Voicera (now part of Cisco Webex) - Detailed Review
Summarizer Tools
Voicera (now part of Cisco Webex) - Product Overview
Voicera Overview
Voicera, now integrated into Cisco Webex, is an AI-driven tool that plays a significant role in enhancing collaboration and meeting experiences within the Webex suite.
Primary Function
The primary function of Voicera is to provide real-time voice transcription and meeting assistance. It uses AI to transcribe meetings in real-time, generate meeting summaries, and highlight key points and action items. This functionality is particularly useful in Webex Meetings, Webex Calling, and Webex Contact Center, helping users to focus on the discussion rather than taking notes.
Target Audience
Voicera is targeted at organizations and individuals who frequently use video conferencing and collaboration tools. It is especially beneficial for teams that need to streamline their meeting processes, ensure accurate note-taking, and improve productivity. This includes businesses, educational institutions, and any entity that relies heavily on virtual meetings and collaborations.
Key Features
Real-Time Transcription
Voicera provides real-time transcription of meetings, allowing participants to review the conversation as it happens.
Meeting Summaries
The AI assistant, known as EVA, generates summaries of meetings and highlights important points and action items.
Integration with Collaboration Tools
Voicera integrates with various task management and collaboration products such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, Confluence, Zendesk, Trello, and Zapier. This allows users to command EVA to create tasks, set reminders, and share links directly into these third-party apps.
Voice Commands and Automation
Users can interact with Voicera using voice commands, automating tasks such as booking a room or extending a meeting.
Security and Infrastructure
The technology is moved to the Webex cloud, a global network of data centers, which enhances the security of meeting records generated by Voicera.
Conclusion
Overall, Voicera’s integration into Webex enhances the efficiency and productivity of virtual meetings by automating key tasks and providing accurate and timely transcription and summaries.
Voicera (now part of Cisco Webex) - User Interface and Experience
User Interface and Experience of Voicera in Cisco Webex
Voice-Activated Interface
The Webex Assistant, which includes the capabilities of Voicera, is voice-activated using the wake word “OK Webex.” This allows users to interact with the system using voice commands, making it hands-free and convenient. Users can command the assistant to perform tasks such as creating action items, booking a room, or extending a meeting, all without manual input.Real-Time Transcription and Summarization
The interface provides real-time transcripts and closed-captioning, which are displayed on the screen. This feature is particularly beneficial for hearing-impaired participants and helps in maintaining focus during meetings. The system also generates meeting highlights and summaries, which can be captured through voice-activated trigger words, selecting and highlighting text, or using voice commands.Ease of Use
The voice-activated nature of the Webex Assistant simplifies the user experience by automating mundane meeting tasks. This allows participants to focus on the discussion rather than taking notes or managing the meeting logistics. The system responds visually and audibly to voice commands, making it intuitive to use.Integration and Accessibility
The Webex Assistant integrates well with various collaboration tools and systems, such as Salesforce, Trello, Teams, Jira, and Asana. This integration enables workflows to be pushed automatically into these systems, creating uninterrupted workstreams. Additionally, the closed-captioning feature enhances accessibility for hearing-impaired participants.Overall User Experience
While the Webex platform itself has faced some criticism regarding its user interface, such as difficulties with navigation and an outdated setup, the Webex Assistant’s voice-activated features aim to streamline the meeting experience. However, it is important to note that some users have reported issues with the broader Webex platform’s UI, which can lead to frustration and delays in joining meetings. In summary, the Webex Assistant’s interface is user-friendly, especially with its voice-activated commands, real-time transcription, and summarization features. However, the overall Webex platform’s UI still has areas for improvement. Voicera (now part of Cisco Webex) - Key Features and Functionality
Voicera Features and Functionalities
Voicera, now integrated into Cisco Webex, offers several key features and functionalities that leverage AI to enhance meeting productivity and collaboration. Here are the main features and how they work:
Real-Time Transcription
Voicera provides real-time transcription of meetings, converting spoken words into text. This feature is particularly useful for capturing every detail of a meeting without the need for manual note-taking. The transcripts are generated in real-time, allowing participants to follow the conversation more easily, especially for those who may need closed-captioning for accessibility.
