4 Applications of speech recognition in the contact center

Faith Ocampo Published on July 11, 2016

clos-up-diverse-call-center-team-at-work

Call centers can improve the customer experience by making the most of intelligent speech recognition tools.

It was in 1952 when Bell Laboratories launched Audrey, the first speech recognizer. Borrowing the same tech that Alexander Graham Bell built, the device could recognize only digits.
After Audrey, John Pierce from Bell Labs said automatic speech and voice recognition tools won’t be a reality anytime soon. The prediction proved itself true. In the years that followed, it took a lot of breakthroughs from big tech orgs to develop this technology. Some of the most notable ones to have chipped in include IBM, Texas Instruments, Microsoft, and Google.

close up woman on call smartphone

Come 2011, we were introduced to Siri, iPhone’s virtual assistant that decodes speech using contextual understanding. Ask it any question and it replies instantly. It’s intelligent and witty—two human characteristics that, back in the 1950s, seemed impossible to transfer to a computer.
Now, speech recognition isn’t only for mainstream consumption. It has penetrated corporate organizations, and contact centers are gaining a lot from its benefits. From smarter customer service to data analytics, here are its four most important applications in the call center.

1.     Allow customers to self-serve.

close up woman talking on smartphone

Customers commonly want to talk to human agents, but there are cases when it’s acceptable to let them interact with a speech-driven virtual representative. For example, if your contact center is handling too many calls or the customer’s issue is simple and easy to resolve, it may be better to let a voice-based bot assist them. The only condition is that the bot must be capable of human-like conversations.

To enable customer self-service, you may incorporate the bot into your mobile app, website, or knowledge portal as a virtual assistant. For voice calls, the speech recognition software may be able to answer simple queries. Examples are those related to product features or new promos.

2.     Optimize IVR through effective call routing.

hands dialing landline phone

A sophisticated speech recognition software will allow you to do away with complicated interactive voice response (IVR) menus. To help categorize customer issues more efficiently, you can replace complex menus and sub-menus with an open-ended question. After all, customers find prompts like “How can I help you?” much easier to answer. Once your speech recognizer understands the customers’ response, it will then work with your routing system to direct the call to the right agent.

3.     Improve quality monitoring.

customer service agent customer on phone giving thumbs up

The quality monitoring phase is a good time to detect trends in customer issues and analyze repeat callers. As a subset of speech and data analytics, you can set up your tool to alert you to specific phrases that may indicate serious problems. Examples are:

•     “This is my nth call…
•     “I’ve called you previously…
•     “The problem keeps coming back.
•     “I want to follow up on…

Once you’ve spotted recurring issues, you may dig deeper into these cases and then brainstorm solutions that target the root causes. The main reason behind the customer’s problem may not even be related to customer service. It may have something to do with departments and processes outside your contact center, but it’s important to correct them immediately.

4.     Build customer databases.

delighted call center agent with global map software virtual interface

Powerful speech recognition tools can record unique voices and process them as a voiceprint. Voiceprints are visual records of speech usually analyzed through frequencies and amplitudes. Once processed, you can use them to authenticate a caller’s identity.

At the same time, your speech recognizer can also gather customer information. This includes a caller’s account name and number, transaction history, previous interactions across different platforms, contact details, and others. Through the software’s speech-to-text feature, you can gather these data in one place to build a database. Call center agents can refer to this portal to gain a full view of the customer, so they can recommend better solutions to the issues they encounter.

 

Faith is a digital media enthusiast aiming to become an active part of the tech world by sharing her insights. She likes to blog about everything digimarketing, technology, and social media.
Join us on facebook
Open Access BPO 3 days ago
𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 #𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀.
But it's not just about the money. Pushing customers away can deliver a crushing blow to your business.

Ready to stop the bleed and start retaining customers like a pro?
Dive into the insights here: https://buff.ly/yd1gmoE

----------
Elevate your #CustomerRetention game now!
Contact us today to outsource to a #CustomerSupport expert: https://buff.ly/pmLrIys

Learn more:
[𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲] 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫: 𝐀𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬: https://buff.ly/xeIJboo

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#CustomerSupport #CSat
#OutsourcingCustomerService #CX
#CallCenterOutsourcing #CustomerExperience
Open Access BPO 4 days ago
Open Access BPO Manila recently injected a dose of fun and team spirit into the workplace by hosting a #CincoDeMayo celebration.

The event centered around a DIY nacho and taco station, where employees customized their own snacks. This interactive experience provided a relaxed and engaging setting for colleagues to connect and share in a unique way within the office environment.

Beyond the delicious food, the day also featured a series of lighthearted and friendly games. These activities were specifically designed to encourage interaction, collaboration, and a sense of camaraderie among team members from various departments.

The Cinco de Mayo event served as a refreshing opportunity for the OABPO Manila team to unwind, celebrate, and reinforce their positive working relationships.

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#diversity #inclusivity
#CincoDeMayo2025
Open Access BPO 4 days ago
Ensuring an outstanding #CustomerExperience is an essential aspect of any business.

One way to enhance #CustomerSatisfaction is by outsourcing to a #CallCenter. You've heard of its many benefits, but are they enough to truly upgrade your #CX strategy?

Find out the answer in our latest blog:
https://buff.ly/tcM3hkg

——————————
Open Access BPO is your trusted partner to see your #CX strategy through.

Partner with us today: https://buff.ly/pmLrIys

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#OutsourcingCX #CallCenterCX
#CustomerExperienceOutsourcing
#BPOCustomerService
Open Access BPO 10 days ago
𝗕𝗗𝗢 𝗮𝘁 𝗢𝗔𝗕𝗣𝗢: 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗗𝗢 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗕𝗣𝗢 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗹𝗮

Open Access BPO Manila recently concluded an on-site event in partnership with BDO. Employees were able to visit the BDO booth in the OABPO office to learn about and submit applications for financial products such as credit cards, loans, and investment options.

This initiative highlighted Open Access BPO's dedication to enhancing employee financial well-being by bringing banking services directly to the workplace.

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#IdeaHubOABPO
#OABPOonFinancialWellness
Open Access BPO 12 days ago
Your #CRM is the bedrock of exceptional #CustomerExperiences and enduring customer relationships.

To ensure this foundation remains strong, consistent maintenance and timely updates are crucial for sustained success

Visit our blog to learn about the potential pitfalls of neglecting your CRM and understand how to keep it a powerful asset: https://buff.ly/oct6pIg

——————————
Delivering the best #CX requires a dedicated team committed to exceeding expectations and ensuring #CustomerSatisfaction at every touchpoint.

Let's connect and see how we can empower your customer relationships: https://buff.ly/Y50WgZe

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#CustomerExperience #CSat
#OutsourcingCX #CustomerService #CallCenters
#CustomerCentric #HappyCustomer
Open Access BPO 15 days ago
It's easy to focus on tech skills and language when hiring #CustomerSupport staff.
But are we missing those other qualities that truly make a #CustomerExperience exceptional?

What hidden talents separate a good agent from a great one?

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 #𝗪𝗼𝘄𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 #𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗟𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹𝘁𝘆: https://buff.ly/QGNxaJG

——————————
Our recruitment, training, and quality assurance best practices have helped transform our partners' #BrandExperience.

Contact us right now for heightened #CustomerExperience that sets your brand apart:
https://buff.ly/Y50WgZe

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#CustomerExperience #CSat
#OutsourcingCX #CustomerService #CallCenters
#CustomerCentric #HappyCustomer