In a significant advancement for small businesses, two New Jersey-based companies, Onvego and Phone.com, have joined forces to create an innovative AI-based solution, aimed at redefining traditional answering services. This new offering, referred to as the “Smart Receptionist” by Onvego and “AI-Connect” by Phone.com, harnesses advanced proprietary technologies that include automatic speech recognition (ASR), natural language understanding (NLU), natural language processing (NLP), text-to-speech (TTS), and large language models (LLM). This sophisticated software is designed to simplify interactions for both consumers and businesses, making it easier for small enterprises to improve operations and profitability without necessitating extensive technical knowledge or resources.
Ari Rabban, co-founder and CEO of Phone.com, along with Gonen Ziv, Chief Revenue Officer of Onvego, highlighted the synergy between their companies during a dialogue with NJTechWeekly.com. Rabban has been a pivotal figure in the New Jersey tech community since establishing Phone.com in 2008, leveraging support from industry veterans and organizations such as ff Venture Capital and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA). Ziv has a similar background, bringing vast experience from his years in the technology sector, including work with a drone project utilizing voice command technology for military applications.
The collaborative effort was fueled by mutual objectives surrounding the technological enhancement of small businesses. Rabban remarked upon my shared vision he and Ziv discovered while engaging within the New Jersey tech ecosystem. Their cooperation focused on integrating Cloud technology with telephony systems, ensuring that the AI solutions are seamlessly deployed and beneficial for a diverse clientele. Key insights gained from understanding the needs of Phone.com’s customer base facilitated the product’s development, allowing it to evolve rapidly into a comprehensive solution tailored for small businesses.
Onvego, with its U.S. headquarters in New Jersey, draws strategic advantages from its proximity to New York City while benefiting from a lower cost of operation. Ziv highlighted the supportive environment for tech startups within New Jersey, citing both governmental and educational resources as vital to their operations. As their partnership flourished, Onvego began expanding its workforce in New Jersey to further support its growth objectives, while simultaneously seeking additional office space.
The AI-Connect solution functions by interpreting caller intent and streamlining customer interactions, allowing for features such as directed call routing and appointment scheduling. For instance, a caller seeking to connect with a specific individual is verified through the AI system, which facilitates direct communication or allows the caller to leave a message if the recipient is unavailable. This refinement of communication enhances the customer service experience while alleviating the burden on small business operations.
According to Amber Bigler Newman, Director of Marketing at Phone.com, this technology enhances value for their primary customer base of small businesses, identifying the continued relevance of phone communication. Statistical evidence suggests that 60% of consumers still prefer to engage via phone calls, with such interactions yielding significantly higher conversion rates for small enterprises compared to other communication channels.
Summarizing the advantages of the AI-Connect service, Ziv emphasized its potential to provide insightful business intelligence, enabling companies to recognize trends and customer inquiries that could inform operational decisions. By facilitating improved answering capabilities and providing analytical insights into customer interactions, Onvego and Phone.com’s product is poised to revolutionize the way small businesses communicate with their clients. As small businesses represent a crucial component of the economy, solutions like AI-Connect signify essential steps toward levelling the technological playing field between large corporations and smaller enterprises.
In conclusion, the partnership between Onvego and Phone.com illustrates a successful collaboration designed to empower small businesses through advanced technological solutions. This initiative not only enhances customer engagement but also provides valuable insights, reflecting a promising future for small enterprises in an increasingly digitalized world.
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