Background

Overview | Definitions (CTI | IVR) | Telephone survey

Combining the power of a computer to manage a telephone system, enabling answer phone capability with voice mail through to allowing a caller to manipulate the company database, is becoming more and more common.

Examples include;

If a line is engaged an "electronic" voice will ask if you wish to leave a message.
If you wish to transfer money from one account to another via a telephone
If you wish to inquire about flight arrivals and departures.

Definitions

CTI - Computer Telephony Integration

[CTI diagram]

A computer controls the telephone system.

IVR - Interactive Voice Response

[IVR diagram]

A computer controls both the telephone system and computer system.
A computer based voice guides a caller through a series of choices that empowers the caller to make a query from an on-line database
"The automation of "routine" functions utilising specialised software to allow the caller to directly interact with the computer systems".

Telephone survey

AT & T Telephony Survey Conclusions

75% of all calls do not reach the called party and written messages are often inaccurate
65% of all calls don't need to be simultaneous
50% of all Voice Mail traffic in internal
72% of all calls are less important than the work they interrupt

IT - voice technology

Background

Overview

Voice technologies

Definitions

Telephone survey