Active Voice and ScanSoft to Deliver New Speech-Enabled Automated Attendant System

SEATTLE and PEABODY, Mass. - Active Voice, LLC and ScanSoft, Inc. have agreed to provide a speech-enabled automated attendant application for organizations worldwide.

Seven 2.0 is the latest version in Active Voice's portfolio of automated voice solutions, and provides a personalized front-end speech-based interface to greet and route callers, as well as manage internal calls from employee to employee or department.

Seven leverages ScanSoft® SpeechAttendant®, a packaged automated attendant solution that includes speech recognition and text-to-speech technologies. ScanSoft's barge-in feature allows experienced callers to speak over the Seven greetings and prompts. The Seven system supports US English, UK English, Australian English, Canadian French, European French, German, Dutch, and American Spanish, and can be deployed in multilingual environments.

"One of the most compelling applications of speech technologies today is an automated attendant system that answers and manages all incoming calls," said Blair Pleasant, president and principal analyst of technology research and consulting firm, COMMfusion. "Speech technologies such as Active Voice's Seven solution allow for a 'labor-free' automated attendant that makes it easy for internal and external callers to use. Products like Seven help companies save money, while enabling callers to reach their desired destinations more quickly and easily."

For internal callers, Seven can provide employees with speech access to the employee directory and frequently dialed external numbers.

Other Seven version 2.0 features include:

• Phonetic Dictionary: The phonetic dictionary contains the different pronunciations of nearly one million proper nouns.
• SpeechContacts™: The SpeechContacts™ module allows speech-enabled access to personal and Microsoft Outlook contacts. Users can add contacts via a Web browser, which are then imported into the Seven server.
• Call Redirect: With Call Redirect, users can forward their calls to any one of eight selected destination numbers - mobile phones, pagers, home phones - specified in their directory entry, ensuring they can always be reached.
• Info Center: Allows callers to have self service access to frequently requested directory information such as directions, announcements, notifications, business hours, etc.
• SpeechAuthenticator™: This module uses voice biometric technology from ScanSoft to provide secure access to certain menus, information and directories. Users can create a voiceprint that validates their identity and provides the user with access to controlled areas, such his or her personal directory.
• Multi-Level Menu Structure: Using multiple directory menus, a system administrator can create a conversation tree that allows callers to "speech navigate" through Seven.