Interactive Voice Response System in UMT

Interactive Voice Response in University of Management & Technology
Implementing Interactive Voice

Response System In
University of Management &
Technology
by
Uzma Mansoor 095121014
Muhammad Waqas 095021009
Under the guidance of

MR. Irfan Qazi
1
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This work is a result of inspiration, support, guidance, co-operation

and facilities that were extended to us at their best by persons at all
levels. We feel really proud to say that we have worked under the
guidance of a helping personality Mr. Irfan Qazi Assistant Professor of
the University.
We would like to express our gratitude to our teacher for his

encouragement and providing special dedicated time for the work. We
would also like to thank Mr Abubakar Malik, Admission Officer and
Mr.Shaquat Mehmood, Officer Records in University of Management
and Information Technology, Lahore for his kind patience to clear our
queries.
We like to thank our Dean of SBE Dr. Sarwar Azhar for providing all
the facilities and working environment in the University. We also like
to thank the entire university faculty who helped us directly or
indirectly to complete our work.
We also thank the telephone exchange department for helping us

regarding queries in Call transfers to different departments’ aspects of
the University.
Uzma Mansoor
Muhammad Waqas
2
Abstract
Interactive voice response (IVR) systems have been around for some
time to help guide customers to appropriate business units or
information. However, with the use of Internet technologies and
wireless phones on the rise, coupled with the rapid development in
the speech recognition and speech synthesis technologies, new doors
for voice technology are opening to test demand in the marketplace.
What’s more convenient than picking up a phone? One can have
instant access to the information needed to make business operate
more efficiently. Many businesses are betting that consumers will
embrace any technology that provides real-time access to
information piped through their regular telephone, wireless phone or
voice-connected handheld device.
A system in which the input and/or output are through a spoken,

rather than a graphical, user interface is what we call as Interactive
voice response system or simply IVR system. The web has made it
possible to access information at the click of the mouse. In recent
years the meaning of what a client has grown from the desktop
computers to other clients like phones and mobile pieces. This is
where voice control came in.
Analyzing the requirements of the need for implementing the voice

systems, our dissertation work concentrate on proposal of
implementing an interactive voice response in University of
Management and Technology. At the client side it consists of a
telephone or cell phone connected to a Public Switching Telephone
Network. In the middle tier it consists of voice server equipped with
VoIP gateway, which facilitate the users of PSTN to connect to the
voice application that works in the IP network. This voice server
3
identifies the call made by users of telephone network, initiates the

voice application, presents the user with the required information and
terminates the call when the user wants to exit from the application.
Database server stores the information of an enterprise or institute in
terms of tables where one can store the necessary information to
present it to users. It can be used with any phone at anywhere. One
can don’t have to put up with entering data using tiny keypad, but
rather one can interact with the service in a very natural manner.
The dissertation work aims at suggesting the implementation of an

IVR system for UMT. It promises a good speech interface to make the
user feel comfortable to interact with the system.
4
Table of Contents
1 Chapter 1..................................................................................8
1.1 History of University of Management & Technology...............................8
1.2 The Journey from ILM to UMT.................................................................8
1.3 About the University of Management and Technology...........................8
1.4 UMT Vision is Learning...........................................................................9
1.5 UMT Mission is Leading...........................................................................9
1.6 Authorities of UMT..................................................................................9
1.7 UMT Today............................................................................................10
1.8 UMT Mission Statement:.......................................................................10
1.9 UMT Website.........................................................................................11
1.10 Faculty of UMT...................................................................................11
1.11 Schools in UMT..................................................................................11
1.12 Statistics............................................................................................11
1.13 UMT Campus Projects........................................................................12
1.14 Collaboration with other Institutions..................................................12
2 Chapter 2................................................................................14
2.1 Introduction to IVR................................................................................14
2.2 Typical Types of IVR ............................................................................15
2.3 Typical uses..........................................................................................17
2.4 Voice-activated dialers.........................................................................19
2.5 Entertainment and information............................................................19
2.6 Outbound calling..................................................................................20
2.7 How users can access the IVR application?..........................................20
3 Chapter 3................................................................................22
3.1 Problem Definition................................................................................22
3.2 The existing Scenario...........................................................................24
3.3 Admission Season Issues......................................................................26
3.4 Telephone Exchange Issues.................................................................27
3.5 ASU Issues............................................................................................27
3.6 Registrar Office Issues..........................................................................28
4 Chapter 4................................................................................30
5
4.1 How IVR works?....................................................................................30

4.2 Main business drivers for undertaking this study:-...............................31
5 Chapter 5................................................................................33
5.1 IVR applications in UMT........................................................................33
5.2 Technologies used................................................................................35
5.3 Benefits of IVR......................................................................................37
5.4 Conclusion............................................................................................37
5.5 Chapterization......................................................................................37
6 Chapter 6................................................................................38
6.1 IVR Platforms........................................................................................38
6.2 IVR Applications....................................................................................38
6.3 Back-end servers..................................................................................38
6.4 Telephony Infrastructure......................................................................39
6.5 IVR Experts...........................................................................................39
6.6 Weighing the Options...........................................................................39
6.6.1 Hosted vs. On-Premise....................................................................40
6.6.2 Speech Rec. vs. Touch-Tone...........................................................43
6.6.3 Automation vs. Live Agents............................................................45
6.6.4 VoIP vs. PSTN..................................................................................46
6.6.5 Web vs. Phone Self Service.............................................................47
6.7 Personalized IVR...................................................................................47
7 Chapter 7 SYSTEM CONFIGURATION..........................................51

7.1 HARDWARE CONFIGURATION...............................................................51
7.2 SOFTWARE PLATFORM..........................................................................51
7.3 IVRS CONFIGURATION..........................................................................52
8 Chapter 8 IVR Implementation in UMT.......................................53

8.1 Admission Department.........................................................................53
8.2 Registrar Department...........................................................................55
8.3 ASU Department...................................................................................57
8.4 Office of Treasurer................................................................................59
8.5 UMT Exchange Office............................................................................61
8.6 Implementation Strategies (suggested)...............................................63
6
8.6.1 Implementation of IVR as Hosted Solution......................................63

8.6.2 Implementation of IVR as on Premise Solution...............................65
9 Chapter 9 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS...............................66
10 Chapter 10............................................................................69
10.1 Conclusion and Future scope of the work..........................................69
10.1.1 Conclusion...................................................................................69
10.2 Minimized delays...............................................................................69
10.3 Future Scope of the work...................................................................70
10.4 Benefits To Your Business..................................................................70
10.5 Benefits To Your Customers..............................................................70
10.6 Key Features......................................................................................71
10.7 Tradeoffs of IVR Systems...................................................................72
10.8 Recommendation...............................................................................72
11 Abbreviations........................................................................73
12 List of Figures.......................................................................73
13 References............................................................................73
References
7
1 Introduction
1.1History of University of Management &

Technology
UMT was founded in 1990 as the Institute of Leadership and Management
(ILM). ILM was established by leading educationalists, professionals, and
industrialists with an aim to enhance the organizational and individual
effectiveness. Guided by the noble mission of helping others in actualizing
their limitless human potential to its finest shape, ILM sought to respond to the
challenges of information-based economy, globalization, and ever increasing
complexity.
UMT – now an independent, not-for-profit, private institution of higher learning

– received her degree-granting charter first as the Institute of Management
and Technology (IMT) in 2002 through an Act of the Assembly of the Punjab.
Later, on 16 June 2004, IMT became University of Management and
Technology through the passing of a similar Act by the Punjab Assembly. In
March 2010 UMT has become one of the few universities in Lahore that
organizes Job Fair.
1.2The Journey from ILM to UMT

The University of Management and Technology (UMT) has its roots in the
Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM), which was established in
Lahore in 1990. Spurred on by the great success of ILM, the institution applied
for a University Charter, which was granted to it in 2004.
8
UMT is a project of the ILM Trust. It is an independent, non-for-profit private

organization. Its degrees are fully recognized by the Higher Education
Commission (HEC) of Pakistan. In September 2007, HEC awarded "W"
Category to UMT. UMT now ranks among the few select universities in the
country in this category.
1.3About the University of Management

and Technology
The University of Management and Technology (UMT) is one of the premier
higher education institutions of the country. It is an urban, co-educational
institution that is dedicated to excellence in teaching and research. It provides
a wide range of degree programs that match international standards.
The University takes pride in its institutional climate and academic culture. It
provides a friendly and highly supportive environment to its students. There
are ample opportunities for positive interaction between students and faculty.
UMT encourages students to be receptive to new ideas, to ask objective
questions and to pay attention to detail in order to infuse participants with an
aptitude for lifelong learning. It values freedom of speech, permits dissent and
welcomes diversity of views. It aims to produce well-rounded individuals who
can make positive contributions to society on a personal and professional
level.
UMT believes that a University has a primary role in producing citizens who
will be leaders and decision makers of the future. More than anything else,
UMT is proud of its high quality academic programs. The curriculum not only
provides a solid foundation of the disciplines involved but also imparts specific
skills and specializations that the students are looking for.
The University responds to change both in the workplace and in academic

scholarship. Its courses are highly demanding and relevant to the
requirements of the modern work environment. At UMT, life-long learning is
not mere a slogan. UMT provides a basis for the professional development of
both teachers and students.
1.4UMT Vision is Learning

It defines our existence, inspires all stakeholders associated with us, creates a
powerful momentum inside, and responds to the challenges outside. It
continues to evolve as present captures new realities and foresight unfolds
new possibilities. All in an incessant attempt to help individuals and
organizations discover their God-given potentials to achieve Ultimate Success
9
actualizing the highest standards of efficiency, effectiveness, excellence,

equity, trusteeship and sustainable development of global human society.
1.5UMT Mission is Leading

We aspire to become a learning institution and evolve as the leading
community for the purpose of integrated development of the society by
actualizing strategic partnership with stakeholders, harnessing leadership,
generating useful knowledge, fostering enduring values, and projecting
sustainable technologies and practices.
1.6Authorities of UMT
The following Authorities of the University are important functionaries that
play an important role in the management and overall decision making
process of the University of Management and Technology. Their involvement
in University affairs is essential for its smooth functioning and is also a source
of pride for us as they have demonstrated exceptional knowledge and
expertise in their respective domains.
• Academic Council
• Board of Advanced Studies and Research
• Selection Board
• Finance and Planning Committee
1.1UMT Today
In a short period of time, University of Management and Technology has
established itself as a leading forum for creativity and enquiry based learning.
In developing a management and technological focus designed to encourage
students to become enlightened citizens fully cognizant of their rights and
responsibilities, UMT's aim has been to impart a degree of knowledge and
skills that will enable students to pursue a successful career and contribute to
productive activities; sensitize students to ethical values and be tolerant of
cultural diversity; motivate students to pursue excellence in their chosen field,
seek broader and higher objectives and strive to serve the community, and
society as a whole.
In September 2007, the Higher Education Commission (HEC),

Pakistan, upgraded the category of UMT from ‘Category X’/ previous
‘Category B’ to ‘Category W’/ previous ‘Category A’. UMT now ranks
among the few selected universities in the country in this category.
10
Accreditation by Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC): Recently,

PAKISTAN ENGINEERING COUNCIL has accredited UMT's BS-Electrical
Engineering program. Dean Name : IMTIAZ ALI SANDHU
As UMT completes its academic year, there are two important developments,
which promise a bright future for the University:
The first phase of the 20-acre (81,000 m2) purpose-built campus in Johar
Town , has been completed and was commissioned early this year. The entire
student body was shifted to the new campus in a phased manner. The campus
incorporates all the essential features of a modern university meeting
international standards and offers excellent facilities for teaching and learning.
After the completion of the final phase, the campus will accommodate nearly
5000 students.
The range of programs being offered by the University have been widened to
include areas of specialization that would open up greater opportunities for
our graduates in the job markets at home and abroad. Some of the new
degree programs introduced are Human Resource Management, Media and
Communications, Applied Linguistics and Industrial Management.
University of Management and Technology's mission is to prepare a new breed
of leaders, courageous, sincere individuals with the intellectual abilities, cross
cultural versatility, practical skills and ethics needed to operate in today's
business world. UMT website and prospectus spells out in considerable detail,
the undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate courses that the
University is currently offering. Faculty and staff at UMT will be more than glad
to meet parents and prospective students to explain courses and assist in
selection of possible career paths that each course can lead to.
1.2UMT Mission Statement:

"We aspire to become a learning institution and evolve as the leading
community for the purpose of integrated development of the society by
actualizing strategic partnership with stakeholders, harnessing leadership,
generating useful knowledge, fostering enduring values, and projecting
sustainable technologies and practices."
1.3UMT Website
The UMT website has been updated and enriched with the latest news and
updates about the University and information about courses currently being
offered. The admission procedures have also been simplified to enable
students to access on-line registration at UMT.
11
1.4 Faculty of UMT

Consisting of over 110-fulltime and more than 50 part time faculty members.
Moreover about two dozen faculty members have doctoral degrees.
1.5 Schools in UMT

• School of Science & Technology
• School of Business & Economics
• School of Social Sciences & Humanities
• Institute Of Audit and Accountancy
1.1 Statistics
• UMT Founded as ILM in: 1990
• Students: nearly 8000
• Alumni: 9000+
• Full-time faculty: 200+ full time and more than 50 part-time faculty
members with about two dozen PhDs
• PhD theses supervised by the faculty: 52
• Financial aid recipients: 700+
• Average award: 50% of total fee
• Degrees: Doctoral, Masters, Bachelors
• Disciplines: Commerce, Accounting, Business Administration, Banking
and Finance, Business and IT, Computer Sciences, Economics,
Education, Engineering, Management, Textiles, Power and Energy
Systems, Power Systems, Information Systems, Linguistics, Applied
Linguistics, English Literature, Media and Communication, Elementary
Education, Secondary Education, Social Sciences, Educational
Leadership Management, English Language Teaching, Montessori
Education
• Library books: 50,000+
• Journal subscriptions: 150 printed, 20,000 electronic
• Computer network: Computer network consists of more than 1300 nodes
with a bandwidth of 8 MB. Wireless connectivity is also available.
• Labs: Chemistry & Wet Processing, Physics & Electronics, Digital
Systems, Software Usability, Computer Networks, Garments, Weaving &
Knitting, Projects
• Boys hostels capacity: 2500
• Girls hostels capacity: 1000
• hostel condition excellent
• New campus location: 20-acre (81,000 m2) purpose built campus in Johar
Town, Lahore was commissioned in mid 2007.
12
1.1 UMT Campus Projects

UMT campus is being built in Pakistan's cosmopolitan city of Lahore. Campus
site is located on prime land in Johar Town.
The courses currently being undertaken range from education, professional

development and executive training to research and publishing. Around 2500
participants are pursuing professional education at graduate and master levels
in the areas of management sciences, information technology, education and
arts, media and communications, and commerce and accounting. It is hence,
the social benefit, which is prominently aimed at in UMT's academic and
extracurricular pursuits.
Spread over an area of 625 kanals, the site is within few minutes approach
from city, western suburbs and societies. The site is located in Jahur Town
within a minute drive from Akbar Chowk, Lahore. This campus will provide
education to about six thousands students at any time. UMT is also member of
AACSB (The Association to Advance Collegiate Institutions of Business, USA)
and EFMD (The European Foundation for Management Development, UK). The
process of EQUIS (European Quality Improvement System) accreditation is
also under way.
1.2Collaboration with other Institutions

The university encourages collaborations with other universities and academic
institutions. All of our schools are actively involved in collaboration of faculty
between different schools, and collaboration with other universities and R&D
organizations in the country and abroad. Academic collaborations and
course/student transfer agreements have been signed with several local and
international academic institutions that include:
National University of Computing and Emerging Sciences (FAST-NUCES),

Lahore
Pakistan Readymade Garments Training Institute (PRGTI), Lahore
University of Bedfordshire, UK
Multimedia University, Malaysia
Stockholm University School of Business, Sweden
National Productivity Organization (NPO)
Eastern Michigan University (EMU)
INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP: UMT has become an institutional member of

Asia Pacific Quality Network (APQN).
The Asia-Pacific Quality Network (APQN) has been developed with the purpose
of serving the needs of quality assurance agencies in higher education in a
region that contains over half the world’s population.
13
14
2 What is an IVR?
2.1Introduction to IVR
The blueprint for IVR began in 1941, when the Bell System developed a new
tone dialing methodology. Bell unveiled the first telephone that could dial area
codes using DTMF technology at the Seattle World Fair in 1962. DTMF
telephones enabled the use of inband signaling, i.e., they transmit digital
codes in the same 300 Hz to 3 kHz range occupied by the human voice.
Despite the fact that more companies began using the system in the 1970s to
automate tasks in call centers, the technology was still costly and complicated
which made for low market penetration. However, by the 1980s a number of
new competitors entered the market and uptake of IVR technology started to
increase.
When call centers began to migrate to multimedia contact centers in the late
90's, companies began to invest in Web-enablement and Computer Telephony
Integration (CTI) with IVR systems. IVR became vital for call centers deploying
universal queuing and routing solutions and acted as an agent which collected
customer data to enable intelligent routing decisions.
Having remained technologically static since its development in the 1980s,
speech recognition started to become more common and cheaper to deploy.
This was due to increased Computer Processing Power and the migration of
Speech applications from propriety code to the VXML standard. The
introduction of the VXML standard also simplified the integration process
between IVR systems and any back end hosts.
IVR technology is one that is related to the masses in general or can affect
the masses on a larger scale. This technology can dramatically improve the
efficiency and productivity of the University’s administrative personnel while
providing a flexible and cost-effective service to students/parents.
Giving information to university students, Institute scholars, information
about progress of student to Parents is one such problem.
2.2Typical Types of
IVR
Voice applications will typically fall
into one of the following categories.
Queries and Transactions.
Queries: In this scenario, a
customer, who can be a student or a
15
parent, calls into a system to retrieve information from a Web-based

infrastructure. The system guides the customer through a series of menus and
forms by playing instructions, prompts, and menu choices using prerecorded
audio files or synthesized speech. The customer uses DTMF input to make
menu selections and fill in form fields. Based on the customer’s input, the
system locates the appropriate records in a back-end enterprise database. The
system presents the desired information to the customer; either by playing
back prerecorded audio files or by synthesizing speech based on the data
retrieved from the database.
Examples of this type of self-service interaction include applications
providing status reports, course registered, courses offered, result of the
student, event listings, admission dates, last date for form submission and
customer service information.
Transactions: In this scenario, a customer, who can be a student or
a parent, calls into a system to execute specific transactions with a Web-based
back-end database. The system guides the customer to provide the data
required for the transaction by playing instructions, prompts, and menu
choices using prerecorded audio files or synthesized speech. The customer
responds using DTMF input.
Based on the customer’s input, the system conducts the transaction and
updates the appropriate records in a back-end enterprise database. Typically
the system also reports back to the customer, either by playing prerecorded
audio files on the information in the database records. Examples of this type of
self-service interaction include applications Fee submission, financial
transactions, fine imposed, calendar appointments, electronic relationship
management (ERM) and order management.
 IVR = Interactive Voice Response
General term for any computerized, automated telephone system.
Historically used to refer to touch-tone systems, IVR has evolved to include
both touch-tone and speech-recognition based systems.
 Caller Input
Touch-Tone, a.k.a., DTMF (Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency)
Speech Recognition, a.k.a., ASR (Automated Speech Recognition)
 System Response
TTS (Text-to-Speech) – Digitized voice typically used to play back dynamic
information to callers.
 Recorded Audio
(e.g., .wav files) – Pre-recorded sound files for play back of static information;
or, when stitched together, can be used to play back dynamic information.
 Objective
16
The goal of a good IVR application is to connect callers with the information
they are seeking as quickly and as efficiently as possible, which may mean
either a fully automated response to the caller’s inquiry, or connecting the
caller to the most appropriate live agent.
1.1Typical uses
IVR systems are typically used to service high call volumes, reduce cost and
improve the customer experience. Examples of typical IVR applications are
telephone banking, televoting, and credit card transactions. Large companies
use IVR services to extend the business hours of operation.
Call centers use IVR systems to identify and segment callers. The ability to
identify customers allows the ability to tailor services according to the
customer profile. It also allows the option of choosing automated services.
Information can be fed to the caller allowing choices such as: wait in the
queue, choose an automated service, or request a callback (at a suitable time
and telephone number).
The use of CTI will allow the IVR system to look up the caller line identification
(CLI) on a network database and identify the caller. This is currently accurate
for about 80% of inbound calls. In the cases where CLI is withheld or
unavailable, the caller can be asked to identify themselves by other methods
such as a PIN or password. The use of DNIS will ensure that the correct
application and language is executed by the IVR system.
CTI allows a contact center or organization to gather information about the
caller as a means of directing their inquiry to an appropriate agent. CTI can
also extract important or relevant information about the individual customer
from the database, making for a more effective and efficient service.
The use of IVR and voice automation enables a company to improve its
customer service and lower its costs, due to the fact that callers' queries can
be resolved without the cost of a live agent who, in turn, can be directed to
deal with specific areas of the service. If the caller does not find the
information they need, or require further assistance, the call is then
transferred to an agent who can deal with them directly through CTI
integration. This makes for a more efficient system in which agents have more
time to deal with complex interactions, for example, customer retention, up
selling, cross selling and issue resolution.
This way, the customer is more likely to be satisfied with a personalized
service and the interaction is likely to be more fulfilling and rewarding for the
agent, as opposed to dealing with basic inquiries that require yes/no
responses, such as obtaining customer details. Employee satisfaction is
important in the telecommunications industry due to the fast turnover of staff,
IVR is therefore one way of retaining a workforce and allowing them to do a
more effective job.
17
IVR also enables customer prioritization. In a system wherein individual

customers may have a different status the service will automatically prioritize
the individual's call and move prime customers to the front of the calling
queue.
Finally, IVR may be used by survey organizations for asking more sensitive
questions where the investigators are concerned that a respondent might feel
less comfortable providing these answers to a human interlocutor (such as
questions about class, teacher etc). In some cases an IVR system can be used
in the same survey in conjunction with a human interviewer. For example,
during the survey the interviewer might inform the respondent that for the
next series of questions they will be sent to an IVR system to continue or
complete the interview.
1.2Voice-activated dialers
Voice-Activated Dialer (VAD) IVR systems are now used to replace the
switchboard or PABX (Private Automatic Branch exchange) operators and are
used in many hospitals and large businesses to reduce the caller waiting time.
An additional function is the ability to allow external callers to page hospital
staff and transfer the inbound call to the paged person.
1.3Entertainment and information

The largest installed IVR platforms are used for applications such as tele-
voting on television game shows, which can generate enormous call spikes.
Often, the network provider will have to deploy call gapping in the public
network to prevent network overload.
The following are some of the more common uses of an IVR:
• Mobile — Pay-As-You-Go account funding
• Telephone banking — balance, payments, and transfers
• Mobile purchases — particularly for mobile content, such as ring tones
and logos
• Caller identification and routing
• Order placements — credit card payments
• Airline — ticket booking, flight arrivals, flight departures, check-in
• Adult entertainment — dating, chat line, etc.
• Weather forecasts
1.1Outbound calling
IVR systems can be used for outbound calls, as IVR systems are more
intelligent than dialer systems and can recognize different line conditions as
follows:
• RNA — Ring No Answer
18
• Answered by voice mail or answering machine (In this circumstances

they can leave a message)
• Fax tone (IVR can leave a TIFF image fax message)
• Answer (IVR can tell the customer who is calling and ask them to wait for
an agent)
• Recognize divert messages and abandon call.
IVR uses Call Progress Detection to monitor line conditions, and report to the
IVR database.
1.1How users can access the IVR

application?
Once the voice applications are deployed, users simply dial the telephone
number that the user provide and are connected to the corresponding voice
application. Answer the telephone call Play a prompt Wait for the caller’s
response Take action as directed by the caller Complete the interaction
(i). A user dials the telephone number provided to the application. The IVR
answers the call and executes the application referenced by the dialed
phone number.
(ii). The IVR plays a greeting to the caller and prompts the caller to indicate
what information he or she wants. The application can use prerecorded
greetings and
Prompts or synthesize them from text.
(iii). The application waits for the caller’s response for a set period of time.
The caller can respond by pressing one or more keys on a DTMF telephone
Keypad, depending on the types of responses expected by the application.
If the response does not match the criteria defined by the application (such
as the specific digits), the voice application can prompt the caller to enter
the response again, using the same or different wording.
(iv). The application takes whatever action is appropriate to the caller’s

response. For example, the application might update information in a
database, retrieve information from a database and speak it to the caller. It
also involves store or retrieve a voice message, launch another application,
Play a help message after taking action, the application prompts the caller
with what to do next.
(v). The caller or the application can terminate the call. For example, the
caller can terminate the interaction at any time, simply by hanging up; the
IVR can detect if the caller hangs up and can disconnect itself. If the
application permits, the caller can use a command to explicitly indicate that
19
the interaction is over (for example, by pressing “9”). If the application has
finished running, it can play a closing message and then disconnect.
20
2 Calls in UMT
2.1Problem Definition
Until recently, the World Wide Web has relied exclusively on visual
interfaces to deliver information and services to users via computers
equipped with a monitor, keyboard, and pointing device. In doing so, a huge
potential customer base has been ignored: people who (due to time,
location, and/or cost constraints) do not have access to a computer.
Many of these people do, however, have access to a telephone. Providing
“conversational access” (that is, spoken input and audio output over a
telephone) to Web-based data will permit companies to reach this untapped
market.
Users benefit from the convenience of using the mobile Internet for self-
service transactions, while companies enjoy the Web’s relatively low
transaction costs. And, unlike that rely on dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF)
(telephone key press) input, IVR applications can be used in a hands-free or
eyes-free environment, as well as by customers with rotary pulse telephone
service or telephones in which the keypad is on the handset
Even though you made the website perfectly dynamic using many
technologies, users cannot feel it more comfortable as it requires them to sit
in a static place before a terminal and access the required information. But
it’s not possible for mobile users, to perform a transaction or get the desired
information through desktops PC. What they want is that they can be able to
do it from anywhere through any network like PSTN, Internet, mobile
network.
21
Figure 1: UMT Exchange
The figure above shows the percentage of total 3000 calls to different
departments of the university. The figure shows that 40% of the calls are
transferred to admissions office daily. The information required by the
callers are simple FAQs which can easily be answered by an IVR.
2.2The existing Scenario

• Now a day’s University maintain student dairy to communicate
forthcoming events, progress of student etc.
• Teachers mark their notes about absenteeism of student in student
dairy.
22
• Parents/Students will have to go to University premises to collect the

Fee bill and then pay the fees at bank counter located near university.
• Students wish to inquire about particular course offered by university
have to walk to university inquiry counter, ask questions to get the
details. This is very difficult for students who live very far.
• Telephone calls are transferred from exchange to different
departments.
• Admission officers keep on repeating the information during
admission season.
• New students are called through exchange for their interview timings.
• Registrar officers have to repeat information regarding convocation;
new courses add or drop late dates.
• ASU received call for information on makeup classes and class
timings.
Figure 2: Information Calls
The figure above shows the information calls made to different departments
with nearly 200 calls daily for information for admission and more than 140
23
calls daily for admission status check. Other departments also have repeated
information calls but rather in a low volume as compared to admissions office.
Figure 3: Call Status for Three Lines
The above figure shows the status of the three telephone lines at UMT.
The graph shows a number of abandoned calls and waiting calls.
1.1Admission Season Issues

 Maximum three representatives.
 Average calls per day 500.
 Average Call duration 5 minutes
 Call Abandon Rate 40% to 50%
 90% to 95% representatives providing answers of same questions:
 Application submission last dates
 Program detail and admission criteria
 Fees Structure
 Program Schedules and Timing
 Location of University and its Timing
What positive values an IVR applications can add?
24
 Call abandon rate can easily be decrease by adding more lines to IVR
solution
 IVR application can answers all FAQ to the candidates/callers
 IVR can transfer the call to representative if needed.
 IVR will be available 24X7 to entertain large numbers of calls around the
clock
1.1Telephone Exchange Issues

 Total call volume per day approx . 3000
 Manually transferring the calls to concern departments and persons.
 An unwanted extra role of front office to perform by Exchange Staff
 An IVR application can directly transfer the call to concern department
or person.
 IVR will intimate the Caller if call not transferred, give option to callback
or leave the message for concern person.
1.1ASU Issues
 Typical calls received
 Teacher is not available
 Students asking for makeup class
 Time Table
 Courses offered
 Academics
 An outbound IVR can
reach to all students if
Teacher is not available in
timely fashion.
 IVR can seamlessly
answers all FAQ, no need
to engage persons
1.1Registrar
Office Issues
 Call volume 80 to 125
calls per day
25
 They also answers to FAQ related to their departments like

 Result Declaration Date
 Fee Matters– Status
 Fine Detail
 Admission and Financial aid Detail
 Convocation Dates
 An IVR application can answers all these FAQs
 Feed Back IVR
 An outbound IVR automatically can reach the parents of those
students who have:
 Low CGP
 Absent
 Provide any other important information or ask them for an
appointment.
Figure 4: Expected Calls After IVR Implentation
26
The above figure shows the expected received calls after the implementation
of IVR. The graph also tells the present value of received calls which is very
low.
27
1 Working of IVRs
1.1How IVR works?
• IVR System allows clients (here client is parents/students/school
administration/school finance department) to make calls over a
telephone line through toll free numbers or dedicated direct lines
thereby enabling the Service providers/School administration/Institute
authorities to provide relevant information over the same telephone line
to their clients.
• The IVR system is a computer program that allows interactive sessions

with students/parents without a teacher having to be present or acts as
a reporting tool for finance department without any manual/paper work.
• IVR interacts with the caller to determine (via collection of roll

number/registration id of student or special pin entered by caller or
combination of both) who is calling and the reason for the call.
• The IVR can also provide automated services to the caller i.e.
information on University forthcoming events etc.
• The IVR acts as a play-and-collect box where the only call routing logic
that exists is to provide fall back routing capability.
• The IVR performs a database lookup based upon the collected unique
roll number/registration number and passes the data to database by
which caller can listen real time data e.g. exam results, any fine
imposed on children’s etc.
28
Figure 5: Working of IVR
• Every IVR is in the form of call flow diagram. This diagram shows all
possible paths that can be traversed through the system by a caller. For
example, University Information Broadcast wherein information such as
parent notices, extra-curricular activities and others information can be
listen in real time environment.
1.1 Main business drivers for undertaking

this study:-
• An improved end-user satisfaction – to help customer retention and
bring loyalty. Here customer is parents/guardians
• Bring Cost benefits to school/Institutes using IVR applications
• Improved communication effectiveness
• Exploring the use of new technologies to enhance experience
Now a day’s organizations particularly in US/Europe are moving towards

School Interactive Voice Response System (IVR). It’s a known fact that it is
very critical to incorporate customer’s needs and expectations into the IVR
applications but using technology advancement, IVR facilitating better
Communication between parents, students and universities; and it allows

parents and students, access to the latest university’s activities more
conveniently.
29
The IVR system can be easily centrally hosted any IVR vendor on which
university need only using the system management interface to customize
their needs. No hardware and software maintenance responsibility is forced
on universities.
30
1 IVR in UMT
1.1IVR applications in UMT

IVR applications can be built for multiple functionalities which is not limited
to
• Homework assignment helpline
• Pay University fees through credit/debit cards
• University information on forthcoming events - allows parents access to
the latest university activities more conveniently
• Exam schedules
• Exam results
• Offer details of courses/subjects offered in university
• Talk to teachers/lecturers
• Self study/evaluation
• IVR systems are especially useful in case of call centers to respond to
the customers in voice and transfer the calls to other information
systems.
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system enabled World Wide Websites
(internet) make the information reachable even to telephones and cell phones.
This facilitates the user to get the information easily by just dialing the
particular server using their handsets at any time round the clock.
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) applications enable callers to query and
modify database information over their telephone by dialing digits on their
telephone. Callers can use their touch-tone pad to input requests, such as
registering for a course, obtaining a course schedule, or requesting Fee
balance information and the database speaks information back to the caller-
using Text-to-Speech.
IVR offers customers and businesses a new level of freedom by enabling them
to conduct transactions 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Businesses of all
sizes are realizing the tremendous benefits of IVR applications for their call
processing and information delivery needs. IVR functionality links a phone
system to a database to provide customers with 24-hour immediate access to
account information, via telephone.
To ensure security IVR can be set up to allow the caller access to account
information only if the caller enters a valid account number and corresponding
personal identification number.
IVR allows full connectivity to the most popular databases including Microsoft
Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Fox Pro, DBase. One can read information
31
from, and write information to, databases, as well as make a query databases
and can return information.
The application files can reside on the local system, an intranet, or the
Internet. Users can access the deployed applications anytime, anywhere, from
any telephony-capable device, and you can design the applications to restrict
access only to those
who are authorized to
receive it.
1.1
Technologies used
DTMF signals (entered via the telephone keypad) and natural language speech
recognition interpret the caller's response to voice prompts.
An IVR can be utilized in several different ways:
1. Equipment installed on the customer premise
2. Equipment installed in the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network)
3. Application service provider (ASP).
4. Hosted IVR
32
A simple voice mail system is different from IVR in that it is person-to-person,

