BOC Gases Partner Network and their Agent Support Center Selects VeCommerce for a Voice-enabled Self-service System

The system, named AVRIL, which stands for Automated Voice Response Information Line, was developed to automate account status, sales transactions and credit card payments. Prior to AVRIL, transactions were paper based, with Gas Agents 'manually' recording their transactions and posting them into BOC for data entry.

The new technology will allow BOC Gas Agents to make a toll-free phone call to AVRIL and once a PIN is entered, callers can then speak to AVRIL directly. She will ask for the information she requires and then the details are recorded and automatically processed by BOC's host system. At the end of the call, a "that's all" or "I'm finished" ends the conversation.

Ben Molenaar, eBusiness manager for BOC, said, "This is an important milestone in the development of BOC's customer service capabilities.
VeCommerce was the only supplier who had industry experience and the proven application knows how to successfully implement this solution."

"This cutting edge technology increases the number of calls that can be serviced over the phone therefore eliminating long hold times and call queuing. Other than entering their PIN, callers do not have to struggle with confusing push button menus because they can simply speak to AVRIL in the same way that they would speak to a call center agent. Our Gas Agents have really taken to AVRIL."

The new system uses customized versions of VeCommerce's VeQuery™ (voice-enabled account self-service) and VeBook® (voice-enabled order fulfillment) application modules, communicating with BOC's Web services infrastructure using VeCommerce's XML Connector.

The system offers the option of how agents want to be serviced - either through speaking to a customer service agent or through self-service. In addition, throughout the call the caller can say "help" and receive a brief tutorial on the system should they encounter any problems.

The new technology was developed at VeCommerce's RandD center in Sydney.