Microsoft Visual Studio used for rapidly developing IVR Software as per IVR call flow. While Microsoft Visual Studio is very vast and supports many kind of applications, RAD for IVR Software deals only with IVR Software or IVR kind of voice application. For example, Auto Dialer, Voice Mail, Auto Attendant etc.
Normally they have beautiful GUI ( Graphics User Interface) for implementing IVR Call flow with graphical tools for controlling CTI board related and Voice Related functions. They provide visual tools implementing IVR Call Flow with minimum requirement of actual coding.
They use their own scripting for IVR Application with own syntax or syntax of standard computer programming language like basic, C. Some even provide controls (pre-compiled executable API code for specific function, can be used as it is) to be used standard Software Development Environment like .NET, Visual Basic etc.

I think there is a scope for comparing three ways to develop IVR Software or any Voice Applications as a whole. The three ways to develop IVR Software are:
1. Legacy IVR Software using native API of CTI boards using C++
2. Using open standard VoiceXML
3. Using Rapid Application Development Tools like VBVoice

In my last post about about Legacy IVRS and VoiceXML IVRS, I tried to compare pros and cons between first two in the above list. Here I would like to mention few benefits of using RAD tools for developing IVR Software.

1. One can rapidly develop IVR Software as the name suggests. The developer does not have to worry about CTI Board related functions as they are already built-in the RAD tools, tried and tested with many CTI Boards.
2. Short learning curve for developing IVR Software. As RAD tools use very simple, easy human kind of language as well as visual tools, it becomes very easy for anyone to develop IVR Software quickly.
3. Support Multiple CTI Boards. This may be one of the major advantages for using RAD tools. As RAD tools provide support for CTI boards from multiple vendors, the developer need not re-develop his IVR Application from scratch while changing CTI Cards.
4. Development Support. RAD Tools providers good support in developing the IVR Software and it comes handy as C++ developer may get stuck somewhere and nowhere to turn for help, but himself.
5. The IVR and other voice applications are getting more and more complex day by day. So, RAD tools gives an IVR Developers option to concentrate more on the call flow and IVR usability aspects than spending time on CTI board interfacing.

As I belong to old school of development, I always advocate use of good old C++ for writing stable, robust and working round the clock software. And I feel RAD Tools may not be suitable for large, complex and enterprise IVR or Voice Applications.

But recently I had tested one RAD tool for developing IVR Application, namely VBVoice 5.6.1 from PRONEXUS INC. I hope to write about this and comparing it with other RAD tools in near future.

VoiceXML is the open standard markup language for all kind of voice applications. Does it include IVR ? Yes, it does. VoiceXML is the modern and latest way of writing IVR Software, develop voice portals and much more!

“VoiceXML 1.0 was published by the VoiceXML Forum, a consortium of over 500 companies, in March 2000. The Forum then gave control of the standard to the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), and now concentrates on conformance, education, and marketing. The W3C has just published VoiceXML 2.0 as a Candidate Recommendation. Products based on VoiceXML 2.0 are already widely available.” Source

How does one use voiceXML ?
VoiceXML is used the same way as HTML is used! So, voiceXML is the HTML of voice web! And even its architecture is same as that of HTML. And it is used for voice portal as in web portal!
1. It has a voice browser
2. It has a interpreter
3. And finally it has hardware implementation

Advantages of voiceXML
1. it is open source
2. It is telephony hardware independent
3. It can run along with web applications
4. Faster development of voice applications
5. There are now RAD ( Rapid Application Development) tools available for VoiceXML based IVR system development.

Disadvantages of voiceXML
1. Many sophisticated Telecom Protocol specific information like DNI etc information may not be available.
2. Many voice playback options are not available yet.
3. VoiceXML may not be suitable for large and complicated IVR system.

While I am still studying about voiceXML, I would update the post in future soon.