Introduction

In outbound voice experiences, it's essential to communicate well with the person you're trying to reach. However, the reality often entails dealing with voicemail systems or other automated responses. To address this challenge, Vonage offers advanced machine detection capabilities as part of its Voice API, empowering developers to create more tailored and efficient call flows.

In today's highly connected world, businesses rely on outbound voice communications, from delivering important messages to engaging with customers. However, the effectiveness of such communications can be hindered when dealing with voicemail systems or automated responses. Recognizing this need, Vonage introduces Advanced Machine Detection, a premium feature designed to enhance the accuracy and flexibility of call handling in outbound voice experiences.

Understanding Machine Detection

Before we get into the details of Advanced Machine Detection, it's important to understand the basics of machine detection in the Vonage Voice API system. Standard Machine Detection offers basic capabilities to identify whether a call is answered by a human or a machine, with options to either continue with the call or terminate it. In contrast, Advanced Machine Detection enriches this functionality by providing more accurate detection and additional features such as beep detection and asynchronous mode.

Key Features of Advanced Machine Detection

Advanced Machine Detection offers several key features that distinguish it from standard detection methods:

1. Improved Accuracy: Advanced algorithms ensure more precise identification of human and machine answers, minimizing false positives.

2. Beep Detection: The ability to detect the presence of a voicemail beep enables customized messaging after the beep for a seamless user experience.

3. Asynchronous Mode: It lets you do machine detection and call actions at the same time, which speeds up call setup and makes the call process smoother overall.

Implementing Advanced Machine Detection

To implement advanced machine detection with Vonage's Voice API, follow these steps:

• Enable Advanced Machine Detection: Ensure that you have access to the premium feature by subscribing to it, as it comes with an additional charge.

• Include Configuration in API Requests:

  • When making a new call with a POST request, include the "advanced_machine_detection" configuration in the request body.

  • Alternatively, if initiating the call through an NCCO connect action, include the "advancedMachineDetection" configuration.

• Configurable Parameters:

  • Behavior: Define what the Vonage platform should do when encountering a machine. Choose between "continue" to continue with the call or "hangup" to terminate the call.

  • Mode: Choose one of the modes:

    • "detect": Synchronous mode similar to standard machine detection.

    • "detect_beep": Synchronous mode with detection of voicemail beep.

    • "default": Asynchronous mode allowing for a better call experience.

  • Beep Timeout: Define how long to wait for the voicemail beep before generating a webhook event.

Example Request Body

{
   "answer_url": ["https://example.com/answer"],
   "answer_method": "POST",
   "to": [{
      "type": "phone",
      "number": " "
   }],
   "from": {
      "type": "phone",
      "number": " "
   },
   "event_url": ["https://example.com/event"],
   "event_method": "POST",
   "advanced_machine_detection": {
      "behavior": "continue",
      "mode": "default",
      "beep_timeout": 45
   }
}

Advanced Machine Detection in NCCO Connect Action

{
   "action": "connect",
   "eventUrl": ["https://example.com/events"],
   "timeout": "45",
   "from": " ",
   "advancedMachineDetection": {
      "behavior": "continue",
      "mode": "default",
      "beep_timeout": 45
   },
   "endpoint": [{
      "type": "phone",
      "number": " "
   }]
}

Business Use Cases and Benefits

The applications of Advanced Machine Detection are diverse and impactful across various industries and use cases:

1. Customer Engagement: Deliver personalized messages or prompts based on whether a human or machine answers the call, enhancing customer engagement.

2. Appointment Reminders: Ensure timely delivery of appointment reminders by detecting voicemail systems and leaving detailed messages after the beep.

3. Lead Generation: Optimize lead generation campaigns by automatically filtering out voicemail responses and focusing on live connections for better conversion rates.

Conclusion

Vonage's Voice API offers Advanced Machine Detection, allowing developers to create more intelligent and efficient outbound voice experiences. By leveraging advanced algorithms, beep detection, and asynchronous mode, developers can tailor call flows to better suit their specific needs and enhance the overall user experience. As companies depend more on making outbound calls, it's really important to include Advanced Machine Detection. This helps ensure that interactions with recipients are smooth and have a significant impact.