Xtreme Locator Builds Voice-Enabled Location Services

IQServices.com is a Michigan-based firm that offers web hosting and web design Services. In 1999, they developed an internet application program, Xtreme Locator, that enables businesses to showcase their physical store locations based on ZIP code. This application can be integrated within a website, Facebook and customer management systems (CMS) like WordPress, Drupal and Joomla.

Over time, Xtreme Locator has evolved and continued to add innovative features that cater to the needs of its valued clients, including manufacturers, utility companies, retailers, banks, restaurants and other businesses. Their success is a direct result of their dedication to providing exceptional customer service and innovative solutions through cutting-edge technology.

The Xtreme Locator team, led by their operations manager, faced the challenge of building a solution that would help a large Australian manufacturer better handle a large number of monthly phone calls. Callers were seeking to find physical or brick-and-mortar dealer locations. The number of calls overwhelmed their operators, consuming their work time and pulling their attention away from other assigned tasks.

As this was an Australian-based company, their project had two special requirements:

1. Provide a street-level location of each dealer using the Australian postal code.
2. Connect their phone system to the locator application and deliver the locations and directions in Australian English.

Solution

The first item to address was verifying that Australian-based, street-level data could be integrated into Xtreme Locator to locate individual dealers accurately. That was easy. Xtreme Locator already includes the Australian postal code data in its base product, so no additional databases need to be built or acquired.

The second item to resolve was finding an international carrier connecting the manufacturer’s phone system in Australia to IQServices.com in Michigan. Since Plum Voice maintains partnerships with various telecommunication companies worldwide, they had carrier resources readily available to make that connection.

After those pieces were resolved, it was time to make the connection between their platform and the manufacturer’s interactive voice response (IVR) system. Plum Voice provided a toll-free number to IQServices.com that could do just that. With this number, the manufacturer could add a prompt to their phone system to forward incoming customer calls to the Xtreme Locator platform.

Using the Xtreme Locator Plum Plugin built with the Plum DEV tool on the secure Plum Voice platform; the Xtreme Locator application could search for the nearest dealer location by ZIP code in the database.

Finally, a virtual agent would respond by voice mechanism with the dealer’s street address. IQServices.com delivered the voice data in Australian English using a life-like Australian language module provided by Plum Voice. This enhanced the customer experience because customers felt at home hearing an appropriate country accent.

Results

The manufacturer was pleased with the new application added to their phone system. Their customers can easily find local dealers to pick up their supplies without waiting on hold to speak to an operator.

Their operators are more productive and satisfied with their job. They can now spend more time handling more detailed or complicated customer service issues and completing their other tasks.

A simple voice automation solution has resulted in better operational efficiency, higher employee morale and cost savings.

Contact us today to learn more about Plum Voice products and voice automation solutions for your business.