| In recent months, unified messaging systems
have become more and more prevalent. Whether they are truly unified or
just integrated systems are another matter, but Novavox's Smartphone
version 2.8 is indeed a true unified messaging system because faxes,
e-mail, and voice messages can all be accessed from one location. In this
case, they can all be accessed from Microsoft Exchange Server. While more
true unified messaging systems are coming out, only a few offer CT Media
as the backbone of their product. Novavox has recently become completely
CT Media -compliant, allowing Smartphone to be compatible with other
telephony applications. Another standout for the SmartPhone system is that
it includes an application generator (app-gen), which helps administrators
build customized IVRs. INSTALLATION
Representatives from Novavox Ltd. and Integrated Business Technologies (Novavox's
software distributor) came to our labs to show us SmartPhone version 2.8
for CT Media. They brought an NT Server 4.0 that was preinstalled with all
of the hardware (distributed by Alliance Systems) and software components.
Through these distributors, the SmartPhone system always comes bundled
with customer-specified features. All we needed to do was connect a couple
of analog lines to the European PBX (BOSCH Integral 13E Duo) that they had
brought over, and an additional line to the Panasonic Panafax DX-2000,
which we retained from a recent review (in the May issue of Internet
Telephony�).
We powered up the PC, logged in, and were ready to go. Of course,
incorporating more than one user and the entire system on one PC would
only be done in a lab setting, but this technique was efficient for our
purposes. While this process literally took only a couple of minutes and
was as easy as cooking a hard-boiled egg, this was not enough for us to
actually judge the installation yet.
We furthered our examination by looking at the Smartphone system from
an administrator's standpoint. We looked at the user mailboxes that were
set up through the Mailbox Administrator, and then added, deleted, and
edited the mailboxes. When adding a new user, we clicked the Settings tab
and simply entered an appropriate extension number, user ID, directory for
messages and greetings, name, and the user's primary language.
Once this information was applied, a greetings and a messages tab
automatically appeared on the GUI. Then, we set any outcall (alert you via
the telephone) or e-mail notifications we wanted and a designated fax
number when needed. In addition, we chose a folder for the user's
voice/fax message location on the Microsoft Exchange server. From the
Mailbox Administrator, we also recorded greetings and messages for the
user when editing our initial configuration.
DOCUMENTATION
From the Smartphone CD-ROM, you can access any of the documents you may
need in PDF format. A multimedia presentation about the product is also
incorporated. The presentation is informative, but a little slow at times
and you cannot skip through sections of it. The documentation includes the
Smartphone 2.81 User's Guide, voice-mail/unified messaging wallet card,
Smart-4 Fax Manual, Getting Started Guide, PBX Configuration Guide,
Administrator's Guide, and the Applications Developer's Guide.
This hefty amount of information explains almost everything you need to
know about the system from a general standpoint, from discussing
communications and unified messaging, to more specific terms about
Smartphone. The guides include procedural information that is clear and
concise as well as some diagrams, a detailed table of contents and index,
and a glossary of terms. However, we did notice that the index was missing
from the Administrator's Guide. Because the guides are substantial, they
can be difficult to wade through on a computer screen. We would recommend
that Novavox also include them in hardcopy format with the system so that
the user does not need to print them.
The help files are also informative, even though the descriptions could
be a little more detailed at times. Users should be able to reference
anything they need to know without much of a problem. They can also
reference the PDF files for more detailed information.
FEATURES
The latest Smartphone system stores fax, voice, and e-mail from a
Microsoft Exchange server, making the system a true unified messaging
system based on the Windows NT platform. It is also completely CT Media
compliant. It provides speech recognition in addition to using DTMF keys
for use with an auto-attendant, and has text-to-speech capabilities. Other
features include:
- Alarm message and message notification handling.
- Answers and routes incoming calls, receives and sends messages, and
provides message management.
- Works in conjunction with most switches.
- Available in English, French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish.
- Includes an application generator and a report generator.
OPERATIONAL TESTING
For the most part, end-users only need to access Microsoft Outlook or
a phone to be able to accomplish their tasks. From Outlook, they can view
their e-mail, voice messages, and faxes, and they can use any Outlook
features, such as forwarding or responding to these messages.
