Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company has implemented new technology aimed at helping the company deliver higher quality VoiceXML applications to better service their customers and improve efficiencies.

VoiceXML is an Extensible Markup Language (XML) application which, when combined with voice recognition technology, enables interactive access to the Web through the telephone or a voice-driven browser. Using the technology might involve a combination of voice recognition and keypad entry. The technology allows users to check all the information they might normally access on the Web, by using their phone rather than their computer.

The application that Nationwide Mutual is adopting is called Voiyager Dynamic Application Discovery, and it is an application testing solution that reduces the time and effort required to design, deploy and maintain VoiceXML applications. The solution handles comprehensive testing and quality assurance demands. The Voiyager solution is from Syntellect, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner.

For Nationwide, the technology has been instrumental in updating and measuring the efficiency of the firm’s VoiceXML applications, according to Mike Perrin of Nationwide’s NSC Operations. “Our backlog of updates and need to protect the long-term cost controls and ultimate sustainability of our applications were the leading drivers to invest in Voiyager,” says Perrin. “This technology allows us to validate a far greater span of our operations’ call flows in a time-frame that was impossible to attempt using the manual methods previously available.”

Syntellect says the testing of IVR applications today consumes more than one-third of the VoiceXML application lifecycle. Voiyager's automated exploration process enables testing that can take place in the early stages of development, for a smoother transition into the QA phases. In addition, tools such as Voiyager's Browser Phone and State Validator help to reduce the common time consuming issues that hinder so much of the application lifecycle.  All of the functions provided in the Voiyager tool set can be integrated in existing development and testing processes through an Application Programming Interface (API).

Voiyager product manger Bruce Sherman notes that as VoiceXML applications are generally customer-facing service applications, many firms view them as critical to business success, and assuring the quality of existing applications, new applications and upgrades is a high priority. “Clearly they have a great deal riding on their service applications and have much to gain by improving their ability to turn out new applications or updates in a more efficient way that leads to greater quality applications,” he says.