VoiceObjects and MATERNA Communications form Technology Partnership to Deliver Self-Service Phone Portals with Text User Interfaces
Text to Complement Voice, Video, Touch-Tone and Web Interfaces in Next-Generation Phone Applications
San Mateo (Calif.) / Dortmund (Germany), 2008-02-10
MATERNA Information & Communications, a leading telecommunications software provider, and VoiceObjects, the leading provider of adaptive self-service phone portals, announced today the availability of integrated phone portal solutions that accept text user input and deliver text menu choices and other information over mobile handsets. The solution uses the SS7 data gateway (SDG) from MATERNA Communications, which transmits text via the unstructured supplementary services data (USSD) protocol that is part of the GSM standard, and the award-winning VoiceObjects phone application server, which enables the easy creation and deployment of phone applications that use text, voice, video, touch-tone, and Web user interfaces.
USSD-based text- interfaces for phone applications offer benefits to both customers and service providers. Users enjoy a service channel with very fast response times at no cost, and providers deliver a customer service channel that has minimal impact on network capacity and reduces their customer care costs. Text-based customer service is a fraction of the cost of other customer-service channels: on average, live agent calls cost $5.00 to provide, IVR systems cost $.50 per customer served, and text-driven self-service costs only $.05 per task. To further benefit from this cost structure, organizations have the flexibility to institute customer segmentation strategies, deploying multiple phone channel applications for which the text channel is available to all customers and the live agent channel is available only to elite customers.
USSD gives carriers, mobile phone and call centre operators an add-on solution that offers long-term savings in customer care costs, without sacrificing service quality. The USSD solution is based on a tried-and-tested technology in the GSM network that is available to practically every popular customer device. The application is as easy for customers to operate as popular SMS text-messaging services. USSD-based customer services are characterised in particular by very fast response times and, in most cases, free provision for customers. Additionally, they are suitable as initial service levels for other innovative services like WLAN authentication or call-back services that take care of further sales growth.
“VoiceObjects is an ideal partner for us, and our USSD offering integrates perfectly into the VoiceObjects product portfolio,” said Carsten Welge, product manager, MATERNA. “We’re looking forward to working with them to deliver user-friendly, cost-effective self-service voice portals.”
The VoiceObjects phone application server enables text-driven applications to be personalized for each customer. The system dynamically generates menu choices and other text sent to the customer, using customer profiles, customer account information, and additional data stored in CRM or other databases. Personalization enables customer-centric organizations to create deep and lasting customer relationships and provides uniquely valuable opportunities for up-selling and cross selling. A customer with a low remaining minutes balance could be presented with an opportunity to purchase more minutes or to change plans.
The VoiceObjects software also enables applications created for any phone channel, i.e., text, voice, video, touch-tone, or Web, to be easily and inexpensively deployed on any of the other channels, reusing existing application development and enabling application consistency across channels.
“Multiple phone channel applications, delivered on a single infrastructure via a single service definition and resulting in a consistent user experience on any interface, are the gold standard of automated self service,” said Michael Codini, chief technology officer, VoiceObjects. “Our joint solutions with MATERNA for the text channel, like our recently released VoiceObjects Media Mixer for the video channel, make it easier than ever for organizations to deliver best-in-class customer experiences.”
About VoiceObjects
VoiceObjects is redefining over-the-phone customer service for global enterprises and carriers. By delivering adaptive, cost-effective self-service phone portals, VoiceObjects enables organizations to personalize each caller’s experience, to integrate phone self-service into comprehensive customer experience strategies, and to manage the complexity of the world’s most sophisticated phone applications. VoiceObjects’ award-winning phone application server software is used by leading companies, including Adobe, T-Mobile, and Volkswagen Financial Services and provides personalized customer service experiences to more than 500 million callers each year. VoiceObjects is privately held and headquartered in San Mateo, Calif. For more information, please contact (650) 288-0299 or visit www.voiceobjects.com.
VoiceObjects Contacts
Europe:
Sabine Winterkamp
swinterkamp@voiceobjects.com
+49 (0)2204 / 845-142
U.S.:
Kelly Cytron
kcytron@voiceobjects.com
+1 415 271 3638
About MATERNA Information & Communications
MATERNA is a leading software company for information and communications technology. The company employs about 1,300 people worldwide and in 2008 achieved sales of 160 million euros. In addition to the headquarters in Dortmund, the company has offices and subsidiaries in the whole of Germany and Europe. The Communications business unit sells service platforms, premium content services, as well as voice and video applications. In addition, the subsidiary vistream GmbH has a successful market position as MVNE and is an internationally recognised provider of fixed line network services. CUSS solutions for airlines and airports are part of the portfolio too. Its ability to solve difficult and complex challenges for its customers has turned the company into a partner sought-after by network providers, service providers, businesses and agencies. The Business Unit Information supplies process and technology consulting services together with the implementation of appropriate IT solutions for companies and public administrations. MATERNA has proven specialist expertise in the areas of IT management, solutions for internet and intranet as well as specialised applications for public administrations.
Further Information:
MATERNA GmbH Information & Communications
Press and Public Relations
Antje Krämer
Voßkuhle 37
44141 Dortmund
Germany
Phone: +49 231 5599 8396
Fax: +49 231 5599 678396
Email: antje.kraemer@materna.de
www.materna-communications.com