Automated Meeting Summaries and Highlights
Voicera’s AI assistant, EVA, generates meeting summaries and highlights key points from the discussion. This includes categorizing notes into decisions, next steps, and action items. The highlights are typically available about 30 minutes after the meeting and can be linked directly to specific points in the recording, making it easy to review and share relevant information.
Note-Taking and Action Items
EVA takes notes during meetings, freeing participants to focus on the discussion. It can also create action items, set reminders, and share links into various third-party task management and collaboration tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, Confluence, Zendesk, Trello, and Zapier.
Voice Commands and Integration
With the integration into Webex, users can utilize voice commands starting with “OK Webex” to automate common meeting tasks. This includes booking a room, extending a meeting, creating action items, and more. These commands enhance the hands-free collaboration experience, allowing users to manage meetings more efficiently.
Speaker Labeling and Cross-Meeting Search
The transcription feature includes speaker labeling, which identifies who is speaking in the meeting transcript. Additionally, users can search all meeting transcripts using key words, making it easier to find specific information from past meetings.
Post-Meeting Editing and Distribution
Users can edit transcripts and highlights post-meeting and share them via email with all or specific participants. This ensures that important points are not missed and follow-up actions are clearly communicated.
Progressive Attention AI
Voicera’s Progressive Attention AI, powered by the Ensemble engine, balances transcription speed with accuracy and intent extraction. This feature ensures that while full transcripts are captured, the focus is on extracting and categorizing key highlights that are most relevant for follow-up actions.
Integration with Webex Cloud
After the acquisition by Cisco, Voicera’s technology was moved to the Webex cloud, a global network of more than two dozen data centers. This enhances the security and reliability of the meeting records generated by Voicera.
These features collectively enhance meeting productivity by automating note-taking, providing real-time transcription, and generating actionable summaries, all while leveraging AI to improve accuracy and efficiency.
Voicera (now part of Cisco Webex) - Performance and Accuracy
Performance
Webex AI, which includes the capabilities of Voicera, is known for its strong performance in generating summaries. Here are a few highlights:
- Accuracy and Comprehensive Summaries: Webex AI has been praised for producing accurate and comprehensive summaries. In tests, Webex’s AI-generated summaries were found to be more accurate and detailed than manual notes taken by project managers.
- Real-Time Summaries: The platform provides real-time summaries, which is particularly useful for applications such as customer service and virtual meetings. This feature helps agents avoid repeat conversations and improves customer experience.
- Multilingual Support: Webex AI supports summaries in over 120 languages, making it highly versatile for global use cases.
Accuracy
The accuracy of Webex AI’s summarization is supported by several factors:
- Conversational Intelligence: The AI is trained on conversational data, which enhances its ability to capture the context and key points of discussions accurately.
- Comparison with Manual Notes: In practical tests, Webex AI’s summaries were compared to manual notes and found to be more accurate and comprehensive.
Limitations or Areas for Improvement
While Webex AI performs well, there are a few areas to consider:
- Integration and Specific Use Cases: While Webex AI is highly integrated into the Webex platform, its summarization capabilities might be less accessible as a standalone tool compared to other dedicated summarizers. However, this integration can also be a strength for users already within the Webex ecosystem.
- General Versatility: While Webex AI excels in its intended use cases such as customer service and virtual meetings, it may not offer the same level of customization or flexibility as some other summarization tools that cater to a broader range of needs.
Conclusion
In summary, Webex AI, including the capabilities of Voicera, demonstrates strong performance and accuracy in generating summaries, particularly in real-time and multilingual contexts. However, its integration within the broader Webex platform might limit its accessibility as a standalone summarization tool.
Voicera (now part of Cisco Webex) - Pricing and Plans
Pricing Structure Overview
To understand the pricing structure of Voicera, now associated with Cisco Webex, here are the key details on the different plans and features:
Pricing Tiers
Voicera offers three main pricing tiers:
Free Tier
- This tier is free and includes basic support, but it has limited features and no access to advanced AI functionalities.
Pro Tier
- This tier costs $9 per user per month.
- It includes priority support, which offers better service level agreements (SLAs) and greater attention to support tickets compared to the free tier.
- It also provides more features, such as increased voice versions and article coverage, though the exact details vary.
Enterprise Tier
- The pricing for this tier is custom and requires contacting Voicera for a quotation based on your business needs.
- It includes dedicated support with a dedicated account manager, priority support, and additional features not available in the lower tiers.
