Verizon Business is offering its speech services in an IP-enabled version. The new capability allows customers to run their speech services on the company’s Hosted IP Interactive Voice Respective (IVR) platform, as an alternative to its traditional Hosted IVR platform.
According to Verizon, the new speech capabilities on IP IVR are based on technology from Nuance Communications. The new service enables callers to conduct simple self-service inquiries and transactions over the phone, such as check an account balance, find a store location, order literature, update an appointment, or inquire about an insurance claim.
The company claims that its IP IVR service, together with VoIP inbound, enables customers to efficiently manage and route inbound calls, with the flexibility to deliver customer calls to either traditional or IP-based contact centres.
Customers can choose to have Verizon Business host the services, manage them, or provide customer premises equipment. Verizon Business’ support for hybrid solutions allows customers to migrate to IP at their own pace, while leveraging their existing telephony infrastructure, the company said.
Jim Tyrrell, vice president for global business voice solutions at Verizon, said: IP-enabled speech services incorporate three of the top benefits our customers are seeking in a contact centre solution: the use of speech technology to enable self-service; a hosted service to reduce equipment costs; and the ability to migrate to an IP-based platform.
