Some long-time specialists in voice applications, voice self-service and interactive voice response (IVR) have launched a new Web-based service called VUI Cloud. A “VUI”, as most of our readers know, is a “voice user interface.” A VUI is initially the product of blending speech-processing, call-processing and business logic to support efficient conversational interactions and a pleasing user experience. Successful VUIs rely on constant monitoring, testing and tuning to bring those implementations in line with time-tested, proven norms.

VUI Cloud (as the name implies) has brought a cloud-based or “on demand” engagement model into a domain that has historically been nearly 100% professional services. The home page features a “Try For Free” button which provides a way for visitors to gain access to the company’s White Papers and an ROI calculator for addressing the value of improving speech-based customer care.

But the real innovation between VUI Cloud is the use of a “Web API” as the connection to a cloud based resource that can monitor an existing IVR implementation in order to prescribe specific improvements based on analytics of “interaction points”, according to is database of successful implementations.

Of course there’s a human side to the VUI Cloud. The people behind VUI Cloud include Bruce Balentine and David Attwater, speech scientists from EIG; usability expert, Susan Hura; and Deborah Dahl, who has been very active in the W3C’s efforts to build standards around both voice and multimodal user interfaces. The CEO of VUI Cloud is Daniel O’Sullivan, an ex-Bell Labs speech scientist, who also founded Interactive Digital, which applies “Adaptive Technology” for use in self-service telephone calls.

We see VUI Cloud and its “Optimization as a Service” as a test-case for enterprise acceptance of a growing list of “cloud based” offers. By clicking-through a number of the “Performance Based Pricing” links, you find that VUI Cloud offers do-it-yourselfers a free “Developers License”. However, enterprise customers can expect to pay $4,500 for an initial evaluation, that includes four days of monitoring an existing IVR system in order to generate a detailed “Caller Behavior Analysis” report. After this initial engagement, VUI Cloud’s experts are available at a $1,200 day rate.

Categories: Articles

Tags: Cloud-based telephony, IVR, multimodal customer care