Features by Plan
- Free Tier: Basic support, limited features, and no advanced AI functionalities.
- Pro Tier: Priority support, increased voice versions, and more article coverage.
- Enterprise Tier: Dedicated support with an account manager, priority support, and additional enterprise-level features such as more extensive voice versions and better support options.
Token Pricing Model
For specific AI-powered services, Voicera uses a universal token pricing model:
- Speech Recognition: Free.
- Text Response Generation: 1 token per generated character.
- Speech Response Generation: 3 tokens per generated character.
- Custom Commands: 100 tokens per command setting.
- Custom AI Model Training: 100 tokens per dataset entry.
- API Integrations: Varying token costs per API call, with additional standard pricing.
This model ensures consistent and predictable costs, offering flexibility and control over resource usage. By choosing the appropriate tier and utilizing the token system, users can manage their costs effectively and access the features that best suit their needs.
Voicera (now part of Cisco Webex) - Integration and Compatibility
Voicera Integration with Cisco Webex
Voicera, now integrated with Cisco Webex, offers several integration and compatibility features that enhance its usability across various platforms and devices.
Calendar Integration
Voicera can be integrated with your calendar, allowing you to invite its AI assistant, Eva, to your meetings. You need to add eva@voicera.com as an attendee to the meeting invitation, which must be sent from an email address registered with Voicera. This integration works with both Google Calendar and Office calendars, enabling Eva to join the meeting, record it, take notes, and send a meeting summary to your email.
Device Compatibility
Voicera is accessible through multiple devices. You can use the Voicera app on iOS devices, such as iPads, to record and transcribe meetings. The app offers features like adding highlights, noting decisions, and action items during the meeting. However, some features, like the ‘record now’ option, are only available through the mobile app and not through the desktop browser.
Sharing and Collaboration
The transcripts and recordings generated by Voicera can be shared and edited. You can download the transcript as a .txt file, edit the text, and share the recording and transcript with colleagues. This facilitates collaboration and ensures that all team members are on the same page.
Integration with Other Tools
While specific details on Voicera’s current integrations with other Cisco Webex tools are limited in the provided sources, it is clear that the broader Webex ecosystem supports extensive integrations. For example, Webex AI Assistant, which Voicera is now part of, integrates with various third-party apps such as Outlook, Microsoft Teams, and Slack, allowing users to share meeting summaries and content easily.
AI-Driven Features
The AI-driven features of Voicera, such as predictive highlights and the ability to summarize important moments in meetings, are enhanced by its integration with Webex. Webex AI Assistant provides features like live call summaries, action items during calls, and the ability to forward call summaries to new recipients, all of which contribute to a more streamlined and efficient meeting experience.
Conclusion
In summary, Voicera integrates well with calendar tools, is compatible with various devices, and offers seamless sharing and collaboration options. Its integration into the Webex ecosystem further enhances its capabilities, especially in terms of AI-driven meeting summaries and action items.
Voicera (now part of Cisco Webex) - Customer Support and Resources
Customer Support
Support Options
- Vocera provides a dedicated support line for US customers at 1-888-9-VOCERA. International support is also available in various countries, including Australia, Canada, Ireland, and others, with specific phone numbers listed for each region.
- Customers can submit support tickets via email to
vcsupport@stryker.comor use the secure texting support option atvccustomerhelp@stryker.com(Monday to Friday, 8 am – 5 pm PT).
Additional Resources
Vocera Technical Support Portal
- This portal offers public access to resources such as product documentation, knowledge articles, and Vocera Minute Videos. Customers with active support contracts have additional access to features like submitting support tickets and warranty service requests.
Vocera University
- This provides hands-on, interactive educational experiences through classroom training, distance learning, and customized courseware. Training courses are available for systems administrators, IT professionals, and industry-specific end-user educators.
Vocera Documentation Portal
- This portal provides easy access to documentation for all Vocera products, helping users find the information they need quickly.
Vocera eStore
- Customers can order Vocera Badges, smartphones, batteries, and other related products directly from the eStore.
While Vocera itself does not integrate with Webex AI tools, the support and resources provided are comprehensive and aimed at ensuring users can effectively utilize the Vocera platform. If you are looking for AI-driven tools similar to those offered by Webex, you might need to explore those separately through Cisco Webex resources.
