19.01.2022 |
Through their use in web services, they are becoming increasingly important: APIs. In almost all industries, standardized interfaces offer the potential to improve customer experience and increase efficiency in companies at the same time. Voice APIs or Speech APIs are particularly essential in the field of telecommunications.
We explain the functions of Voice-APIs and show why they should not be missing in the area of modern customer communication in 2022.
INHALT
1. Introduction: What are APIs?
2. Voice APIs in the cloud
2.1. How does a Voice API work?
2.2. What functions does a Voice API offer?
3. Application Examples
3.1. Use Case I: Virtual Call Center
3.2. Use Case II: Call Control
3.3. Use Case III: VoiceBot Integration
1. Introduction: What are APIs?
The requirements for software services are individual and the demands are constantly growing. This means that not all needs can be met with the conventional standard applications on the market.
The solution: Software interfaces that make it easy to program applications independently and adapt them exactly to one’s own needs. This is exactly what APIs can do.
Accordingly, a standardized API offers almost unlimited possibilities: The application interfaces allow the transfer of data between program parts or modules as well as the integration of services. One example of this are weather apps that use interfaces to public weather data for programming. In this case, the communication of the applications often takes place via a RESTful API. The abbreviation REST stands for “Representational State Transfer” and means that the API uses HTTPS commands to access data. RESTful APIs are used wherever user interaction is required and are compatible with most web services. APIs provide access to functions such as voice, SMS, fax, data processing and more. APIs thus offer a wide range of benefits in everyday business.
Advantages of an API at a glance – Top 5:
- Functional expansion through coupling to systems and applications
- Access to applications without installing additional software
- Agility and flexibility in the enterprise infrastructure
- Reduction of the amount of work and testing
- Time saving for the development of applications
2. Voice APIs in the cloud
Due to the structure adapted to the web, RESTful APIs are ideally suited for cloud services. As a cloud communications provider, TENIOS offers a Voice API for linking web services with telephony. This means that within the TENIOS Cloud, telecommunication technologies can be easily coupled with business applications via Voice API. An own telecommunication system is not necessary.
2.1. How does a Voice API work?
The Voice API serves as a link between the telecommunication service and the company’s internal software or web services. The process is as follows: The API provider receives incoming calls, transfers the call details and accepts commands for further routing:
This includes, for example, the output of announcement texts or the connection to the target number. Furthermore, the TENIOS Voice API enables e.g. services such as call recording and the conversion of text to speech.
2.2. What functions does a Voice API offer?
Die The TENIOS Voice API offers various possibilities for call control and the integration of speech applications:
- Intelligent routing
- IVR (Interactive Voice Response)
- SIP-Trunk
- Text-to-Speech (TTS)
- Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR)
- VoiceBot Integration
- Call Recording etc.
3. Application examples of the Voice API
3.1. Use Case I: Virtual Call Center
Thanks to the open web-based structure of the TENIOS Voice API, no specific prior knowledge is required to set up a call center. Developers can control and further develop individual modules or scripts within the cloud based on https. Another advantage is provided by the compatibility with in-house systems such as ERP or CMS:
Call-to-action or screenpop functions within the ERP/CRM system are executed based on the customer number, for example, so that customer information can be provided to the employee before the call is accepted.
Host-based routing further ensures that callers end up directly with the right contact person. Control takes place in the background via the TENIOS API, which transfers customer data to the customer’s CRM system. On-call times of individual employees can also be determined and calls are automatically routed to the available employee.
The independent development of a call center ACD is also possible via the API: The CRM/ERP systems will be extended by a telephone interface. For incoming calls, all call data is transferred from TENIOS to the CRM system, which takes over the assignment of the responsible agent. The employee’s destination number is sent to the TENIOS API and the call is connected. The employee receives all relevant caller data and replies from any upstream DTMF menus.
3.2. Use Case II: Call Control via API
The Speech API from TENIOS is ideal for dynamic call control. The calls are controlled internally by the customer, while TENIOS handles the processing of the calls. As a part of the Voice API, the call control function can be used as a routing block within the TENIOS Cloud Platform. Incoming calls – either via a switched number in the IN network of TENIOS or via SIP trunk – are processed by TENIOS. Control remains on the customer side. The following figure shows a simplified representation of the Call Control API:
A wide variety of applications such as announcements, menu queries or voice inputs can be executed in the routing block. A handover between TENIOS and the customer system is possible at any time.
3.3. Use Case III: VoiceBot Integration
You would like to integrate a VoiceBot into your telephony and are looking for a suitable interface? This is also possible: The TENIOS VoiceBot API makes it possible to couple bots with telephony systems. It does not matter whether the bot is text- or voice-based. If a classic chatbot is also to be used on the phone as part of the multichannel strategy, TENIOS takes care of converting the text input and output into speech. For this purpose, TENIOS uses the speech engines of the leading TTS/STT providers Google, Microsoft and Amazon.
Would you like to learn more about our Voice API? Just tell us about your use case! Our API experts will be happy to advise you at +49221-55400300. You can also send us an email at info@tenios.de or use our online form:
