Essentially, New Albany-based business SoftSyl was launched three years ago with the intention of helping other businesses.
The company’s founders, which include graduate-level information technology specialists who have worked in the industry for more than 13 years, had concluded there was a significant need for affordable yet robust Interactive Voice Response systems −automated phone systems that integrate task-orientated procedures− for small and medium-sized companies and call centers.
“Prior to the development of SoftSyl’s platform, an industry compliant VoiceXML based IVR system was financially far out of reach for companies not generating revenue comparable to Fortune 500 companies,” says S. Jalali, vice president of SoftSyl.
Recently, SoftSyl released the AsterUVX VoiceXML platform designed to serve as the “intelligence” behind handling and routing calls, she explains, adding that it allows automation of some or all parts of incoming business-related calls, such as customer service interactions, at a price point about 50 to 75 percent less than other industry compliant options on the market today.
Read on to learn how SoftSyl’s latest product can help users get a leg up on the competition, as well as Jalali’s tips for assessing IVR telephony systems and selecting the right one for your business.
Melanie McIntyre: What can AsterUVX users gain?
S. Jalali: Businesses and call centers could leverage use of AsterUVX to increase efficiency and reduced dependence on agents in order to decrease operational costs and increase productivity. This would help them gain a competitive advantage over their market competitors and increase their customer base.
MM: SoftSyl includes any necessary engineering services in its solution packages, correct?
SJ: SoftSyl’s all-in-one solutions offer clients a one-stop-shop for the entire process of designing, developing, and deploying an IVR system. We have an in-house engineering team that takes clients through the entire software development life cycle to figure out exactly what features the client wants and needs.
With these desires in mind, our team then draws on their talents to design and develop the system from scratch. When this process is complete, we take full responsibility for deployment of the system and tackle any necessary maintenance issues.
Most clients choose an all-in-one hosted solution. However, we do cater to clients who have existing infrastructures that need to be updated rather than fully redesigned. For those customers, the application development may not be necessary.
Bottom line, SoftSyl can do it all and prevent the customer from becoming dependent on multiple vendors that often play the blame game when issues arise. At SoftSyl, we are confident enough in our products to take full responsibility for ensuring each IVR deployment runs flawlessly.
MM: What should companies look for when evaluating IVR systems?
JS: To protect their investment for the long term, it is most critical that companies make sure they implement a system that is both scalable and portable. One of the biggest things that must be evaluated is whether or not the system would be industry compliant and whether or not it would be developed using VoiceXML language.
We often see businesses and call centers looking to upgrade their out-dated systems with a system from a new provider and they basically have to start from scratch, losing their prior investment dollars. This is because their previous provider developed the IVR system using their own non-standard language, meaning that the system could not be ported to any other company. This tactic is essentially used to lock the customer in for the life of their IVR system. These systems are expensive and companies obviously would like to have some control over the life of their investment.
MM: What are some of the biggest mistakes companies make when choosing or implementing a new IVR system?
JS: One of the biggest mistakes is that companies often fail to look ahead and anticipate their future needs. They may not consider the need to scale their IVR system one day in order to meet the demands of their growing business. Thus they may choose an IVR system that is limited in its capacity and features to handle ever-growing corporate needs. This could be a major mistake that could end up costing the company hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not requiring that their IVR system be rebuilt from ground up.
To learn more about SoftSyl, visit SoftSyl.com.