whereas an IVR is person to computer. IVR voice forms can be used to provide
a more complex voice mail experience to the caller. For example, the IVR
could ask if the caller wishes to hear, edit, forward or remove a message that
was just recorded.
An automatic call distributor (ACD) is often the first point of contact when
calling many larger businesses. An ACD uses digital storage devices to play
greetings or announcements, but typically routes a caller without prompting
for input. An IVR can play announcements and request an input from the
caller.
This information can be used to profile the caller and route the call to an agent
with a particular skill set. (A skill set is a function applied to a group of call-
center agents with a particular skill.)
Interactive voice response can be used to front-end a call center operation by
identifying the needs of the caller. Information can be obtained from the caller
such as account numbers. Answers to simple questions such as account
balances or pre-recorded information can be provided without operator
intervention.
Account numbers from the IVR are often compared to caller ID data for
security reasons and additional IVR responses are required if the caller ID data
do not match the account record.
IVR call flows are created in a variety of ways. A traditional IVR depended
upon proprietary programming or scripting languages, whereas modern IVR
applications are structured similar to Web pages, using Voice XML[2], CCXML[3],
SRGS[4], SALT or T-XML languages.
The ability to use XML developed applications allows a Web server to act as an
application server, freeing the developer to focus on the call flow. It was
widely believed that developers would no longer require specialized
programming skills, however this has been proven to be misguided as IVR
applications need to understand the human reaction to the application dialog.
This is the difference between a good user experience and IVR hell.
Higher level IVR development tools are available in recent years to further
simplify the application development process. A call flow diagram can be
drawn with a GUI tool and the application code (Voice XML or SALT) can be
automatically generated.
In addition, these tools normally provide extension mechanisms for software
integration, such as HTTP interface to Web site and Java interface for
connecting to a database.
In telecommunications, an audio response unit (ARU) is a device that
provides synthesized voice responses to DTMF key presses by processing calls
based on (a) the call-originator input, (b) information received from a
database, and (c) information in the incoming call, such as the time of day.
33
ARUs increase the number of information calls handled and to provide

consistent quality in information retrieval.
1.1Benefits of IVR
 Increased Customer Satisfaction
 Decreased or no wait times.
 Retrieval of information is faster and can happen round-the-clock.
 Connection to appropriate agent, no multi-transfers.
 High-quality, consistent service.
 Increased Business Efficiencies
 Fewer agents (or none) required; many queries can be answered
in an automated fashion.
 Agents handle fewer routine, low-value calls and have more time
to address customer issues of higher business value.
 Cost per interaction is drastically lower with IVR than a live agent.
 Automatically scaleable to meet peak demands in usage.
1.1Conclusion
This chapter chronologically analyzes the tools and technologies for
developing the IVR applications. It emphasizes the various benefits for using
IVR in UMT.
1.2Chapterization
The subsequent chapters deal with the system architecture, problem
formulation, and implementing IVR in UMT.
34
2 Requirements of an IVR
-To deliver or leverage IVR, an enterprise requires following
2.1IVR Platforms
IVR platforms are the "server and operating system" hardware and software
platforms on which IVR solutions run.
IVR platforms at a minimum provide the ability to play and record prompts and
gather touch-tone input. IVR platforms may also offer the ability to recognize
spoken input from callers (voice recognition), translate text into spoken output
for callers (text-to-speech), and transfer IVR calls to any telephone or call
center agent.
2.2IVR Applications
IVR applications are programs that control and respond to calls on the IVR
platform. IVR applications can either be developed by an enterprise, by an IVR
development shop, or by companies that offer canned IVR applications.
IVR applications direct the IVR platform to prompt callers, gather input, and
transfer callers to other phones. IVR applications also call on existing back-end
database and application servers to retrieve records and information required
during the course of a call.
2.3Back-end servers
Back-end servers are existing enterprise servers on which the required
customer or corporate data can be found.
Back-end servers can include databases, mainframes, Java or other application
servers, and third party information services and solutions.
2.4Telephony Infrastructure
Telephony infrastructure includes telephone lines, call switching equipment,
and call center Automatic Call Distributors (ACDs).
Telephone lines for IVR can be standard analog lines, digital T1, or digital ISDN
lines. These lines are connected on one side to the IVR platform and, on the
other, to call switching equipment including Telco switches, Voice over IP
gateways, and corporate PBX's; or in some cases, directly to call centers via
an ACD.
35
2.5IVR Experts
IVR Experts include employees and consultants who know IVR technology and
challenges well.
Ideally, IVR teams should include one or more members who have experience
with IVR integration, configuration, reliability and redundancy, application
development, and IVR solution deployment management.
2.6Weighing the Options

There are a number of options to consider when designing and implementing
an IVR system:
• Hosted vs. On-Premise

• Speech Recognition vs. Touch-Tone
• Outsourcing vs. contact center automation
• Automation vs. Live Agents
• VoIP vs. PSTN
• Web Self Service vs. Phone Self Service
1.1.1Hosted vs. On-Premise
Figure 6: Hosted Solution
Hosted
 Benefits
 Minimize capital expense and development expense
 Leverage outsourcers’ expertise in speech, telephony, and data

center operations
 Technology upgrades are taken care of by provider
 Planning for peak capacity handled by provider

36
 Tradeoffs
 May not be well-suited for very high-volume applications
 Control of call infrastructure handed over to provider (but not

necessarily application development or business logic)
Figure 7: On Premise Solution
On-Premise
 Benefits
 Lower telco cost at very high call volumes
 Full control of infrastructure
 Tradeoffs
 Upfront capital expense
 Application development is cumbersome
 Requires dedicated operations personnel and facilities
 Serving peak capacity can result in inefficient use of resources in

off-peak
Hosted vs. on-premise IVR

With the introduction of Web services into the Contact Center, integration has
been simplified. The use of Web based applications allow IVR applications to
be hosted remotely from the contact center. This allows the use of hosted IVR
applications using speech to be made available to smaller Contact Centers
across the globe and is likely to lead to an expansion of ASP (Application
Service Providers).
IVR applications can also be hosted in the public network, which do not
require contact center integration. This will include public announcement
messages or message services for small business. It is also possible to use two
prong IVR services where the initial IVR application is used to route the call to
the appropriate contact center. This can be used to balance loading across
37
multiple contact centers or provide business continuity in the event of system

outage.
Outsourcing vs. contact center automation
Contact centers are very expensive to run, and can be seen as a drain on
companies' operations. Contact centers are usually seen as cost centers,
however, the ability to convince customers to buy services and products can
reduce operational expenditure.
Methods of reducing contact center running costs include outsourcing and
automation. Outsourcing to other countries can reduce operational
expenditure by as much as 30%, however, differences in culture and language
can prove problematic for customers, whose dissatisfaction can lead to
customer complaints and loss of business. Also, it is more difficult to sell to
customers from foreign contact centers.
Automation in a contact center can also reduce operational expenditure by
around 30% though the introduction of technologies such as customer
profiling, CTI, and IVR using speech recognition. The use of automation in the
contact center promotes efficiency, allowing contact centers to be located in
the country from which the call is originated. Customer satisfaction can be
monitored by the use of customer survey applications. The information from
survey applications can be used to improve customer service.
Total Cost of Ownership for
On-Premise Deployments
 (Redundant) Servers
 (Redundant) Networks
 (Redundant) Storage
 VoiceXML Platform
 Speech Recognition Licenses
 Text-to-Speech Licenses
 Maintenance Fees
 T1s + Phone charges
 Data Center(s)
 Maintenance Staff
 Professional Services
 Technology Replacement (Obsolete)
38
 Multi-Vendor Selection Process
1.1.1Speech Rec. vs. Touch-Tone
Touch-Tone
Navigating an IVR menu tree by pressing numbers on a keypad
 Benefits
 Works reliably when the number of options is limited
 More traditional, so there is no learning curve
 Better for sensitive information
 Easier to develop application
 Tradeoffs
 Lower automation rates than speech recognition
 Difficult to use with a large number of options
 Does not handle alphanumerics, names and addresses
 Difficult to use in a hands-free environment
 Perceived as older, less “human” technology
Speech Recognition
 The ability to navigate an IVR menu tree through voice instead of the
keypad
 Benefits
 Speech is a necessity when needing a large number of options

