A Brief History Of Voice Recognition
Love them or hate them, interactive voice response systems that rely on automation to interact with and direct customers up the corporate chain of command are quickly becoming one of the most important tools in customer service.
Don’t expect this to change anytime soon. Technavio, a leading market research company, projects equipment sales to expand from about $2 billion in 2016 to more than $3 billion by 2021. While IVR systems are only just starting to become commonplace, the technology’s roots actually date back half a century.
Here’s a look at the origins of IVR systems, how the technology is being used today, and the likelihood of automated customer service continuing to remain en vogue.
The Origins of IVR
The roots of today’s IVR systems as we know them trace back to the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair, when Bell Labs screened a short film promoting the world’s first touch-tone phone. Soon after, touch-tone calling all but replaced calls made by rotary phones. But it took several decades for IVR systems to be used en masse as we know this technology today.
As Bell’s new touch-tone technology gained usage during the 1960s and 70s, Institute for Defense Analyses mathematicians Leonard E. Baum and Lloyd R. Welch developed an algorithm that was used to translate human speech into mathematical codes for quicker computer processing. Then, in the mid-1970s, IBM researcher Jim Baker applied Baum and Welch’s algorithm to computer speech recognition. A 1980 lecture series brought IDA’s speech recognition technology to the attention of Bell Labs, creating a foundation that would eventually integrate computer speech recognition and touch-tone phone technology.
In the 1990s, use of IVR systems as a customer service tool really began to take off. At the time, call centers were beginning to integrate computer technology with phone call management, a combination known as computer telephony integration. Eventually, CTI-enabled computers were able to quickly recognize callers, answer phone calls, play recorded messages, re-route calls and display screens showing caller accounts.
IVR Today
Today’s IVR systems are capable of conducting a wide-range of sophisticated applications, including customer service, call routing, and outbound telemarketing. Some of the biggest users of this technology include banking institutions, the healthcare sector, and broadcast TV networks.
A good example of a product using the wide-range capabilities of today’s IVR systems is Aspect’s CXP Pro system, which can be used for call routing, customer self-service and making outbound calls. Ultimately, users can integrate CXP Pro with their existing customer relationship management software to provide better-personalized service.
The Future of IVR
Research by Technavio projects two main trends that will drive the future of IVR systems. The first is the growing use of IVR systems to provide customer service via multiple devices, including smartphones, computers, and tablets. Leading IVR system vendors are beginning to include features that allow customers to specify their preferred method of access, an option intended to boost customer satisfaction.
A second key trend will be the integration of IVR systems with voice biometrics to verify callers’ identity. Experts say this security feature will become increasingly important as more and more consumers turn to smart-home technology systems like Alexa for various household and business-related purposes.
What do you think? Have you ever been trapped in an automated system with no way out? Do you think it streamlines customer service? Or does it just remove the human element? Let us know in the comments.
~ Jiro
Tags: Alexa, customer service, IVR, IVR history, voice recognition
Source: http://www.worldstart.com/a-brief-history-of-voice-recognition/
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