LiveVox Opens the Doors on Voice Portal 3.0

On-demand voice portal vendor LiveVox today released Voice Portal 3.0, a call center platform that emulates a dialer and adds to its functionality, enabling customers to transition from their dialers to a VoIP environment. Built on open VoiceXML (VXML) and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) standards, LiveVox Voice Portal is an open-source hosted dialing architecture that allows companies to use multiple engagement models to reach customers using a single platform. Part of the LiveVox offering is a new Quick Connect feature, which reduces abandon rates by connecting the call with the agent prior to connecting with the customer, eliminating lengthy pauses associated with dialer-generated calls that many customers associate -- pejoratively -- with incoming sales calls. This will likely be a key factor for LiveVox's continued success among collections-and-billings contact centers, the company's primary customer base. Traditional hardware-based automated call dialers (ACD) are outdated applications with a number of limitations, according to LiveVox, as well as an extremely high price tag -- in the range of hundreds of thousands of dollars to purchase, upgrade, integrate, and support. "We are leveraging voice-portal architecture for outbound and inbound calling, and Voice Portal 3.0 represents an opportunity for customers to replace old technology," says Louis Summe, CEO. "LiveVox can co-exist with the ACD, but it can also take its place." LiveVox claims the benefits for users of Voice Portal 3.0 can include lower IT-support costs, full application integration, unlimited capacity, and lower WAN-equipment requirements. In addition, Voice Portal 3.0 includes the following new features and functionalities:

• LiveVox Quick Connect: Provides the ability to have the outbound agent on the line while the call is connected, eliminating call hold times and pregnant pauses, and reducing caller-abandon rates.
• Enhanced Campaign Scheduler: Flexible scheduling allows users to re-queue campaigns ahead of time. Supports multiple call attempts on the same number or sequencing attempts for the same account holder using multiple contact numbers (home, then work, etc.).
• Enhanced Queuing and Pacing: Multithreaded 64-bit queuing supports extremely high volumes of calls-in-progress.

At least one analyst is enthusiastic about the company's chances with its new portal. "LiveVox looks like more like a standard contact center switching fabric along the lines of CosmoCom or Genesys," says Keith Dawson, senior analyst with Frost & Sullivan. "I think [LiveVox's] future ambition lies beyond being an inbound/outbound call center integrator for collections agents." His discussions with LiveVox indicate the company knows its can't be constrained by its vertical, and executives are trying to capture more horizontal business, as well as verticals such as outbound loyalty calling. "They're looking to emerge from their niche as a more full-featured contact center provider," Dawson says. Related articles: Feature: Fixed Dialing Telemarketers taking the ostrich approach to DNC compliance is a nonstarter for enterprises. Refresh marketing initiatives to ensure that the rules are followed and reach your target audience more effectively. Feature: Checking the Pulse of the Contact Center Contact center performance management provides a holistic view of agent performance; use that data to spur desirable behaviors that will help reps beat center and corporate goals. Customer Centricity: Decrease IVR Hang-Ups Want a more effective interactive voice response system? Here, 10 do's and don'ts. Feature: Home Bodies Cut contact center operating costs, reduce churn rates, and up flexibility -- a serious look at the at-home agent model. Centering Operations on the Customer Priorities are changing from cost cuts to service improvements. Speech Technology magazine: Credigy Selects LiveVox Voice Portal 2.0 for Agent Management Deployment leads to a 35 percent increase in successful agent connects and resulting collections. Speech Technology magazine: LiveVox Offers Multisite Capabilities in a Hosted Contact Center Solution LiveVox releases its new Voice Portal 2.0 multi-site contact center management offering. Speech Technology magazine: Ringing in the New Year Not many companies have any history at all with voice in outbound marketing. SoundBite Bares Its Teeth Again In the weeks since its delayed IPO, the on-demand voice-messaging vendor has struggled to shed the stigma of patent-infringement allegations. SoundBite Bites Back The initial public offering for on-demand voice messaging provider SoundBite Communications continues to be delayed due to accusations of patent infringement. Viewpoint: Debunking Common Myths about Automated Voice Messaging The key to AVM success is overcoming misplaced skepticism. Viewpoint: Going Through Automated voice messaging helps B2C companies deepen customer relationships. Gartner Restores a Leader to Its Magic Quadrant for Contact Center Infrastructure Interactive Intelligence moves back into the top quadrant, joining Aspect, Avaya, Cisco, Genesys, and Nortel. The End of Agents? SoundBite 4.0 uses interactive voice messaging in place of customer service reps. Personable Voice Messaging SoundBite offers clients an interactive automated voice messaging solution using voice recognition and text-to-speech technology.

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