Voicera (now part of Cisco Webex) - Pros and Cons
Advantages
Efficient Summaries
The Cisco AI Assistant, part of Webex, generates concise summaries of prior interactions, allowing agents to quickly catch up on past discussions and continue conversations seamlessly. This feature is particularly useful in customer service scenarios, enabling faster resolutions and a more cohesive customer experience.
Automatic Meeting Summaries
Webex offers automatic meeting summaries and highlights, which can be very beneficial for post-meeting follow-ups and ensuring all key points are captured.
Real-Time Assistance
The AI Assistant provides real-time summaries, helping agents focus on delivering effective solutions without needing to re-collect information from previous interactions.
Improved Productivity
By automating the summarization process, Webex helps save time and effort that would otherwise be spent on manual note-taking and reviewing lengthy recordings.
Enhanced Customer Experience
The summaries help prevent customers from having to repeat themselves or wait while the agent reviews unnecessary interaction details, improving customer sentiment and boosting customer satisfaction (CSAT).
Disadvantages
Integration Challenges
Some users may find it difficult to migrate from legacy Webex systems to the new AI-driven features, which can be a significant hurdle.
Cost
Webex, including its advanced AI features, can be more expensive compared to other video conferencing tools like Zoom and Microsoft Teams.
User Experience
Some users may find the menu system and user interface of Webex hard to navigate intuitively, which could affect the adoption and effective use of the summarizer tools.
Technical Issues
There can be glitches with audio, particularly for non-Webex users when connecting to audio, which might impact the accuracy and reliability of the summaries.
In summary, while the AI-driven summarizer tools in Webex offer significant benefits in terms of efficiency, productivity, and customer experience, they also come with some challenges related to cost, user experience, and technical issues.
Voicera (now part of Cisco Webex) - Comparison with Competitors
Voicera (Webex)
- Multifaceted Capabilities: Voicera integrates speech-to-text transcription, note-taking, and automated meeting summaries. It can transcribe spoken words into text and generate realistic text based on voiceovers, making it versatile for both video editing and meeting management.
- Meeting Summaries: It excels in capturing and organizing meeting insights, including generating summaries and action items. This feature is particularly useful for enhancing productivity and ensuring that all important points from meetings are documented.
- Integration: As part of Webex, Voicera benefits from seamless integration with various platforms, allowing users to manage multiple aspects of their work within a single tool. This includes video editing software and other collaboration tools.
- Pricing: Voicera offers different pricing plans based on credits, which can be more flexible than monthly subscriptions. For example, the “Ready” plan costs $29 for 200,000 credits, suitable for personal blogs and smaller projects.
Alternatives and Comparisons
Notta
- Audio-to-Text: Like Voicera, Notta offers audio-to-text capabilities and can record, transcribe, and summarize spoken content. However, Notta’s free plan is limited, and it may not be as accurate as other options.
- Language Support: Notta supports 58 different languages, which is comparable to Voicera’s extensive language support.
Resoomer
- Written Content Focus: Resoomer is specifically designed for summarizing written content such as web pages, articles, and essays. It does not support meeting summaries or audio content, making it less versatile than Voicera.
- Free Plan: Resoomer offers a free plan with a simple interface, but it is more niche and geared towards educators and students.
Jasper
- Content Creation: Jasper is focused on content creation and marketing, offering AI summarization for written content. It does not support meeting summaries or audio content. Jasper requires a subscription starting at $49 per month and is more suited for content creators and marketing professionals.
- Customization: Jasper allows for customizable brand voice and tone, which can be an advantage for those needing to match specific content styles.
Webex AI (General)
- Comprehensive Platform: Webex AI, which includes Voicera, offers a broad range of features beyond just summarization. It includes real-time analytics, action items, and content conversion to video or polls, making it a comprehensive tool for collaboration and customer support.
Unique Features of Voicera
- Integrated Workflow: Voicera’s integration with other platforms, such as video editing software, makes it a standout for users who need to manage multiple tasks within a single ecosystem.
- Meeting and Video Support: Unlike many other summarizer tools that focus solely on written content, Voicera supports both meeting summaries and video voiceovers, making it highly versatile.
- Flexible Pricing: The credit-based pricing model can be more cost-effective for users with varying needs, especially those who do not require constant monthly subscriptions.
In summary, while tools like Notta, Resoomer, and Jasper offer strong summarization capabilities, they are often limited to specific types of content (written or audio) and may not offer the same level of integration and versatility as Voicera within the Webex platform.
