Materials Software Systems Inc (MSSI). Enabling Speech on Touch Tone IVR White Paper

Materials Software Systems Inc (MSSI). Enabling Speech on Touch Tone IVR White Paper

Reliable Customer Service and Automation is the key for Success in Hosted Interactive Voice Response Speech Enabled Solution MSSI powers an Interactive Voice Response (IVR), a speech enabled solution that enables small and mid-sized businesses to automate the process of connecting your customers by using voice prompts with enterprise resources and IT infrastructures. In an increasingly competitive business environment businesses are seeking for robust solution which can distinguish them from the rest by providing excellent customer service, innovative solutions and real time data gathering, billing and information retrieval solution that builds organizations margins and revenue along with customer satisfaction. A major factor for the success behind speech enabled system is a well designed IVR system which requires compatible applications with speech recognition capabilities. These ground-breaking applications place new demands on the data platform on which they are developed. To meet the needs of this changing application landscape, provides easy-to-manage IVR solutions that improves the quality of service a fully-integrated real-time solution and applications well suited for all platforms offering solutions to allow organizations to use single, open-standards based architecture throughout the enterprise to manage multiple channels of interaction and points of customer contact. This white paper outlines the current business and consumer environment and the key factors that influence this new generation of consumers to advanced speech enabled IVR solutions. It describes how s expertise could bring in efficiency with speech enabled IVR solutions and putting an end to the shortcomings faced by traditional IVR. Materials Software System, 11513 Allecingie Parkway, Richmond, VA-23235

Business Environment and Customer Challenges Evolving business and consumer needs are placing new demands on the next generation of applications. The technology has evolved from Dial Tone Multi Frequency (DTMF) to Automated Speech Recognition (ASR). Businesses have taken a long time to understand and accept the upcoming technology because of the traditional IVR shortcomings. The long strive in recent years has accentuated the importance of the customer experience and its association with accurate automation. Until now, traditional touch-tone IVR systems were used to automate various customerfacing services. But the businesses have realized that they were keeping apart customer service at the cost of automation. Initially, traditional IVR gave a few reasons to choose services by saving money and reducing the live operator costs. But the other side of the coin displays shortcoming of traditional IVR - unsatisfactory customer service, complex menu structuring, callers are limited to enter information from their telephone keypad, difficult caller navigation and managing the proprietary code to build the system. Businesses are now adopting advanced solutions - IVR speech enabled solutions. As businesses realize the need for change, IVR Speech enabled solutions provide rapidness of automation, call handling and boost customer satisfaction that instantaneously provides options for customers to help themselves using voice prompts and maintaining privacy of their information. In addition IVR Speech enabled solutions bring in more operational efficiency, offering businesses more cost effective call management solutions, offering customers privacy and 24X7 services. IVR can help businesses manage peak call volumes, opening doors to rich applications, such as directory assistance, address recognition, most sophisticated natural language speak freely recognition, alphanumeric input recognition. While comparing these two technologies - traditional touch-tone vs. IVR speech enabled with below mentioned classic example illustrates the experience of a customer which is as follows: With Traditional Touch-Tone: Press 1 to schedule a pick-up, 2 to track a package, 3 to find office location 2 Enter the tracking number 67108900 Enter the month and date, (using numbers) you delivered it 6 and 24 OR With IVR Natural Speech Enabled Solution How may I help you?

I want to track a package Speech enabled solutions resolves unwanted nuisance eventually, allowing callers to access information with shorter call times, easy navigation and by eliminating hold time. 80% of callers encounter a touch-tone menu system that will quit or elect to transfer to the operator. Some of the IVR application possibilities are as follows: Accessing Business Information Operator assisted Front-Desk call routing Automated Telephone ordering services Support Desks Order Tracking Airline Arrival and Departure Information Cinema & Theatre Booking Services Home Banking Services Accessing Public Information Sports Score and Information Community Related Information example traffic conditions, school closure, directions, local events, National & International Public Stock Market Business and E-Commerce Transaction Directory Assistance Headline News Accessing Personal Information Voice Mails Email Access and Playback Personal Horoscope Calendars, address and telephone Lists To-Do Shopping Lists and Calorie Counter Meanwhile, information technology (IT) departments that develop and deploy these lineof-businesses (LOB) applications in their businesses continue to grapple with the challenge of providing services that are secure and reliable in spite of constantly falling budgets, we at MSSI, have a proven track record of developing these application benefiting our customers. Our IT departments continue to look for ways to develop new applications rapidly by leveraging existing skills and tools and to find ways to easily deploy and manage end-user applications, which helps to keep costs down. At MSSI we understand the factors that greatly enhance the experience of a customer and provide expertise in user interface, dialogue design, accuracy, and a host of other areas where most corporate IT and Telecom departments have little or no experience.

