Occasionally, we speak with customers who find themselves faced with a dilemma: They need to record (or re-record) a ReminderPro message, but the room where the computer is located is noisy and not suitable for recording professional messages. Certainly, we want the messages we deliver to our clientele to be of a high quality, and background noise doesn't meet the standard.

In this situation, we often suggest using alternative software and a microphone for the recording of the ReminderPro messages. You see, ReminderPro stores each message in two WAV files located in the ReminderPro program directory. For example, the greeting for the Daily message says "Hello, this is...", and is stored in a file named daily.wav. The closing is the portion of the message that says "Press 1 to confirm your appointment...", and is stored in a file named ^daily.wav. You can use other software to record the greeting or the closing for your message, and then drop the file into the ReminderPro directory, replacing the existing file. ReminderPro will then use the recording you made elsewhere for the message.

There are a couple of gotchas here. First, the recording needs to meet certain specifications. The specs necessary for ReminderPro to use the file(s) are as follows:

• Channels: Mono
• Bit Rate: 128 kbps
• Sample Rate: 8 khz
• File Format: Wave Sound (.WAV)

Voice recording software will generally allow you to set the specifications before you record, or at least before you save the recording to a file. As long as the basic specs are met, you should be good to go.

Secondly, the files must be named correctly. So, if you have a message named Daily, there must be a daily.wav and a ^daily.wav file located in the ReminderPro directory. If they're not there, the program won't find them and, thus, can't play them when calls are made. The name of the message determines the names of the files.

Now, you may already have voice recording software you can use. If not, there is a plethora of them. Personally, I have used Audacity, which is free. It allows you to make recordings that meet the requirements. If recording directly through ReminderPro won't work for you, Audacity could be an option you'll want to consider.

If there are other freeware packages you like, please share your suggestions here.

My favorite ice cream comes from Tichy Eissalon in Vienna, Austria. Their hazelnut ice cream is arguably the best on the planet. Tichy’s offers a wide variety of other yummy flavors, even fiocco (whatever *that* is). I was a regular customer of Tichy’s in the late 70’s and go back whenever I can.

Important ingredients in Tichy’s recipe for success also apply to creating a winning Interactive Voice Response (IVR) solution:

1.    Important Connections

Tichy’s is located next to the Reumannplatz metro station on Vienna’s U1 line. It is also very close to Favoritenstrasse, a popular pedestrian shopping zone. These connections provide Tichy’s its customers.

An on-premise IVR solution should provide multiple connectivity options including analog, digital and VoIP.  Of course a SaaS IVR solution simply requires a browser and Internet access.

2.    Eat In/Take Out

Tichy’s ice cream parlor has both indoor and outdoor eating areas, as well as a takeout counter. This is where they serve their ice cream specialties, including the Eismarillenknoedel (apricot ice cream dumpling). Usually, I fight my way (it’s more of a crowd than a queue) to the takeout counter to order their fantastic ice cream.  Tichy’s appeals to customers with different wants and budgets.

An IVR system should meet the varied needs of customers, whether the customer is a single doctor practice that appreciates the minimal upfront investment of a SaaS, or a hospital using an on-premise IVR solution to cost-effectively send 100’s or even 1000’s of appointment reminders and other notifications each day.

3.    Free Product

Tichy’s is open about six months of the year, from April to early October.  On the day Tichy’s closes for the season, people wait in long lines to receive free ice cream.  Everyone is served until supplies run out.  Talk about customer appreciation!

Don’t just give people a little taste of your IVR solution, provide them with a generous free sample. (Better yet, don’t make them wait in line to get it!)

For decades,Tichy Eissalon has fulfilled their customers’ needs. They prove yet again that satisfied customers lead to a great brand and, ultimately, a successful company.