Voice applications will typically fall into one of the following categories:
In this scenario, a customer calls into a system to retrieve information from a Web-based infrastructure.
The system guides the customer through a series of menus and forms by playing instructions, prompts, and menu choices using prerecorded audio files or synthesized speech.
The customer uses spoken commands or DTMF input to make menu selections and fill in form fields.
Based on the customer's input, the system locates the appropriate records in a back-end enterprise database. The system presents the desired information to the customer, either by playing back prerecorded audio files or by synthesizing speech based on the data retrieved from the database.
Examples of this type of self-service interaction include applications or voice portals providing weather reports, movie listings, stock quotes, health-care-provider listings, and customer service information (Web call centers).
In this scenario, a customer calls into a system to execute specific transactions with a Web-based back-end database.
The system guides the customer to provide the data required for the transaction by playing instructions, prompts, and menu choices using prerecorded audio files or synthesized speech. The customer responds using spoken commands or DTMF input.
Based on the customer's input, the system conducts the transaction and updates the appropriate records in a back-end enterprise database. Typically the system also reports back to the customer, either by playing prerecorded audio files or by synthesizing speech based on the information in the database records.
Examples of this type of self-service interaction include applications or voice portals for employee benefits, employee timecard submission, financial transactions, travel reservations, calendar appointments, electronic relationship management (eRM), sales automation, and order management.