We provide services in the following domains: IVR VoiceXML CTI Solution Multimodel Solution Personalization on IVR Dilemma An effective technology solution requires technical expertise, strong software/ hardware architecture, domain knowledge, and a large pool of resources. Developing a technology solution is complex, particularly for the majority of small to mid-size businesses who fall short in IT capabilities and resources. Generally, it is too costly for all but the largest organizations to develop and maintain a system designed from scratch, bringing new infrastructure capabilities while driving the organization s ongoing system needs. The pure onshore development model is expensive and time consuming, and small to mid-size lenders rarely have the expertise or business connections to take full advantage of off-shoring capabilities. IVR Solutions As companies strive to explore more opportunities that revolve around advanced technology and efficient solutions for better revenue, exploring possibilities that present great potential to improve communication between your customer and the data, at a lower cost. Therefore, alignment with a reliable technology partner with a proven capability is strongly recommended. MSSI, helps small and mid-size businesses propose the right offer to the right customer, at the right time with a best-of-breed technology tailored to the client s unique business model. We at MSSI recommend the following steps while creating new or replacing traditional IVRs with Speech enabled system: Electing the best possible Speech and TTS Engines: Speech Engine Selection: The factors that drive to choose the speech engine are quality of recognition, grammar recognition factors such as OOG (Out of Grammar), IG (In grammar) rules, support of MRCP (Media Resource Control Protocol), Language supported, OA&M (Operations, Administration & Management), cost of hardware/software license

TTS Engine: The factors that help decide TTS engine are multi lingual support, multi accent, gender support, prosody rating, OA&M (Operations, Administration & Management), MRCP support, integration easy with the voice browser configuration, cost of hardware/software License. Improving the existing application by redesigning with better design patterns: by considering caller behavior and replacing complex menus with easy to navigate user-friendly prompt vocabulary. Emphasis on keywords, offer directed dialogue, use natural language inputs in open-ended context dialogs, modularity. Design better prompts, grammars and dialogues: by keeping the audio files as small as possible, Tuning ASR engines if needed, providing combinational DTMF and speech recognition prompts. Efficient error/event handling: Keeping in mind TTS (Text-to-Speech) and ASR related issues. Tuning and Analysis: by analyzing system performance based on system logs and recorded utterances and then applying the best design practice to achieve the most satisfying caller experience. Reporting & Metrics: Maintaining real-time report, based on the report build charts showing pre and post access comparison. Employing easy-to-use IVR applications, MSSI s solutions which help to: Reduce Cost In most cases, the operating costs of a speech recognition system are about 10% of a comparable human-powered call center and half to 1/3 the cost of touch-tone systems. No operator training is required. Speech recognition powered call centers are available 24X7 and automatically expand and contract to handle peak loads and off-hours. Shorter call times mean lower long distance charges. With some hosting services, one would pay only for actual customer connect time, not for surplus port capacity. Rapid development. Improves Customer Experience Never busy, never on "hold", even during peak hours. Speech recognition applications are far more popular with callers than DTMF ("touch tone") menu systems. 80% of callers encountering a touch-tone menu system will quit or elect to transfer to the operator. With speech recognition that can drop to 20% or below. Easier site navigation. No forced numerical menus, the customer just asks for the product or service they need.

Shorter call times. The easy navigation and elimination of hold time makes the average call shorter than with either a human operator or a DTMF system. Ultra fast service for experienced users. Well-designed "natural language" systems allow experienced users to move very quickly through to their desired service or product. Help is always available. Properly designed applications allow the user to ask for help or even ask specific questions - and get a fast, useful answer. The user is never rushed and they are welcome to ask for questions or information to be repeated as often as needed. Employing easy-to-use IVR Speech Enabled and secured applications Faster results and increased productivity We develop custom designed solution Custom Expertise VoiceXML CTI (Computer Telephoney Interface) WC3 Speech Interface Speech Synthesis Speech Recognition DTMF Grammars Speech Grammars Stochastic (N-Gram) Language Models Semantic Interpretation We use trusted and reliable platforms for the solution Voice application integrations System support and maintenance Application support and maintenance Key benefits: Tapping into MSSI s state-of-the-art technology and knowledge of the IVR speech enabled solution, the client will be able to: Improve operational efficiencies by increasing revenues by reducing processing costs and cycles. Eliminate large up-front technology development costs Improve time to market Avoid application re-keying saving time and reducing errors Retain customers through service excellence

MSSI s Engagement model The typical Software product development Lifecycle at MSSI. MSSI has the project delivery know-how and proven methodology to create highly scalable solutions, using best-in-class technology, deployment and processes that allow management to focus on strategic direction and growth rather than individual transaction details. Our offerings are: Technical evaluation Resource augmentation Hybrid onshore-offshore solution delivery Custom solution delivery Technical implementation

Client satisfaction is a must at MSSI, and each client is provided with a Guaranteed Service Level Agreement outlining rigorous performance standards. MSSI helps clients arrive at an IT strategy tailored to their needs through technology evaluation that includes process analysis and mapping. MSSI IVR application service Industry Skills Matrix IVR Industry strategic level expertise IVR domain expertise in application development, testing and roll out IVR Application System Package Implementation Custom Development Provide VUI Design Building speech application using VoiceXML Transform voice user interface into XML CTI Solution expertise Multimodal Solution expertise Personalization with IVR Programming with Java Programming with.net Technologies IVR maintenance and implementation System support (24x7), on-site, telephone, e-mail support Contact Palash Bharadwaj Palash@materialsoft.com 408-834-8833 804-272-0081

Disclaimer The information contained in this document represents the current view of MSSI, on the issues discussed as of the date of publication. Because MSSI, must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of MSSI, and MSSI cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information presented after the date of publication. This White Paper is for informational purposes only. MSSI MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT. Complying with all applicable copyright laws is the responsibility of the user. Without limiting the rights under copyright, no part of this document may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), or for any purpose, without the express written permission of MSSI.