Call chatbot: how to integrate an AI-powered voice bot with telephony

In recent years, the number of industries using AI for everyday tasks has grown significantly, and telephony is no exception. Today, the market offers a wide range of chatbots that can make and receive calls on your behalf, fully automating the process. However, voice assistants come with different functionalities, making it difficult to choose the right one.

In this article, we will discuss what voice bots can do, how they differ from each other, and what factors are important to consider when choosing one.

What is a chatbot?

A chatbot is a program that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) technologies to conduct conversations. Unlike traditional voice menus (IVR), a chatbot understands natural speech, analyzes the meaning of what is being said in real time, and can engage in a full-fledged dialogue.

Using bots for call processing has many advantages. Just think about it: you can create a personal assistant that can handle large volumes of calls 24/7, as well as quickly and independently learn. All you need to do is write a brief script for it. Sounds great, right?

Differences between AI-based bots and robots

AI is far from the only technology used for call automation. Previously, some businesses used basic robots that read text and conducted a dialogue strictly according to a predefined script. You may have encountered such models yourself, and that's why you know that this solution is ineffective. Many callers quickly end the call or simply reject it, not wanting to listen to the scripted text.

AI-based chatbots are fundamentally different from outdated technology. The main differences are:

• Flexibility in dialogue - a voice AI chatbot can understand questions in a free form, not just specific commands, and can improvise based on the situation
• Adaptability - it learns from examples and improves over time
• Understanding context - it remembers details of the conversation and uses them in the dialogue
• Human-like voice - modern voice agent can speak naturally, with emotions, pauses, and even with an accent if needed
• Higher conversion - people are more likely to engage in a conversation with an AI chatbot than with a regular robot

Types of voice bots

Before choosing a voice bot for your business, it’s important to understand the available solutions and the tasks they are designed for.

The main types of bots are:

• Basic chatbots (Rule-based chatbots) - they operate based on predefined commands. They perform simple tasks that require clear answers from the user
• Smart bots with AI - They use machine learning and natural language processing technologies to understand context. They are capable of adapting to non-standard questions and learning from interactions with users
• Bots with integration of Large Language Models (LLM) - complex models, trained on large datasets and capable of self-learning. They can engage in free dialogue and quickly switch between topics. They generate responses that are as close to human speech as possible

What can voice AI chatbots do?

Voice AI chatbots have a wide range of features that can improve customer service quality and increase the efficiency of your call center. It’s impossible to describe all the capabilities of voice assistants in one article, but our team has prepared a list of the most popular features that may interest you:

1. Understanding natural language - the program can analyze questions and respond to them in a free-form manner
2. Dynamic call routing - by identifying the query, the bot can transfer the customer to the appropriate menu or to an operator
3. Call recording and analytics - in addition to real-time speech analysis, the bot can also provide a brief summary of the conversation to the operator the call is transferred to, or to the statistics
4. Order processing - the voice assistant can collect order information from the customer and transfer it to the CRM
5. Knowledge base addition - this feature turns the chatbot into a virtual expert, capable of providing professional advice or accurate information about services by using the knowledge base added to it
6. Integrations with other services - most solutions support integrations with CRM systems, telephony, messaging apps, and other applications.

What does the integration of a chatbot and Zadarma telephony provide?

Voice AI bots on their own are a powerful tool for automating calls, but when combined with cloud telephony, they become even more useful. Here's how our service can complement the chatbot:

• Low call rates - we offer competitive rates, including for international calls, which is especially beneficial for companies with clients in different countries
• A wide selection of numbers – multichannel virtual numbers from 110 countries worldwide (landline, mobile, toll-free), which allow you to stay connected with customers from every corner of the planet.
• Simple registration and integration – setting up telephony takes minimal time, and managing numbers and calls is easily accessible through a user-friendly personal account.
• SMS sending – in addition to calls, you can automatically send messages with confirmations, reminders, and other important information.

Which chatbots can already be integrated with Zadarma?

At the moment, Zadarma offers ready-made integrations with Retell AI and Vapi. Both services provide AI-powered chatbots, but they differ in several key aspects. We will highlight the main features of each solution to help you determine which one best suits your business needs.

Retell AI - it is a convenient platform for beginners and those who need a bot for simple tasks. The chatbots created with this service are designed to operate based on commands or scripts, and you can create and launch your bot in just a few minutes.

After creating a voice assistant, it can be integrated with Zadarma telephony, your username and password.

Among the advantages of the service, we can also highlight multilingual support, realistic sound quality, and a wide range of analytics for completed calls.

Vapi, on the other hand, is aimed at developers. The platform offers a convenient API that covers all processes - from setting up the bot to testing and integrating it into the application. Additionally, you can integrate your own language model into the system.

This solution differs in its flexible settings, support for complex interaction scenarios, and scalability. The guide for integrating VAPI and Zadarma can be found here.

Important aspects to consider when choosing a chatbot

Different solutions are optimized for different tasks. Here are the main criteria we recommend considering when choosing a service for creating chatbots:

• Integrations – the ability to integrate with your CRM, API, as well as support for the SIP protocol for telephony.
• Flexibility of settings – scenario and command setup, response logic management, and the ability to train the bot further.
• Cost – consider the prices for calls, API request rates, hidden fees, and support costs
• Support and security – SLA level, data protection, GDPR compliance (if operating in Europe).

Investing in the right chatbot is a step towards boosting service quality, improving customer experience, and optimizing internal processes.