What Is A Voice API And How Does It Work? And How Does It Work?

The ever-growing cache of technology means that it’s both easier and harder than ever before to connect with customers. Since nearly everyone has a cellphone or smart device, it’s the most obvious way to reach your audience. But this means increased competition, which in turn makes it difficult to break through the noise and grab an individual’s attention.

Voice APIs are a time-tested and reliable, but modern option for reaching your audience. These APIs allow you to upload a voice message, which they then send out via mass calls. The result is a more streamlined version of traditional calling— but instead of it taking hours to call just a few customers, voice APIs can call thousands of customers in the span of a few minutes.

Keep reading to learn more about voice APIs. We’ll go over what they are, how they work and how they can benefit your company.

What Is A Voice API?

A voice API is an application that sends mass calls to customers using a pre-recorded script. The calls are all placed simultaneously and can be programmed to react in different ways based on the response to the call. For example, they can be programmed to detect voice answering machines and either hang out or leave a voicemail. Similarly, they can be programmed to recognize when a real person answers, which can trigger a transfer to a live agent.

Voice call APIs are the best choice for companies whose marketing or communication strategies involve mass calls, also known as bulk calls. These APIs make the process more efficient, more affordable, and more effective. They are the API of choice for companies who prefer to connect with customers via the spoken word versus the written word, such as in email or text.

How Does A Voice API Work?

There are three simple steps to using a voice API: upload your customer contacts, record your messages (i.e., the content of the call), and schedule your campaigns. This can all be done within the span of an hour or two.

When going through this process, remember to keep personalization at the forefront of your mind. For customer contact lists, this may mean separating them into different lists or campaign audiences depending on their geographic region or other demographics.

Similarly, it’s best to tailor your message for individual audiences, though your core message should remain the same. Even this minimal bit of customization can boost engagement and ROI.

Scheduling should also be done with an eye for what will be most convenient for each group of customers. During what time or on what day are they most likely to answer the call? The more forethought you put into your campaigns, the better the results will be.

As you begin to send out campaigns and receive reports and data on each one, you’ll be able to further tailor each campaign. This will help you decide which campaigns are effective and which need to either be tweaked or retired.

When To Use A Voice API?

A Programmable voice API is best employed when businesses want to connect to their customers via calls. These APIs are designed to streamline the calling process, saving you time, money, and resources (among other benefits). Instead of an individual worker manually placing a call, voice APIs use a pre-recorded message to mass call customers.

If you need to contact a large number of customers, whether that means a few dozen or a few thousand, then voice APIs can make the process exponentially easier. These APIs also have additional features that can help you better target your messages and customers.

The flexible nature of voice APIs make them suitable for nearly every industry and every business, whether your business is a local, family-owned company or an internationally recognized name. It also means that this API is multi-purpose; for example, you can use a voice API to send out delivery updates and emergency notifications instead of using two different mediums.

Benefits Of A Voice API

There are a variety of benefits to using a voice API either in combination with other marketing mediums or as your primary communication method. These include maximizing time and money, increasing customer engagement, leveraging powerful features, and accessing a multitude of potential uses.

We go into each of these in more detail below:

• Time and Money – Voice APIs save businesses money by removing the need for individual, manual calls; it expediates the process through pre-recorded messages and mass calling
• Customer Engagement – Hearing another person’s voice encourages customer engagement moreso than simply receiving a text or email; it also creates more of a sense of immediacy, unlike texts or emails which can be left unread for days
• Powerful Features – Features such as answering machine detection, text-to-speech, and real-time reporting can boost your voice API campaigns and give you an edge over competitors
• Potential Uses – A Voice calling API can be used for many purposes, ranging from appointment reminders to marketing promotions to campaign donation requests and more, making them one of the most versatile communication methods

Keep in mind, these are just a few benefits that the majority of voice APIs share. Depending on the voice API provider you choose, your business may gain access to more benefits, such as customizable features or scalable service.

Voice Messaging Statistics

Voice APIs are part of a growing sector within voice technology. Currently, the voice technology marketing is worth more than $11 billion and is expected to balloon by nearly 17% by 2025.

Text-to-speech and speech-to-text, specifically, are becoming increasingly popular as both companies and customers alike look for ways to optimize their time and increase accessibility. According to a 2020 survey, accuracy and pricing were the top factors (and top barriers) influencing the choice of provider for these services.

So what does this mean for you? Essentially, if you’re interested in using a voice API, it means that the text-to-speech feature could be integral to your campaigns, either now or in the future. And as the market becomes more competitive, additional features are likely to become similarly important. This means that features should be a primary area of research for any voice API provider you’re considering.