Microsoft Announces Speech Server 2007 Beta Availability

Aside from the Windows Live Messenger Beta and the beta for Windows CE 6, Microsoft also announced the availability of the first beta for Speech Server 2007 and a new set of features to make it easier for companies to develop and manage well-designed voice response and touch-tone applications.

According to Opinion Research Corp., nearly seven out of 10 consumers say they are less likely to do business with a company after a bad call center experience.

Microsoft says the new solution will provide the tools needed to build and refine robust applications that deliver a more satisfying experience for customers.

"The powerful tools in Speech Server 2007 dramatically reduce the cost and complexity of building and maintaining customer-friendly self-service systems, freeing your agents to focus on high-value transactions and high-touch customer service," said Rich Bray, general manager of Microsoft Speech Server at Microsoft.

Here's a list of all the features the company is touting:

- Advisor Technology, which serves as the "grammar cop" for Speech Server 2007, catching problem areas before deployment.

- Conversational Understanding represents the next generation in natural speech recognition technology and enables people to speak more naturally when interacting with a Speech Server-powered application.

- Dialog Workflow Designer, provides a simple drag-and-drop tool for designing applications and call flows.