(states, musical groups, stocks, U.S. Senators)
 Capture Name and Address, Alphanumerics
 Can be more convenient for callers, such as callers who are driving
 Has the “wow” factor for engaging customers more directly than
touch-tone
 Increases automation rates over touch-tone
 Tradeoffs
 Application development can be more complex (error handling)
 May not work well for sensitive information (CC, PIN, Account #s)
39
1.1.1Automation vs. Live Agent
Automation
 Benefits
 Per minute costs are much lower
 Provides 24*7*365 access to information for all, and ready access

for callers without web access
 Often more efficient than talking to an agent, esp. for repeat

callers
 Offers consistent service quality and easily handles repetitive

tasks
 Often preferred for personal or sensitive information
 Tradeoffs
 Not as personal as a live agent
 Often seen as a barrier by callers
 Cannot automate all services required by callers
Live Agents
 Benefits
 Seen as more customer-friendly – callers like talking to agents
 More traditional, so frustration levels can be decreased
 Agents can handle tasks not possible through automation
 Tradeoffs
 Costs are much higher when including salaries, benefits, office

space, etc.
 Agents perform repetitive tasks, leading to higher turnover
 Not consistent – caller’s experience differs by agent
 Waiting on hold for a routine task is inefficient for callers
Bottom Line: Automate straightforward tasks and transactions (see

“Personalized IVR”), but always provide option for live agent
40
1.1.1VoIP vs. PSTN
VoIP: Voice over Internet Protocol
 Benefits
 Through associated protocol, SIP (Session Initiation Protocol), data

can be passed along with the call
 Can carry phone calls into the IVR and transfer calls out of the IVR
to live agents
 Typically less expensive than PSTN
 Tradeoffs
 Call quality can be diminished depending on the bandwidth

available through the end-to-end connection over the IP network –
issues can include delays, static and echoing.
PSTN: Public Switched Telephone Network
 Benefits
 Consistent high audio quality
 Typically already in place at most facilities
 Not affected by power outages
 Traditional technology that all agents know
 Tradeoffs
 Difficult to pass additional information along with the call
 Typically more expensive than VoIP
1.1.1Web vs. Phone Self Service
 Web and Phone self service are complementary channels for providing
self service to customers, partners, and employees
 Web and Phone can (and should) use the same backend database(s) to
power the interaction with visitors and callers
 The telephone extends the reach of Web applications, providing on-the-

go, convenient access without duplicating infrastructure
41
1.1Personalized IVR
 “Personalized IVR”
 Uses customer profile data to power the IVR interaction
 Engages in one-to-one dialog with caller
 Two-way benefit
 Reduced cost to company

through efficient automation
of call
 Increased customer
satisfaction through quick
answers to common questions
 Better tracking and monitoring of

customers
Keys to Offering Personalized IVR
 Uniquely identify callers (Caller ID,

Account Number,
Phone Number)
 Lookup caller profile in customer database
 Identify different “bins” that callers fall into, and create customized call
flows for each “bin”
 Optimize for the frequent caller

experience
Technical Requirements
 Web-based transactional CRM

system
 Integrated customer data
Organizing an Effective Team
Business Roles
 Business Project Manager
42
 Maintains budget, schedule, and project timeline.
 Call Center Manager
 Manages call center agents, introduces and trains agents on new

technology.
Technical Roles
 Technical Architect
 Defines technical interfaces between systems.
 Programmer
 Writes code to link IVR with backend CRM/database systems.

 VUI Designer
 Writes prompts, designs call flow, “where the science meets the
art”.
Measuring Success
 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for IVR
 Automation Rate (Caller Self-Service)
 Abandon Rate
 Call Duration
 Zero-out
 Tools for Measuring Success
 Wizard of Oz testing
 Data capture and reporting in IVR
 Call recording
43
1 SYSTEM CONFIGURATION
1.1HARDWARE CONFIGURATION
• Intel Pentium-IV @ 2.6 Ghz.
• RAM 512 MB
• HDD 1 X 40 GB
• SAVG 15” Monitor
• FDD 1.44 MB
• 52X Samsung CD ROM Drive
• Mouse with Mouse pad
• Key Board
• 4 PCI SLOT
• COMPEX PS2208B 8 CHANNEL HUB
• Dot Matrix Printer – TVSE MSP 245
• 2 Serial / 1 Parallel / 2 USB Port (Support for ECC / EPP)
• 32 Bits 10 / 100 Mbps Ethernet Card with UTP Support.
• PSTN Interface Card
1. Trunk Card: PSTN
2. Interface Card for 30 Channels Support R2MFC Signaling.
3. Intel Dialogic Card
1.2 SOFTWARE PLATFORM

• Operating System: Windows 2000 Professional with license and CD Media.
• Anti Virus Software: Norton – 2005.
• 180 IVRS Software with Manual
• Dialogic Software
44
1.3IVRS CONFIGURATION
Figure 8: Generic Architecture
45
2 IVR Call flows in UMT

We are proposing following IVR call flows or Voice User Interface (VUI) to
address issues and problems that are being faced by different departments of
UMT.
1: Admission Department
2: Registrar Department
3: ASU Department
4: Office of Treasurer
5: UMT Exchange
2.1Admission Department
This department facing major issues during the admission season when daily
they have to entertain more than 500 calls those are almost consist of similar
sort of queries related to admission criteria, program outline, scope, deadline
to submit application, test and interview dates etc.
Currently in this department three persons are working, to handle huge call
volume. They usually stay late night to answers maximum calls but still call
abandon rate is 40% during the admission season.
Their job nature becomes very hectic and boring to answers same sort of
question whole day especially during admission season.
We have discussed with them in detail to understand their problems, based on

their requirements we are proposing an IVR solution following are few benefits
of this:
 Call abandon rate can easily be decrease by adding more lines to IVR
solution during admission season.
 IVR application can answers all FAQ to the candidates/callers
 IVR can transfer the call to representative if needed.
 IVR will be available 24X7 to entertain large numbers of calls around the
clock
46
Proposed IVR Call Flow for Admission Office
Welcome to UMT
For English Please Press One

Urdu kay leiy Do Milain
For admission office please press one

For registrar office please press two
Transfer the
For ASU office please press three
call to
For Office of Treasurer please press four
Admission
For directory service please press five
Office
1
0
To know the location of UMT Please Press One
For latest Information about admission Please
Press Two
To get the Admission Status Please Press Three
To get the UMT Timings Please Press Four Please enter your
To Talk to Admin Office Please Press Zero 4
Admission ID
1 2 3
For undergraduate program please press

University of Management one IVR playbacks the IVR will playback the
and Technology For graduate program please press two UMT current timing candidate status
C-II, Johar Town, Lahore For doctoral program please press three
Email: info@umt.edu.pk For professional program please press four
For diploma program please press five
1
4
3 FAQ related to professional
FAQ related to Undergraduate program .
program . 2 Note: Caller can talk to Admin
Note: Caller can talk to Admin office by press zero key anytime
office by press zero key anytime
5
FAQ related to doctoral FAQ related to diplomas

program. Note: Caller can talk to Admin
FAQ related to graduate office by press zero key
Note: Caller can talk to Admin
program. anytime
office by press zero key
Note: Caller can talk to
anytime
Admin office by press
zero key anytime
47
1.1Registrar Department
Registrar office is daily receiving 80 to 120 calls per day most of the callers are
asking following questions:
 Result Declaration Date

 Fee Matters– Status
 Fine Detail
 Admission and Financial aid Detail
 Convocation Dates
In addition to this registrar office also contact with the parents of those
students who are getting low CGPA to inform progress report of student.
We are proposing inbound and outbound IVR solution for registrar office that
will give a relief to registrar office staff because IVR solution will become the
front line agent to answer all FAQ to the caller instead these calls answered by
them and they can focus on their core duties that will defiantly enhance their
moral and productivity level.
The outbound IVR automatically interact with student database and prepare a
list of student those CGAP is not meeting the UMT standard along with their
contact information. After preparing the list outbound IVR will start reaching
parents and conveying prerecorded message to them. This would save a lot of
registrar office time because they do not worry to invest time to manually
prepare a list and reaching or sending reports to parents all this will be done
automatically by IVR solution.
48
Proposed IVR Call Flow for Registrar Office
Welcome to UMT


