IBM Watson

• Speech-to-text Also called STT, this process converts spoken language to text. (STT)
• Text-to-speech Allows users to enter recorded prompts as text and use a computer-generated voice to speak the content. (TTS)
• Natural language processing Also called NLP, this process understands human speech or text and responds with human-like language. (NLP)
• Artificial intelligence (AI)

Virtual agents are flexible and can provide a range of functions to suit the needs of your organization. For example, you can design your virtual agent to handle a few simple tasks or to serve as a complex interactive agent.

Conversation Flow for Voice Virtual Agents

To start an interaction with a voice virtual agent, contacts The person interacting with an agent, IVR, or bot in your contact center. call a phone number and reach your organization. The contact may be connected directly to the virtual agent, or they might need to choose an option in an IVR Interactive Voice Response. Automated phone menu contacts use via voice or key inputs to obtain information, route an inbound voice call, or both. menu. The contact's utterances What a contact says or types. are transcribed Also called STT, this process converts spoken language to text. into text so the virtual agent can use them.

The virtual agent analyzes the contact's utterances to understand the purpose or meaning behind the words. This is known as the contact's intent. The virtual agent sends an appropriate response as text.

Requests and responses are sent back and forth between the virtual agent and the contact. CXone stays connected to the virtual agent service throughout the conversation, but does not participate in it. CXone waits for the signal that the conversation is complete or that the contact needs transferred to a live agent. This is the SIP Protocol used for signaling and controlling multimedia communication sessions such as voice and video calls. backchannel method of connection.

At the end of the conversation, the virtual agent sends a signal to the script. It can signal that the conversation is complete, or that the contact needs to speak with a live agent. If the conversation is complete, the interaction ends. If a live agent is needed, the script makes the request. The contact is transferred to an agent when one is available.

When the conversation is complete, the script can perform post-interaction tasks, such as recording information in a CRM Third-party systems that manage such things as contacts, sales information, support details, and case histories..

Components of an Integration

The integration of IBM Watson involves the following components: 

• CXone: CXone must have a configured voice or digital chat-based channel Various voice and digital communication mediums that facilitate customer interactions in a contact center. to use with the integration.
• Virtual Agent Hub in CXone: Virtual Agent Hub holds the configuration information for connecting to your virtual agent A software application that handles customer interactions in place of a live human agent. provider, such as service account credentials. This includes choosing the options you want to use for transcription Written form of all or part of a voice or digital interaction., if your integration requires this service.
• Studio scripts: You need at least one script that includes a virtual agent Studio action. The action must be configured with the connection information for your virtual agent. The point of contact for the channel you're using with the integration must be configured to use this script.
• IBM Watson: Your virtual agent must be fully configured in the provider's platform. See the prerequisites on this page for any specific requirements.

Custom Scripting Guidelines

Before integrating a virtual agent The meaning or purpose behind what a contact says/types; what the contact wants to communicate or accomplish., you need to know: 

• Which script you want to add a virtual agent to.

• The virtual agent Studio action you need to use.

• Where the Studio actions must be placed in your script flow.
• The configuration requirements specific to the virtual agent you're using.
• Provider-specific requirements. Autopilot has no provider-specific requirements. For Autopilot Amelia only, the script has the following requirements: 

  • When nesting JavaScript within the JSON payload in Amelia virtual agents, use single quotes instead of escaping double quotes with a backslash ( \" ).

  • JSON structures must be "contentType": "dfoMessage", where the M in Message is capitalized. It won't work with a lower case m.

• How to complete the script after adding the virtual agent action. You may need to: 
  • Add initialization snippets as needed to the script using Snippet actions. This is required if you want to customize your virtual agent's behavior.
  • Re-configure the Studio action Performs a process within a Studio script, such as collecting customer data or playing music. connectors to ensure proper contact flow and correct any potential errors.
  • Use the OnReturnControlToScript branch to handle hanging up or ending the interaction. If you use the Default branch to handle hanging up or ending an interaction, your script may not work as intended. StandardBot behaviors. You can learn more about handling the end of the interaction in the online help about
  • Complete any additional scripting and test the script.

You may be able to obtain template scripts for use with virtual agent integrations from CXone Expert Services. If you need assistance with scripting in Studio, contact your Account Representative, see the Technical Reference Guide section in the online help, or visit the CXone Community site.

Supported Studio Action

Contact your Account Representative for assistance with your script.