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SpeechTEK Europe Intros Improves Voice and Video Technologies

By Carolyn J Dawson
TMCnet Contributor

Speech technologies already plays a significant role in improving customer service and reducing costs. Now, a new advanced combination of video and voice technologies is all set to deliver new heights of efficiency and service for businesses.

In next month's SpeechTEK Europe session, the next level of automated customer service evaluates how video self-service already delivers better customer care and cost savings within a variety of applications such as mobile banking, interactive advertising, train timetables and airline check-in, weather and traffic cameras, sports events, games, video blogging and citizen journalism.

"Video IVR adds a whole new dimension to sales and technical support services, enabling the delivery of short video clips direct to the user's phone with no downloads, no delays and all with the support of the call centre - adding the 'show' to match the 'tell'," said Damian Kelly, vice president of Strategic Development at SpeechStorm (News - Alert). "A major telecoms operator has used our video IVR to provide self-service and access to the contact centre for deaf and hard-of-hearing customers in Egypt, which is both hugely innovative and of great benefit to customers."

The quality of 3G mobile networks and penetration of video enabled handsets is a barrier in some markets, but that's improving all the time, with much of the Middle East & Asia already ahead of Europe and the United States.

"There is also a perception of video calling as expensive, or that customers are uncomfortable with it, but both of these are changing too. The biggest barrier to video IVR, we think, is lack of awareness among organizations who will benefit from it, and presenting at SpeechTEK gives us a great opportunity to address this," Damian added.

Stefan Dietrich, the Self Service Tech Ops Lead of Avaya (News - Alert), said, 'Voice and video allows for a more personalized customer experience with shorter resolution times. The most innovative use of these combined technologies that I have seen is a voice and video wait treatment, with the ability to inform the customer about the expected wait time in case assisted service is required, so providing the customer with the freedom to choose whether to use the voice-video self service application or to speak to a customer service representative instead.'