Transfer the
call to
Registrar
Office
To know the result declaration date please Press One

For Fine detail Please Press Two
For financial aid detail Please Press Three
To know the upcoming convocation date Please Press Four
To Talk to Registrar Office Please Press Zero
1 2 3
For undergraduate program please press one FAQ related to late fee fine detail
For graduate program please press two FAQ related to financial aid
Note: Caller can talk to registrar Note: Caller can talk to registrar
For doctoral program please press three office by press zero key anytime
For professional program please press four office by press zero key anytime
For diploma program please press five 4
IVR will playback the

tentative convocation
relevant program detail
dates of all programs
49
1.1ASU Department
Typically ASU receiving calls of following nature:
 Teacher is not available

 Students asking for makeup class
 Time Table
 Courses offered
All these information is easily provided through IVR system where students
can simply dial in and retrieve relevant information through system instead to
contact directly with ASU department representative.
Sometime if teacher is not available most of students lodged complaints that

they were not informed on timely fashion, to address this issue one alternative
solution is outbound IVR that will reach to every student and inform him/her
about the schedule of teacher.
50
Proposed IVR Call Flow for ASU Office
Welcome to UMT


Transfer the For registrar office please press two
call to ASU For ASU office please press three
Office For Office of Treasurer please press four
0
For latest information availability of teacher please Press One
For latest information about makeup classes please Press two
For latest information about time table please Press Three
For latest information about the course being offered for the
next semester please press four
To Talk to ASU Office please press zero
1 3
2
IVR will playback information (if IVR will playback the time table
any) regarding unavailability of
teacher on current day .
4 IVR will playback information (if

any) regarding makeup classes
which are schedule on current
day.

tentative courses those
will offer next semester .
51
1.1Office of Treasurer
Mostly student calls this department to check the status about their dues this
information can easily provided through IVR. In addition to this IVR can play
the history of the account settlements and playback the due dates and
amount of future installments.
On suggestion UMT dues can be paid through IVR by using Credit Card but this
area requires certifications to ensure the critical nature of data must be
secured and to meet the different service provider (vendors) requirements.
52
Proposed IVR Call Flow for Office of Treasurer
Welcome to UMT


Transfer the
call to
Treasure
Office
To know the status your last payment please press one

For historical information about your account please press two
For future installments and amount please press three
To Talk to Treasure Office please press zero
Please enter your

Please enter your PIN
student ID
1 2 3
IVR will playback future

IVR will playback the last IVR will playback the all
installments due date
transaction . previous transactions .
along with the amounts.
53
1.2UMT Exchange Office
UMT exchange office daily receives around 3000 calls and mostly they are
manually transferring these calls to relevant department and persons. There
are slightly high chances calls are being dropped during transferring due to
various reason e.g.
Person unavailability
 Transferred to wrong extension

 Dropped due to malfunction

We are proposing an IVR solution that can automatically route the call to
concern department or person and will intimate to the caller if the person is
not available either caller can record a message or transfer the call to another
extension if need be.
54
Proposed IVR Call Flow for Exchange Office
Welcome to UMT


Transfer the
call to
Exchange
Office
If you know your extension

please dial now or press zero for
operator help
If call not transferred then IVR will

give an option to caller leave a
message or talk to operator
55
1.1Implementation Strategies
(suggested)
The proposed solution can be implemented either by deploying the IVR on
third party IVR service provider or developed using free open source Software.
We are providing brief detail about both solutions:
1.1.1Implementation of IVR as Hosted Solution
VOXEO
VOXEO one of the leading IVR hosted service provider in the world that is also
providing services in Pakistan as well.
For detail information about VOXEO please visit the following site.
http://www.voxeo.com/
Benefits of Hosted Solution:

 No Telecom H/W Require
 Easily integrate with existing Infrastructure (desktop/Web base)
 Provide Local DNIS
Cost Estimation
 It would cost $ 0.09 per minute i.e. Rs. 7.56 ($1 = Rs. 84)
 They will also charge one time setup fee.
 Annual Local DID/DNIS fee that would be around $200
 There should at least buy 500 minutes per month
8.6.2 Software/Hardware Requirements
VOXEO is providing W3C VXML 2.1 based solution i.e. similar model for any
web base application.
On the Web, browsers make requests -- via internet protocols such as HTTP --
to Web servers. These Web servers host both static pages and dynamic
applications which return HTML to the browser. The result is a visual page
that is viewable in a Web browser.
56
Figure 9: General Architecture of Browser Base Application
On the Voxeo network, voice applications follow the same browser model as
standard Web pages. Instead of HTML, phone markup (VoiceXML, CCXML, or
CallXML) is used to write the page. When processed by the Voxeo VoiceCenter
network, these pages return audio to the caller.
Figure 10: General Architecture of VXML Base Application
So for hosting solution there is no any specific hardware requirements we can

use the existing Web Server and develop the server side application using any
language on which we have expertise.
1.1.1Implementation of IVR as on Premise Solution
Asterisk
We would suggest to develop IVR in house develop solution we should use

following open source software
1: Asterisk (IP PBX, S/W based VoIP Solution)

2: Asterisk AGI (SDK to develop IVR on Asterisk platform)
3: PHP (Programming language to write IVR call flow/script
4: Linux Cent OS
57
For detail information about Asterisk please visit the following site.
http://www.asterisk.org/
Benefits of in house solution:
 Maximum flexibility
 No monthly charges
Cost Estimation
Hardware Requirements
 Asterisk Server
 Desktop machine (PIV 2 GHz , 1 GB RAM, HD 100 GB)
 Cost Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 50,000
 Telecom Card
 4 Ports $ 700 (Rs. 60000)
 8 Ports $ 1000 (Rs. 840000)
Proposed solution with Asterisk
Figure 11: General Architecture of Asterisk Centric Application
58
1 FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS
(FAQs)
Q.1 How can the IVRS be useful for UMT customers?

• The IVRS is fully automatic computerized system, which offers services
24*7*365. It also provides the efficient method to monitor the
performance of calls.
Q.2 Who can get services from IVRS?

• All the PSTN/Cell Phone
subscribers of UMT can get the
services from IVRS.
Q.3 What type of services can be

offered to the UMT subscriber
through IVRS?
• Course registration
• Enquiry / Assistance
Q.4 In what conditions, the calling

subscriber lands to the IVRS
operator terminals?
• Caller can communicate with
relevant department representative by selecting menu option during the
call. Usually call transfer to human representative by pressing zero key.
Q.5 Can IVRS make outbound call as well?

• Yes
Q.6 Can IVRS takes caller voice message if a person is not available?
• Yes, IVRS will give an option to caller to leave a message if a person is not
available.
59
Q.7 Can Asterisk based solution supports ASR (Automatic Speech

Recognition) and TTS (Text to Speech) technologies?
• Yes
Q.8 Can Asterisk base ASR solution supports Pakistani regional

languages?
• No. Currently it supports English and major European languages.
Q.9 What would be the cost of Asterisk base solution for UMT?
• An IVRS system that supports 8 calls concurrently its hardware (PC+
Telecom Cards) around Rs. 150,000.
Q.10 What would be timeframe in which suggested system can be

developed and implemented?
• The proposed system can be developed and implemented in 2 months
with two resources. If anyone has expertise on Asterisk the development
period will be shorten from 2 months to 1 month.
60
2 Conclusions &
Recommendations
2.1 Conclusion and Future scope of the
work
2.1.1 Conclusion
Interactive voice response system developed makes user interface efficient.

