API for IVR Integration

We are planning to upgrade to the Voicent 4 line Professional Edition, but we have a few queries which we would like to discuss. As per the help files and FAQs published in your website, the features for your Professional edition almost fulfills our requirements. But there are a few points to clarify.

1. As per your website the professional edition provides the developers features. Does it really mean that if we buy a professional edition then you will provide us the API (compatible with C#) to integrate the Voicent IVR system with our application? So far we have found in many sites that you have provided the following methods -

CallText(string phoneno, string text, bool selfdelete)
CallAudio(string phoneno, string filename, bool selfdelete)
CallTillConfirm(string vcastexe, string vocfile, string wavfile, string ccode)

These methods are sufficient to send voice mails only, but not good enough for the Interactive Voice response system. If we purchase your professional edition will you provide us the necessary methods for IVR?

When you purchase Voicent BroadcastByPhone or other telephony products, the purchase also includes Voicent Gateway. You can integrate with Voicent products at two levels: one is the application level, and the other the gateway level. The gateway level is a lower level API and offers more flexibility.

At the gateway level, your program defines voice interactions in the form of VoiceXML files. When a call, either inbound or outbound, is made, the gateway interprets the application VoiceXML files and interacts with the caller/callee.

At the application level, you use the application to design the voice interaction using the tool’s Graphical User Interface. For BroadcastByPhone, it is the Message Designer. When a call is made, BBP automatically generates the application VoiceXML files and are submitted to the gateway. The Message Designer is a simple GUI tool that supports only one level of interaction.

If you need more user interactions defined, or need to interface to a database, for example, you can use Voicent IVR Studio. With IVR Studio, you can define almost any voice interactions and interface with any third party software by using the tool’s GUI. IVR Studio also automatically generates VoiceXML files and is fully integrated with BroadcastByPhone.

If the voice application can be accomplished through the GUI, then it is much easier to interface with Voicent products at the application level. For more details, please see the developer section on Voicent’s website.

In any case, when you purchase Voicent BroadcastByPhone program, you will have the application level interface and the gateway level interface. Voicent IVR Studio is a different tool that requires separate purchase.

2. The .VOC file we get back as a result after the IVR calls (by which we get the customer responses), how does that .voc extension support our application, so that we can generate further report from our application. Is there any way so that we can Integrate .Voc file to our application?

A prompt reply with these answers will be appreciated. Thank you.

The .voc file is an internal format, you cannot manipulate it directly. However you can use the import and export function for your integration. For details, please see the program Help file.