Cisco Cisco Unified Customer Voice Portal 11.0(1) User Guide
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NTRODUCTION
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User Guide
While the limitations of a traditional IVR pose considerable challenges for many organizations,
some smart businesses have found a solution by implementing the flexible and powerful new
standard in IVR technology: VoiceXML.
some smart businesses have found a solution by implementing the flexible and powerful new
standard in IVR technology: VoiceXML.
VoiceXML: Simplifying IVR Development
VoiceXML is a programming language that was created to simplify the development of IVR
systems and other voice applications. Based on the Worldwide Web Consortium’s (W3C’s)
Extensible Markup Language (XML), VoiceXML was established as a standard in 1999 by the
VoiceXML Forum, an industry organization founded by AT&T, IBM, Lucent and Motorola.
Today, many hundreds of companies support VoiceXML and use it to develop applications.
systems and other voice applications. Based on the Worldwide Web Consortium’s (W3C’s)
Extensible Markup Language (XML), VoiceXML was established as a standard in 1999 by the
VoiceXML Forum, an industry organization founded by AT&T, IBM, Lucent and Motorola.
Today, many hundreds of companies support VoiceXML and use it to develop applications.
By utilizing the same networking infrastructure, HTTP communications, and markup language
programming model, VoiceXML leverages an enterprise’s existing investment in technology as
well as the skills of many of its application developers and administrators. VoiceXML has
features to control audio output, audio input, presentation logic, call flow, telephony connections,
and event handling for errors. It serves as a standard for the development of powerful speech-
driven interactive applications accessible from any phone.
programming model, VoiceXML leverages an enterprise’s existing investment in technology as
well as the skills of many of its application developers and administrators. VoiceXML has
features to control audio output, audio input, presentation logic, call flow, telephony connections,
and event handling for errors. It serves as a standard for the development of powerful speech-
driven interactive applications accessible from any phone.
Key Business Benefits of VoiceXML
A VoiceXML-based IVR provides unparalleled freedom of choice when creating, deploying, and
maintaining automated customer service applications. By capitalizing on the standards-based
nature of VoiceXML, organizations are reaping a number of benefits including:
maintaining automated customer service applications. By capitalizing on the standards-based
nature of VoiceXML, organizations are reaping a number of benefits including:
•
Unparalleled portability
– VoiceXML eliminates the need to purchase a proprietary, special
purpose platform to provide automated customer service. The standards-based nature of
VoiceXML allows IVR applications to run on any VoiceXML platform, eliminating vendor
lock-in. A VoiceXML based IVR offers businesses choice in application providers and
allows movement of applications between platforms with minimal effort.
VoiceXML allows IVR applications to run on any VoiceXML platform, eliminating vendor
lock-in. A VoiceXML based IVR offers businesses choice in application providers and
allows movement of applications between platforms with minimal effort.
•
Flexible application development and deployment
– VoiceXML enables freedom of choice in
IVR application creation and modification. Since it is similar to HTML, development of IVR
applications with VoiceXML is simple, straightforward and does not require specialized
knowledge of proprietary telephony systems. Also, VoiceXML is widely available to the
development community so enterprises can choose between many competing vendors to find
an application that meets their business needs. Increased application choice also means that
businesses are not tied to the timeframe of a single application provider and can modify their
IVR based on their own organizational priorities.
applications with VoiceXML is simple, straightforward and does not require specialized
knowledge of proprietary telephony systems. Also, VoiceXML is widely available to the
development community so enterprises can choose between many competing vendors to find
an application that meets their business needs. Increased application choice also means that
businesses are not tied to the timeframe of a single application provider and can modify their
IVR based on their own organizational priorities.
•
Extensive integration capability
– IVR applications written in VoiceXML can integrate with
and utilize existing business applications and data, extending the capabilities of core business
systems already in use. In fact, a VoiceXML-based IVR can integrate with any enterprise
application that supports standard communication and data access protocols. By leveraging
the capabilities of existing legacy and web systems to deliver better voice services,
systems already in use. In fact, a VoiceXML-based IVR can integrate with any enterprise
application that supports standard communication and data access protocols. By leveraging
the capabilities of existing legacy and web systems to deliver better voice services,
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