Version 2 of Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 was introduced in Amsterdam earlier in October. Halfway around the world, in Boulder, CO, Gold Systems is already living Microsoft’s dream of moving all its voice traffic into the IP “cloud” while enabling all employees to take advantage of VoIP- and SIP-based routing tricks.
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SpeechTEK Showcases Growth for Speech Applications and Markets
Amid nearly universal bad news surrounding gas prices, stock prices, real-estate prices, etc., speech processing technologies and associated applications and software are in growth mode. SpeechTEK 2008 served as an ideal venue to take stock in the factors driving growth as speech technologies better integrate with IT components and move closer to the critical path of competitive businesses. Companies highlighted in the advisory include: Genesys, Voxeo, Nexidia, IBM, Syntellect, and Nuance.
iPhone 3G Inspires Voice Application Demos
Application developers are packing the iPhone App Store with a wide variety of crowd pleasers and time-wasters that take advantage of the flat screen, multi-touch navigation and gravitometer. Automated speech processing is just beginning to enter the mix, but has a good deal of catching up to do.
Customer Care On Demand: Speeding Deployment Cycles While Reducing Risk
Enterprises of all sizes use third-party outsourcers to support their customer care efforts in the most cost-effective ways possible. In the wake of downsizing or “right-sizing” in the IT department, many lack the resources to support self-service applications over the phone. In this document, we look at the strategies and tactics followed by hosted service to accelerate the time it takes to deploy new services while reducing the technological risk of making the transition to IP-based networks and new delivery platforms.
Acquiring Intervoice: A Bright Move by Convergys
Cementing leadership status in “relationship management,” Convergys pays a small premium for IVR and voice self-service specialist Intervoice. It makes sense because it gives Convergys first dibs on selling new services and back-end integration to Intervoice’s installed base. Consolidation will continue as “on-demand” solution providers broaden their offerings to meet immediate business needs.
Voice Signatures Finding Favor For Mobile Payment Authorization
Mass acceptance of Voice Signatures as valid proof of identity for mobile commerce is on the horizon. It reflects successful integration of biometric engines with pre-existing, established standards for authentication and non-repudiation in the context of mobile payments leveraging lessons learned and standards in place for card processing.
Contextual Communications for the Mobile Masses
The concept of unified communications (UC) is so overused it crowds out expansive thinking about the services that enterprises and wireless subscribers will use every day. The real deal is more accurately called “contextual communications,” and refers to intelligent handling and support of communications, interactions and transactions in the most appropriate manner based on analysis of each caller’s situation, including support of voice, text, graphics, video in real-time or asynchronously.
Voice Biometrics 2008: Meeting Implementation Challenges
Sales of voice biometric-based solutions took a trajectory that was bound to disappoint in 2007. While there continue to be solid sales of enterprise solutions (primarily password reset) across multiple verticals and business sizes, the breakthrough to mass market, customer-facing solutions has been elusive. In the coming years, stepped up security requirements, coupled with the growth of mobile data access and commerce, will propel demand for voice-based authentication solutions and services. Thus far the speed of adoption has been slowed by confusion over technical approaches and concerns about competition or compatibility with existing infrastructure and protocols.
Making a Meaningful Metaphor: The Intelligent Customer Front Door
Genesys Labs is enlisting a multiplicity of partners into its intelligent Customer Front Door™ program. The iCFD is more than a metaphor because it calls for the integration of hardware, software and professional services that amount to big business for solutions providers across the boards.
Putting Microsoft and Aspect’s Venture in Context
The rebranding of Aspect’s core product line (as UC for the Contact Center) along with an investment from Microsoft invites skepticism. IP-based contact centers are multi-vendor domains. Microsoft expects its prospects to toss out old gear to move to an Aspect-based solution, it is bound to be disappointed.