As tech-savvy users demand access to more personalised voice, video, data and entertainment services, service providers must examine the capabilities they offer. For these companies, the ability to differentiate their services is key to retaining current customers and attracting new ones.
Many companies are looking to expand their capabilities to include all forms of video and interactive experiences, including multimedia, mobile advertising and video messaging. While traditional interactive voice response, or IVR, systems have worked well in the past, these systems are quickly becoming antiquated, and some cannot support more advanced IVR applications.
In response, savvy companies are moving to more flexible Web services models that use open standards such as Voice Extensible Markup Language, or VoiceXML. Recognised as a next-generation IVR platform standard, VoiceXML offers greater flexibility, improved development capabilities, investment protection and lower total cost of ownership.
The shift to next-generation IVR platforms
According to a report issued by Datamonitor, a leading provider of online database and analysis services, over the past few years there has been a significant shift in investments in IVR. Traditional IVR platform licenses are expected to decrease from 402,000 in 2005 to 288,000 by 2010, while VoiceXML licenses are expected to triple over the same timeframe.(1)
In its report, Datamonitor highlights the key factors that are driving this shift:
- Many traditional IVR systems are reaching end of life, creating greater opportunities for companies to migrate to VoiceXML now rather than later.
- Companies are looking to consolidate multiple legacy IVR systems to enhance performance, simplify their infrastructure management and reduce costs.
- By using an open standard like VoiceXML, companies gain an opportunity for investment protection and vendor independence.
- Moving from a proprietary to an open platform helps companies reduce the need for their developers to have specialised skills.
- Companies can reduce operational costs by centralising their IT investments around an IP infrastructure.
Reducing total cost of ownership
While companies may recognise the benefits of migrating to a VoiceXML platform, many are hesitant to make the move. This is because, in large part, they have invested heavily in their current systems and do not want to spend additional money, time and manpower implementing new platforms. Yet recent research shows that VoiceXML systems offer significant TCO over more traditional IVR systems.
For example, according to Datamonitor:
- Hardware costs are reduced because VoiceXML platforms use off-the-shelf servers rather than proprietary hardware.
- The time and money required to install, integrate, maintain and support a VoiceXML system is often lower because it is a Web-based open standard.
- Licensing costs are lower because VoiceXML ports can cost 10 percent less than traditional IVR port licenses.
- The development and modification of applications is lowered because professional services through third-party vendors or highly skilled development resources are no longer needed.
In analysing the five-year TCO of traditional IVR and VoiceXML systems, Datamonitor looked at both the capital expenditure and operational expenditure of both types of solutions. They found that, on average, carriers across all the global regions could expect to save more than 40 percent in costs with a VoiceXML system as opposed to traditional IVR systems.(1)
Gaining the benefits of VoiceXML
To gain the full benefits of a VoiceXML solution, companies must develop a consolidation strategy that lets them merge multiple IVR systems onto a single, unified platform. Through this type of solution, organisations can reduce overall expenses, simplify and increase agility, evolve solutions cost-effectively over time, and reduce the risk of business disruptions.
The HP OpenCall IVR consolidation solution helps companies reach all of these goals. It can reduce CAPEX/OPEX and TCO by 30 percent to 70 percent (2), while enabling new, innovative multimedia services delivery.
This solution offers a complete set of integrated tools that eliminate the hassle and excessive cost of managing and supporting an IVR system. Based on the HP OpenCall Media Platform, an open software-based solution for supporting multiple applications, the HP OpenCall IVR consolidation solution uses standard interfaces and application enablers to help speed the development of new services and simplify management. The HP OpenCall Media Platform supports a wide range of mobile phone services such as prepaid, ring tones, voice messaging and voice portal services. It has recently been augmented to include Media Resource Function and video capabilities that enable it to support IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)-based services.
In addition, HP Services personnel around the globe have the experience, expertise and knowledge to help develop, deploy, integrate and support an IVR solution. Also, the HP OpenCall Experience Centers provide an opportunity for companies to test a variety of deployment-ready, revenue-generating services and applications from HP partners.
Distance yourself from the pack
Businesses that want to differentiate themselves from the competition must find innovative, cost-effective, ways to deliver advanced services. By deploying an open standards-based IVR platform, companies can consolidate disparate legacy systems, streamline resources and lower the cost of doing business. An HP OpenCall IVR consolidation solution enables businesses to migrate to a VoiceXML platform that can deliver value now and well into the future.
Related Links
» HP OpenCall IVR consolidation solution
» HP OpenCall Media Platform
» HP OpenCall Interactive Voice Response solution brief
» Interactive Voice Response consolidation strategies white paper
» MobileOne customer success story
» Datamonitor: Slashing the TCO for IVR
(1) “Slashing the TCO for IVR,” Daniel Hong and Mona Sultan, Datamonitor, October 2007
(2) Cost savings is derived using the Erlang calculation, a standard formula for calculating call centre and voice platform capacity. For example, merging three platforms of 1,200 ports each and assuming a peak of 36,000 2 minute calls during the busy hour and a one percent blocking rate results in a reduced requirement of 2,333 ports (71,000 2 minute calls during the busy hour and one percent blocking rate) equating to a 35 percent cost savings. |
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