Through the phone, we also tested these tasks by setting up a couple of
client connections to our PBX system and calling the system, forwarding
messages to other clients on the system, leaving voice messages, and
faxing documents through the Panafax DX-2000 to our Exchange server. The
tasks were accomplished with little effort, showing us of the simplicity
of the Smartphone system.
We also attempted to listen to e-mail messages over the phone via
text-to-speech. While the voice sounded like a robot in dire need of an
oiling, it still read the message clearly enough for us to understand. In
addition, we decided to record a message via the voice message GUI when
responding to a voice mail we received. All we needed to do was press the
Reply by Voice button, record the message, and send it to the recipient we
chose.
Furthermore, speech recognition can be used on the Smartphone system,
allowing the auto-attendant to locate the name spoken by the caller by
searching the database and then transferring the call to the correct
person. This process is accomplished with relative certainty because of
the vast improvements in speech recognition technology.
Setting SmartPhone Apart
There are a few features that are located on the Smartphone Server
interface that may interest end-users. By pressing the appropriate buttons
on the toolbar, you can view online statistics, develop reports with the
report generator feature (many different types of charts can be created),
and build IVR applications with the VAP Editor. These first two features
are nice, but they can be found in some form on just about every good
unified messaging system. It is the app-gen (VAP Editor) that sets
Smartphone apart from other similar systems. It allows users to create
their own unique voice processing solution without having to buy separate
app-gen software.
In accord with the rest of the system, the VAP Editor is simple to use.
When we thought about a messaging system in logical terms (in other words,
how an auto-attendant should react to certain caller situations) we could
create simple applications by dropping the correct icon in the appropriate
position on the interface. Connecting each icon is like playing
connect-the-dots, and you can retract the line by clicking on the small
box below the icon where the line originated. To adjust the settings of
each icon's features, you just have to double-click the icon and enter or
check the appropriate information.
Some of the major icons used for this app-gen are the record, play,
branch (to designate more than one choice for the auto-attendant), send
fax, voice, database, call application, script, and send mail boxes. With
the VAP Editor, many functions can be achieved that may not have been
otherwise available, such as fax-on-demand, automated order processing,
and hearing audio text information via text-to-speech.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
As always, we found a few areas where improvements could be made. While
Smartphone works well with a Microsoft Exchange server, it would be nice
for the system to be unified with other servers, such as Lotus Notes.
Also, users should be able to access and manage all their messages from
any Internet browser. This way, users can remotely read faxes, e-mail, and
voice messages, and should be able to route, delete, and save messages
from the application. In addition, providing desktop call control
capabilities within the Smartphone system would allow users to answer,
transfer, hold, send calls to voice mail, or conference calls.
Thriving In Simplicity
Even though the VAP Editor thrives in its simplicity, we thought of a
few suggestions that would make it even easier to use. Right-click
functionality would benefit the app-gen immensely, as it would for other
Smartphone interfaces. The ability to short step a script as you are
developing it would help limit mistakes and help the user logically design
the script. Furthermore, if there were some type of execution mode
integrated in the app-gen, the user could see each block highlighted as
its function is executed. Also the ability to add detailed notes beside
each icon when analyzing the script would help users understand it better.
Scheduling when notifications can be sent would also improve this
system. Currently, users can only set start and end times for the
notifications and can only turn the notifications on and off. The
Smartphone system should have the ability to set times, such as whether or
not notifications should be sent on weekends and holidays. It is a pain to
turn off notifications every time you do not want them. Forgetting to do
so could turn into a real headache for the user. Also, a Short Message
Service (SMS), which allows for short messages to be transmitted to
another phone number, e-mail address, or pager, would be beneficial.
One last suggestion would be to incorporate ACD functionality into the
Smartphone system. We have been informed that this may be planned for the
near future, but it's worth mentioning anyway. The Smartphone system would
certainly benefit from providing the ability to route an incoming
telephone call to the next available agent.
CONCLUSION
There are three main reasons why one would consider Smartphone version
2.8 for CT Media to use as their unified messaging system. The first
reason is because of its complete CT Media compliance. The second reason
is the uncommon addition of a good application generator built into a
unified messaging system. The last reason is the simplicity of using the
system. Indeed, these three reasons certainly would make the Smartphone
system a valuable asset for any company. |
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