It promises a friendly user interface as every stage of interaction.
IVR empowered users with more options regarding when, where, and how
they use Internet services. This new mode of access promises to further
accelerate the growth and maturity services.
• Excellent for UMT
• Staff productivity increased
• Availability 24/7
• Reduced Cost
• Effective communication
• Automated
• Fees convenience
• Payment confirmations
• Call forwarding
• No calls abandoned
• No call waiting for long periods
• No misunderstandings
Improvement were made in the following

aspects
1.1 Minimized delays

IVR provides several facilities to either eliminate or hide the delays
associated with calls. To minimize delays, the system maintains a cache for
audio files, and other files used by applications. Normally, once the system
has fetched a file over the Internet, it keeps a copy in the cache. If the
application requests the file again, the system uses the cached copy.
1.2 Future Scope of the work
61
Interactive voice response websites as everyone knows requires a lot of

infrastructure like developing voice servers. Mostly IVR applications are to
serve the untapped market of mobile and telephone users, which are the
cost effective ways of doing the transactions.
1.3 Benefits To Your Business

• Immediate ROI and lower TCO.A fully-hosted solution helps you
realize a reduction in hardware, software, maintenance, and human
resources- from day one and throughout the life of your application.
• Quick Deployment. Build, deploy and manage a world-class IVR

application in minutes, right from your desktop. The easy-to-use, web-
based Site Builder toolkit empowers you to get up-and-running quickly.
• Flexible, Dynamic Applications. As your business needs change, so

does your IVR application. With, changes to your applications can be
made at any time and implemented in real-time.
1.1 Benefits To Your Customers

• Self-service. Interactive Voice Response (IVR) capabilities allow
callers to get answers to standard inquiries simply and easily, and in
seconds, without the need for an agent.
• Reach the right agent, every time. The IVR capabilities

automatically capture relevant information from your callers and direct
them to the appropriate agent to handle their call.
• 24/7 customer service. Enable your customers to get the information

they need, when they need it. Your IVR application is working even
when you’re not.
1.1 Key Features

Intelligent, Interactive Communications
Leverage the power of the leading voice applications.

• Help customers interact seamlessly with your system via touch-tone or
voice - the choice is yours.
62
• Next-generation speech technology enables a customer-friendly call

experience, increasing customer satisfaction and helping resolve issues
quickly.
• Data capture features allow you to collect call information such as
dates, names and addresses through speech-to-text prompts.
Complete Call Routing
Advanced, customizable features help your IVR application route callers to

meet the needs of your business.
• Transfer calls to external phone numbers, such as land lines, cell
phones or other IVR systems.
• Call screening functionality announces IVR responses upon transfer of
call.
Data Management
whether you’d like to integrate with your database or track calls in real-time,
IVR provides sophisticated data management tools to help drive results.
• Full IVR reporting lets you gather data and make recommendations to
enhance your IVR solution, and the caller experience.
• Integrated data management capabilities enable you to use your
customer data to power and customize the IVR interaction.
• Capture data such as survey responses and populate it into a database
in near-real time.
1.1 Tradeoffs of IVR Systems

• People simply dislike talking to machines
• Older adults may have a hard time
following telephone menus and lengthy
instructions
• Younger callers get frustrated with the
slowness of multiple phone menus.
• Menus are too long
• There's too much information
• Voice prompts are hard to understand
IVR is sometimes criticized as being unhelpful

and difficult to use due to poor design and lack of
appreciation of the caller's needs. Some callers
object to providing voice response to an
automated system and prefer speaking with a
human respondent.
63
Companies have also been criticized for using IVR to reduce operational costs
but not offering similar services using agents. Such methods tend to frustrate
customers who feel that their right to speak to an agent is being restricted.
Such services are used in debt recovery and giveaways (Such as concert
tickets, satellite/cable receivers, etc).
 If a large company is able to

shave even a second off the
average length of each phone
call with a live operator, it can
save them hundreds of
thousands or even millions of
dollars a year
 [source: Human Factors
International].
1.1 Recommendation
 Student just need to dial in
111-UMT-UMT (111-868-868)
 To get answers (24X7X365) of their frequently asked questions.
1 Abbreviations
1 PSTN - Public Switching Telephone Network
2. IP - Internet Protocol.
3. DTMF - Dual Tone Multiple Frequency.
4. ’Wizard of Oz’- A prototype model of IVR development.
2 List of Figures
Figure 1: UMT Exchange..................................................................................23
Figure 2: Information Calls...............................................................................25
Figure 3: Call Status for Three Lines................................................................26
Figure 4: Expected Calls After IVR Implentation..............................................29
Figure 5: Working of IVR..................................................................................31
Figure 6: Hosted Solution.................................................................................40
Figure 7: On Premise Solution..........................................................................41
64
Figure 8: Generic Architecture.........................................................................52

Figure 9: General Architecture of Browser Base Application............................64
Figure 10: General Architecture of VXML Base Application..............................64
Figure 11: General Architecture of Asterisk Centric Application......................66
Figure 11: General Architecture of Asterisk Centric Application
65
3 References
1. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interactive_voice_response
2. www.plumvoice.com/
3. www.ivr.com/ www.ivr.com/
4. www.voxeo.com/
5. www.voxeo.com/library/ivr.jsp www.voxeo.com/library/ivr.jsp
6. webopedia.internet.com/TERM/I/IVR.html
7. ivr.tmcnet.com/ ivr.tmcnet.com/
8. www.easyivr.com/ www.easyivr.com/
9. ivr.tmcnet.com/ ivr.tmcnet.com/
10. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University of_Management_and_Techno... –
11. www.umt.edu.pk
12.http://books.google.com/books?
id=Nmbexusn9q4C&pg=PA203&dq=vru+ivr&cd=9#v=onepage&q=vru
%20ivr&f=false
13. "Voice Extensible Markup Language (VoiceXML) Version 2.0". W3C.
http://www.w3.org/TR/voicexml20.
14. "Voice Browser Call Control: CCXML Version 1.0". W3C.
http://www.w3.org/TR/ccxml.
15. "Speech Recognition Grammar Specification Version 1.0". W3C.
http://www.w3.org/TR/speech-grammar.
16. "The Seven Deadly Sins of IVR". Call Centre Management Association.
http://www.ccma.org.uk/ArticleDisplay.aspx?ID=61. Retrieved 2007-12-12.
66

Interactive Voice Response System in UMT

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Interactive Voice Response System in UMT

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Interactive Voice Response in University of Management & Technology

Implementing Interactive Voice

Under the guidance of

This work is a result of inspiration, support, guidance, co-operation

We would like to express our gratitude to our teacher for his

We also thank the telephone exchange department for helping us

A system in which the input and/or output are through a spoken,

Analyzing the requirements of the need for implementing the voice

identifies the call made by users of telephone network, initiates the

The dissertation work aims at suggesting the implementation of an

4.1 How IVR works?....................................................................................30

7 Chapter 7 SYSTEM CONFIGURATION..........................................51

8 Chapter 8 IVR Implementation in UMT.......................................53

8.6.1 Implementation of IVR as Hosted Solution......................................63

9 Chapter 9 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS...............................66

1.1History of University of Management &

UMT – now an independent, not-for-profit, private institution of higher learning

1.2The Journey from ILM to UMT

UMT is a project of the ILM Trust. It is an independent, non-for-profit private

1.3About the University of Management

The University responds to change both in the workplace and in academic

1.4UMT Vision is Learning

actualizing the highest standards of efficiency, effectiveness, excellence,

1.5UMT Mission is Leading

In September 2007, the Higher Education Commission (HEC),

Accreditation by Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC): Recently,

1.2UMT Mission Statement:

1.4 Faculty of UMT

1.5 Schools in UMT

1.1 UMT Campus Projects

The courses currently being undertaken range from education, professional

1.2Collaboration with other Institutions

National University of Computing and Emerging Sciences (FAST-NUCES),

INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP: UMT has become an institutional member of

parent, calls into a system to retrieve information from a Web-based

IVR also enables customer prioritization. In a system wherein individual

1.3Entertainment and information

• Answered by voice mail or answering machine (In this circumstances

1.1How users can access the IVR

(iv). The application takes whatever action is appropriate to the caller’s

Figure 1: UMT Exchange

2.2The existing Scenario

• Parents/Students will have to go to University premises to collect the

Figure 2: Information Calls

Figure 3: Call Status for Three Lines

1.1Admission Season Issues

1.1Telephone Exchange Issues

 They also answers to FAQ related to their departments like

Figure 4: Expected Calls After IVR Implentation

• The IVR system is a computer program that allows interactive sessions

• IVR interacts with the caller to determine (via collection of roll

Figure 5: Working of IVR

1.1 Main business drivers for undertaking

Now a day’s organizations particularly in US/Europe are moving towards

Communication between parents, students and universities; and it allows

1.1IVR applications in UMT

A simple voice mail system is different from IVR in that it is person-to-person,

ARUs increase the number of information calls handled and to provide

2.6Weighing the Options

• Hosted vs. On-Premise

1.1.1Hosted vs. On-Premise

Figure 6: Hosted Solution

 Minimize capital expense and development expense

 Provides 247365 access to information for all, and ready access