Our packaged solution, the Virtual Speech Agent (VSA) Suite, is available both on-premise and as a hosted service. This gives organizations the ability to choose the deployment model that works for their current business need, while offering them a simple migration path as their business requirements change.

Organizations can choose between:

• On-premise systems purchased by the company and installed internally on the organization’s premises, or
• A hosted service, with an initial set-up fee followed by a monthly fee, or
• Deploying a hybrid of on-premise and hosted to cater for seasonal or campaign led demands in, for example, retail businesses, where the overflow may be handled by a hosted service

Each has its advantages.

On-Premise

Organizations can choose to locate their speech solution at their own premises. This option provides the potential for additional security while facilitating complex data integration.

On premise deployments suit organizations that want to retain local control and configuration with local data, telephony and CTI integration. Having premise-based solutions will remove security concerns around sharing critical data.

Fluency offers a choice of on-premise deployments - Fluency Appliance (where Fluency provides the IVR platform) or Software Only, enabling call centers to maximise their existing IVR investment.

Hosted

The appeal of procuring software functionality on a monthly subscription basis is growing, as organizations wake up to the associated low cost of ownership and rapid speed to market in deploying new functionality.

Because the business never actually ‘owns’ the software, it doesn’t have to consider internal deployment issues, support and upgrade costs, or the implications of future changes in requirements.

Organizations can gain access to new functionality quickly, and without having to make an upfront capital investment.

All of this makes the hosted model of software deployment an excellent alternative when automating routine transactions or indeed to cater for peak flows or seasonal demand.

Which to choose?

Hosted services are ideal for businesses with fluctuations in their call volumes, as they are able to ‘switch on’ the hosted capability for call bursts. This may suit a utility business during billing runs, for example, or a retailer which experiences seasonal peaks.

The hosted service enables them to buy capacity on demand, rather than pay for a system that may be idle outside of peak call times.

The low initial investment for a hosted service also enables companies to test assumptions, customer acceptance and evolve the service as their needs require.

On premise solutions, on the other hand, may be preferred if higher levels of integration are required with existing telephony, back-office systems and data sources, or, if due to the nature of the business, there are particularly stringent requirements for enhanced security and control.

Our hybrid approach caters for boosts in demand led by specific campaigns or seasonal fluctuations and enables organizations to handle the overflow using the hosted option. In both cases Fluency uses the same technology thereby making this a safe and easy option to deploy.