Voicera (now part of Cisco Webex) - Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about Voicera
What is Voicera and how does it integrate with Cisco Webex?
Voicera is an AI-powered tool that offers features such as text-to-speech conversion, automatic transcription, and meeting summaries. It has been integrated with Cisco Webex to enhance meeting and collaboration capabilities, allowing users to generate voiceovers, transcribe meetings, and create summaries all within the Webex platform.What are the key features of Voicera?
Voicera’s key features include text-to-speech conversion, automatic transcription of spoken words into text, note-taking, and automated meeting summaries. It also offers voice speed control, support for over 50 languages and voices, and a personalized dashboard.How does Voicera handle meeting summaries?
Voicera uses advanced speech recognition and natural language processing (NLP) to transcribe meetings and generate concise summaries. These summaries can include key points, action items, and sentiments discussed during the meeting, making it easier to review and act on the meeting’s outcomes.What pricing plans are available for Voicera?
Voicera offers several pricing plans. The “Ready” plan costs $29 and includes 200,000 credits, suitable for personal blogs. The “Set” plan costs $49 and includes 1,000,000 credits, ideal for larger blogs or more extensive use.Can Voicera be integrated with other software and platforms?
Yes, Voicera can be integrated with other platforms and software, allowing you to perform various tasks such as video editing and meeting transcription within a single tool. This integration is particularly useful for streamlining workflows and enhancing productivity.How does Voicera support note-taking during meetings?
Voicera can take notes and transcribe meetings in real-time, helping you keep track of discussions and key points. This feature is especially useful for ensuring that all important information is captured accurately without the need for manual note-taking.Does Voicera offer customer support?
Yes, Voicera provides customer support as part of its service. This support is included in all pricing plans, ensuring that users can get help whenever they need it.Can Voicera generate voiceovers for videos and articles?
Yes, Voicera allows you to create audio articles and video files with ease. It offers different voices and languages, making it a versatile tool for content creation.Is Voicera available in multiple languages?
Yes, Voicera supports over 50 languages and voices, making it a useful tool for users who need to work in different languages.How secure is the data handled by Voicera?
While specific details on Voicera’s data security are not provided in the sources, given its integration with Cisco Webex, it is likely that it adheres to the high security standards of Webex, which includes encryption and secure data handling practices.Can I customize the summaries generated by Voicera?
Yes, Voicera allows for customization of the summary format and preferences. Users can adjust the level of detail included in the summaries and set preferences for language and tone, ensuring the summaries align with their specific needs. Voicera (now part of Cisco Webex) - Conclusion and Recommendation
Final Assessment of Cisco Webex Assistant (formerly Voicera) as a Summarizer Tool
The Cisco Webex Assistant, integrated into the Webex Meetings platform, is a potent AI-driven tool that significantly enhances meeting productivity and efficiency. Here’s a detailed assessment of its benefits and who would most benefit from using it.Key Features
- The Webex Assistant provides real-time transcripts, closed-captioning, highlights, notes, and action items, all of which can be edited and distributed post-meeting.
- It is voice-activated, allowing users to control meetings and automate common tasks with voice commands, such as booking a room or extending a meeting.
- The assistant focuses on taking notes and highlights, enabling participants to concentrate on the discussion at hand.
Benefits
- Time Savings and Productivity: By automating tasks like note-taking and information processing, the Webex Assistant saves users significant time, allowing them to focus on more critical aspects of their work.
- Improved Meeting Interactions: The real-time transcripts and closed-captioning features enhance the accessibility and engagement of meetings, making them more inclusive and productive.
- Enhanced Collaboration: The ability to generate and distribute meeting summaries, notes, and action items facilitates better team collaboration and follow-up actions.
Who Would Benefit Most
- Business Professionals: Those involved in frequent meetings, such as executives, managers, and team leaders, would greatly benefit from the Webex Assistant. It helps them stay focused on discussions while ensuring all key points are captured and action items are assigned.
- Remote Teams: Teams working remotely can leverage the Webex Assistant to maintain high levels of productivity and collaboration, even in virtual settings.
- Researchers and Analysts: While not the primary target, researchers and analysts could also use the transcription and summarization features to quickly review and analyze meeting content, which can be particularly useful in research or strategy sessions.