It surprises many people that voice recognition is actually not new technology. It’s a feature you can find in Windows 7 and Apple OS X, but not a lot of people use it. That’s because most of us are used to keyboards and voice recognition is not always accurate and reliable.
When people click on a key, it’s an unequivocal input. It’s clear to the computer what you want. The problem with voice recognition is that people don’t pronounce words the same way. They may have some speech difficulties (such as a lisp or a sore throat). They may have an accent which makes it difficult for the computer to understand.
Today, voice recognition is already being used in Interactive Voice Response Systems, and people are asking: how is it doing?
Benefits of Voice Recognition Phone IVR Menus
With Voice Recognition for Phone IVR Menus, you don’t need to press a key (ie “to check your balance, press 1”). It can be a hands-off interaction. This is especially convenient for mobile callers, who need to take the phone from their ear to press a button. Many mobile devices may feature smaller keys, and that can also lead to a caller pressing the wrong key and having to listen to the entire recording again.
Another main advantage of the approach is that it’s much more natural. It’s friendlier to talk to someone over the phone, even if it is not technically a human at the other end of the line.
The entire process can also be quicker, especially with some newer systems which allow callers to describe what they want in their own words.
Finally: the use of Voice Recognition Phone IVR Menus sets your company apart. It gives you an edge over your competitors, and makes your company seem more “high tech” so to speak.
Traditional Key Press Menus
Meanwhile, the benefits of key press menus are that it’s familiar, it’s affordable, and it’s tested. Everyone knows it works, but not everyone can prove that Voice Recognition Phone IVR Menus are better.
Conclusion
When everything is taken into account, only one factor is crucial: the quality of the voice recognition software as well as the usability of the menu steps. Can the software understand a word if spoken by a man, woman, or child? Would the pitch of the voice make any difference? What about the volume?
It is this factor which will determine the viability of any voice recognition phone IVRs. If it is substandard, then it will result in your IVR asking the same question again and again with the hope of receiving a clearer response. Your callers will just give up in frustration. You will end up with an unsatisfied customer whose regard for your company has been tarnished by the experience.
One possible solution to this is to automatically transfer the call to real staff representative when a response cannot be understood by your voice recognition software. But this move defeats the purpose of an IVR in the first place—to automate the process of providing assistance regarding common topics, questions, and services.