Analyzing the business possibilities of "Spoken Web" technology

Abstract

We begin the report by giving a brief introduction of a company which is using "Spoken Web" technology, 'Awaaz.De'. 'Awaaz.De' is a participatory, voice-based, and open-source platform that functions as a voice message board and information service. Organizations using its platform set up voice portals for a number of purposes, including sharing prerecorded information, providing responses to caller questions, and serving as interactive discussion forums or classifieds. It also includes both push and pull services, which allows organizational subscribers to reach out directly to wider audiences and users to call in on demand. Organizational subscribers are assigned dedicated phone numbers and applications customized to their needs. Messages on Awaaz.De are digitally recorded to an online database that is moderated by the organizational subscriber. The subscriber can listen to received messages online, tag them (based on location, topic, crop type), and assign them to a specific responder (i.e., relevant expert) designated by the subscriber organization. The system then calls the responder at a pre-determined time and plays the voice message. Once the responder has recorded the answer, it gets immediately sent to the original caller. Besides the call and response feature, the system can also be configured so that it has either a public or moderated voice message board where any user can respond to messages and share information. In addition, organizational subscribers can record informational messages or develop voice surveys that can be broadcast to multiple users at a scheduled time.