Vontoo service embeds voice calling into business applications

Service provider Vontoo now supports a capability that allows corporate applications to launch phone calls carrying prerecorded voice messages appropriate to particular business circumstances. So, if a CRM application finds that a shipment to a customer is late, the application itself can trigger a call that delivers voice notification about the delay.

This is made possible by Vontoo opening an API to its Voice Messaging service that lets customers insert access to the service within their business programs. Customers upload lists of business contacts to Vontoo's network and, via the service, record messages they will need to leave. When an application triggers the service over the Internet, it indicates the number to call and which message to leave.

The Simple Object Access Protocol-based API can string together multiple voice files to make up a message. For example, the message could include a file saying that an order will be late and another file telling what date to expect it Afterwards, the service reports back on the results of the call -- that it was delivered to a person or as a voice mail, or that there was no answer at the number supplied.

Customers with experience writing code for .Net or Java should be able to insert the service into applications on their own, Vontoo says. If not, Vontoo supplies sample code to guide the integration.

This kind of feature can be built privately within businesses by embedding VoIP capability within applications and having them dial out via the corporate PBX (compare IP PBX products). Microsoft and Nortel, as well as IBM and Cisco,  have alliances to come up with this type of integration for businesses.

The service costs $2,500 per year for an API fee, plus $1,000 for a minimum 10,000 minutes of messaging.

Vontoo competitors include PhoneTree, OneCall Now and Soundbite Communications.