Nimblevox Keeps Up With IVR Evolution
September 25, 2012
By Rachel Ramsey, TMCnet Web Editor
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems are computer-based systems allowing callers to use their phone keypad or voice commands to retrieve and/or provide information without assistance from trained specialists. It’s an entry point for incoming telephone calls and directs callers to appropriate resources to answer calls in the most efficient manner. It can enhance a contact center’s performance by increasing operating efficiency, improving the customer experience, lowering overall operating costs, extending service hours and polling and collecting customer survey and performance data.
But IVR systems haven’t always been where they are today. Over the years, various IVR companies have worked to make IVR applications easier to develop and own over the years. We can still be greeted by an IVR system, but instead of offering us one function – to connect to a line; the systems in use today can take us on a whole new journey.
When the ‘90s emerged, the development of proprietary mark-up languages took hold. These languages were often used in the IVR system and were based on XML. To create a standard, AT&T, IBM, Lucent and Motorola (News - Alert) founded the VoiceXML Forum in early 1999. This group of experts worked together to draft the specification of language according to the best features of their individual efforts.
With the development of the IVR system, the innovation of the voice browser model emerged. As the voice browser grew, the VoiceXML (News - Alert) acted as the analog of the HTTP and specifies the dialog with the user. The convergence of the traditional POTS telephone with the Web browser is advancing the capabilities of the IVR system as it enables Web developers to create applications that can be accessed through any telephone, allowing people to interact with the applications through speech and telephone keypads.
An article in IVRSWORLD lists five major ways the technology has evolved over the years -- writing C++ with using API available with CTI (News - Alert) hardware, IVR ToolKits, drag and drop visual tools, Web standards and cloud IVR.
Interact Incorporated, a provider of IVR solutions, has kept up with the times and created a cloud-based IVR system that includes an easy-to-use, Web-based, drag and drop service creation tool to create IVR applications. Nimblevox allows users to create, deploy and host your own voice solution, working with hosted IVR, SMS and APIs.
With Nimblevox, users have a convenient, natural sounding speech solution that allows them to leverage APIs and use Web development language to quickly integrate voice into a website and existing IT systems.
To learn more about Nimblevox, visit www.nimblevox.com.
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Edited by Allison Boccamazzo