SAP Signs Deal To Voice-Enable Its ApplicationsSAP Signs Deal To Voice-Enable Its Applications

SAP has signed a deal with VoiceObjects, a developer of voice application management systems, that will allow it to voice-enable its applications. A voice-enabled application would, for example, allow sales staff on the road to input data into a CRM system about a sale or a prospect via a cell phone or wireline phone, or obtain information from the CRM system via a cell phone or wireline phone.

SAP will use VoiceObjects' Voice Application Management System VoiceObjects Factory as a development and deployment option for voice solutions based on the SAP NetWeaver integration and application platform.

VoiceOjbects Factory will work with SAP NetWeaver and speech platforms built on top it to render Voice XML on the fly. Voice XML is the industry standard voice markup language.

"As the world's leading provider of business software solutions, SAP is in the forefront of helping companies leverage their information to succeed in today's economy," Karl-Heinz Land, CEO of VoiceObjects, said in a statement. "We are pleased SAP has selected our VAMS VoiceObjects Factory to drive that leading position to the next level, opening the SAP world for secure and convenient voice access."

"VoiceObjects designed their architecture from the start to support the software infrastructure firms use today to run their business. The agreement with SAP is an example of the power of that architecture to add speech access by telephone to existing enterprise software," Bill Meisel, president of TMA Associates a telephone and speech industry consulting firm and editor of Telephone Strategy News, said in a statement.