Speech Recognition ( IVR ) is one of the most innovative and advanced pieces of technology on the market. The most notable feature of a modern speech recognition system is the level of development compared to previous generations, many of which had a reputation for being unreliable and patchy!

Speech recognition has come a long way since it first appeared on the market and it’s viability has also reached a tipping point in terms of cost, making it better value than ever for businesses looking at their bottom line. Also, in most cases there is compatibility with current systems allowing it to be ‘bolted on’ to existing infrastructure. This technology can be incredibly useful in automating any part of a contact call where detail is required and it is particularly well suited to collecting payment by phone. A high administrative cost per booking or payment is a clear drag on profit margins, so anything which helps to drive that down will show prominent financial benefits.

Speech recognition has already seen extensive take-up in the tourism and banking sectors in order to manage payment for holiday bookings and account details. Judicious use in line with current systems can see all card and other financial details collected before the caller is connected with an agent for that personal touch to a call – affording them more time to concentrate on talking to customers about other products and further support. The systems have sufficient flexibility to allow people to input details using a touch tone keypad, making them extremely accessible for all customers. Any callers experiencing difficulty with voice or keypad input can of course be put through to a call handler to complete the procedure manually. The systems can also be used to easily process account details or Membership and security and data protection questions before the call is connected, leaving staff to deal with the issue in hand and to advise the caller effectively!

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