Published June 21, 2000
Speaking directly with customers over the Internet in real time is very attractive to e-businesses who are continually seeking to improve service and long-term sales. Conference calls and chat rooms using a microphone instead of keyboard is this next big step.
Shopping on Web sites is sometimes confusing and sans the personal interaction from the traditional retail store buying experience. Talking through the computer will be like tapping a salesperson on the shoulder and saying aloud, “Pardon me; can you help?”
Voice customer service on the Web is relatively easy to accomplish by a “push to talk” link on the Web site requesting a phone call. The interested buyer types his or her phone number on screen. That company’s call-center representative promptly places a conventional voice telephone call to the customer. They interact while viewing the products or services on the Web site. This does require two phone lines.
The other method is using the Internet to talk with another person, computer-to-computer. Special software is first download from the Net and installed. An alert signal is sent to the intended party and conversation engaged using a microphone and speakers plugged into the computer. If not online at the time, a voice message can be sent for their later retrieval.
DigiPhone by Wincroft Inc. is consumer software they claim lessens long distance telephone charges. “Call anywhere, talk forever” is novel, but is it the same quality and convenience as the telephone?
Both caller and receiver must have the same software for this to work. However, using their SayIt software, emails can be one-way voice messages over the Internet or local area network instead of type-written.
Founded in 1998, Lipstream Networks adds voice capabilities to corporations’ web-based service sites, business conferencing and chat. They are well-funded, $29.5M raised from Crosslink Capital, Sequoia Capital, American Express and Compaq Corp., all of whom are anxious to use the technology.
The other end of the live voice is a fast 245Kbps data line (about five times faster than a 56K modem dialup). A Netscape browser plug-in (piece of software) enables the speech capability. Five million copies of the plug-in have been downloaded. This is a computer-to-computer claimed capability, not yet computer-to-telephone usable.
Lipstream is a very sophisticated proprietary system. All calls are buffered through their central computers (servers). Better than consumer software, a virtual conference call between the multiple parties is facilitated similar to the quality of the telephone.
The Lipstream network is connecting several million call-minutes per month, and rising. Large community chats, up to ten thousand simultaneous calls, can be hosted in this way. Three such media clusters are operational now.
Businesses are driving the demand for IP Phones. Competitors such as InnoMedia and Telogy by Texas Instruments are researching better ways. The gradual merging of voice, fax and data is a cost-saving attraction.
The mail-order retailer Lands’ End offers to its customers this service. WebLine Communications, acquired by Cisco Systems, installed the very complex array, modified their Web site and trained their employees. To ensure a sale, “Shop with a Friend” is a merchant-expense telephone call to chosen friends, family, or business associates that can help with the buying decision.
Voice technology vendors claim that cheaper alternatives, like customer support via email, are not as efficient or helpful in completing the sale. “Email and live chat,” says Jeff Guas, of eFusion’s voice integration service, “demands skills that call center representatives often don’t have, such as the ability to type quickly and in clear, coherent sentences.”
The Voice over IP (Internet Protocol) works satisfactorily with broadband (big pipe) dedicated Internet connections. Over a dialup modem, however, the audio is disturbingly disruptive for normal conversation. The sound quality is less clear, and brief interruptive pauses or missing syllables are noticeable.
Technically, the digital voice audio quality should be better, but voice was never intended to flow smoothly over data circuits. The engineers challenge has been partially met by something called a codec chip. Widespread high fidelity voice is anticipated eventually, at some price.
Wireless Internet connections using cellular phones is something else. Alain Rossman’s Phone.com, for instance, is devoted to connecting computers to the Internet via cellular phones. Computer voice-recognition is something else again also.
Although VoIP will detrimentally impair some of the Telecommunications Carriers existing plain old telephone service, the Carriers are committed to compete. The market projections cannot be ignored. Voice transmissions via digital packets are gradually replacing voice-only circuit switched connections. By 2002 the Internet is expected to carry 11% of U.S. and international long distance traffic.
Infrastructure will improve: faster backbone links, switches, end-user xDSL and cable modems. New protocols and techniques like tag switching will prioritize sensitive data.
Also home computer-to-computer local area networks are expected to proliferate. Increasingly sophisticated users will desire better voice quality and more data-convergent features. IP Phones will be a part of this.
Voice over IP is still a high-ticket big-business option and a consumer toy. Costs will eventually drop and quality improve. Meanwhile, we can practice our diction, and typing skills.