Voice automatic system isn’t a new invention, but they just aren’t good if you ask me. Trying to create a system to replace real people answering the phone, it will only work if they can understand real people talking like normal people would. The old system punching in number following instruction may not be the most friendly way, but at least they get the job done in a reasonable time frame that I can bear with. The voice system just talks too much trying to be friendly and all, when I know I am just talking to a machine that it has problem of listening and understanding. At the end, the voice system would have to give up on you and transfer you to a real people to help you out. I really don’t see it is saving everyone’s time.
If the friendly voice system is designed for people who aren’t used to new technology, and the sweet lady - Andrea’s voice can fool that person thinking he/she is talking to a real person….
innocent he/she, “oh hi Andrea, how are you?”
Andrea, “I’m sorry. I don’t understand. Please say…”
I don’t see how this is being friendly at all.
During my “conversation” with the voice system (Andrea) today, at one point, I really wanted to swear at “her”, but I kept it to myself until the call was over. Not it is because I am a grown up now, but i know, “she” just won’t understand … and would respond “I’m sorry, I don’t understand. Please say….” I would just waste more of my time and kill myself faster by saying stupid things to “Andrea”.
I don’t think I am being charged of the airtime I used by calling “Andrea” to top up my mobile phone. If they do, I am sure they are making good money off me. Maybe, that’s the point.
I share your thoughts.
And not only do you get a delay when you say something it doesn’t understand, but even if you do give one of its understood responses, it will still ask,
“I think you said, ‘Get me a real fvcking person, Andrea.’ Is this correct?”
So either way, every selection you make has at least a re-entry process. The only way they could make this worse is to implement the wait message as,
“Thank you for calling BlahBlahBlah. Your call is important to us and, in a joint partnership with your mobile carrier, will be answered by the next available representative after we’ve charged you an acceptable minimum amount of airtime.”
basically Fido has said “great news we’re switching to a voice system so you can say what you want instead of pressing numbers!” except saying what you want doesn’t work as kathryn described. what’s more, they do things like ask for your password and a less knowledgeable person would think that they have to SAY it (which i’m sure you _could_ do).
at least with Fido it says up front you can say “agent” to get to a real person. i had a similar problem in the states with AT&T and i just couldn’t get to a real person. i spent about half an hour navigating their entire menu system and just could not get to someone. eventually i really was just swearing into it.
i think if you’re going to design a system like that, someone should put in recognition for the swear words and realize “ok, time to send that person to a real agent”.
This voice recognition system is a real problem if you happen to have an accent, for instance I have a British accent, and the software never seems to reconize anything I say, even the simple words “yes” or “no” seem completely foreign to “Andrea”. I end up having to try and speak like a Canadian (its quite difficult really) so that I can get some response from the damn thing. It usually takes about 3 or 4 tries just to get past the yes or no stage, not to mention trying to relay the code for the voucher. Really annoying…