Build Your ExperienceReach your audience with text-to-speech messaging.

Text-to-speech messaging is a less explored form of business messaging. But when done right, it can make your business more trustworthy and accessible. With proven higher delivery rates than SMS, you can ensure your message is heard.

For an online banking platform that deals with transactions at tremendous volumes, ensuring that every transaction is secure is paramount. Adding a layer of authentication through a voice call is a simple way to further protect their users’ transactions. Using a phone call, they can further narrow the possibility that a verification code goes into the wrong hands, as only the listener of the phone call has access to this information.

At the other end of the spectrum, imagine a retail business targeting an older demographic. Not everyone is savvy with a mobile phone. The option to deliver promotional messages through a text-to-speech phone call lets them reach those who are more comfortable receiving phone calls, or may only have access to landline phones.

How text-to-speech messaging works.

How it works is simple. Implement a voice messaging API that you can call with the message you’d like to be converted to speech, and parameters such as language, voice profile and phone number. The API platform will do the work of converting your text into a voice call to your end user.

Tip 1: Keep sensitive information private.

Text-to-speech messaging is the ideal channel for sending sensitive or private information and ensuring that it stays private. The ephemeral nature of phone calls means that the information you send to your users through voice messaging does not stay in their phone.

This makes text-to-speech messaging the perfect channel for sending user verification codes, alerts on secure transactions and other sensitive information. Only the recipient of the phone call is able to have access to the information sent over the text-to-speech phone call, which makes it the most secure communication channel for account security.

Tip 2: Make your business more accessible.

Accessibility is a topic that, rightfully so, is being paid more attention in recent years. Making your digital experience more accessible is widely accepted to be good for business. By going the extra step to look out for all customers and users, your brand can stand out in the eyes of the modern user.

A simple step towards making your digital experience more accessible is through incorporating text-to-speech voice messaging into your communication strategy. By giving your audience the option to receive their promotions, notifications, and alerts through a phone call instead of text, you’re able to provide a more pleasant experience to someone who may otherwise be left out.

The great thing about taking that extra step towards accessibility is that it doesn’t just open your business up to those who may have found it harder to reach you; by providing a more customizable communication experience, you elevate user experience across the board.

Tip 3: Make messaging a strategic part of the business.

Companies all over the world use text-to-speech voice messaging in various ways. Here are some examples of the types of strategies your business can leverage on utilizing text-to-speech technology:

• One-time passwords: Validate user identity with voice one time passwords
• Delivery notifications: Inform customers about their delivery status via an automated phone call
• Appointment and reminders: Phone calls to remind customers of their appointment will reduce no-shows
• Company or nationwide notifications: Send immediate emergency phone calls such as flood, earthquake, or fire

The 8x8 Voice messaging API is uniquely catered to optimize your voice messaging needs so you can enable the conversation today.

• Single or Bulk API: Send single personalized notifications or bulk promotions, depending on your use case
• 45 languages: Text to speech can be sent in up to 45 local languages
• Call status API: Programmatically receive call status updates, down to the reason for call failure, such as line busy or unanswered call
• Billing per successful call: Only get billed for calls that reach your customer successfully

• Text-to-speech messaging can help make your business more trustworthy and accessible.
• Text-to-speech messaging is the ideal channel for sending sensitive or private information and ensuring that it stays private.
• By giving your audience the option to receive their promotions, notifications, and alerts through a phone call instead of text, you’re able to provide a more pleasant experience to someone who may otherwise be left out.
• The 8x8 Voice messaging API is uniquely catered to optimize your voice messaging needs so you can enable the conversation today.

Helpful Resources

Solution Brief: Building your digital experience with APIs

Documentation: Voice Messaging

Blog post: 5 Tips for API Security

Build a business case for using 8x8 SMS, Chat Apps, Jitsi as a Service and Voice APIs to reimage how communications can be used to enhance customer experiences and drive growth for your company.