ryst Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 At least two companies of the top of my head are doing this. Bank of America and T-mobile. When you call their custoemr support line, it's no longer a list of items to choose from by listening to a voice and pushing the correct number on your phone to continue. Now you are "forced" to interact with a "intelligent speech recognition" software/human voice combo by speaking to the "human" to go to the correct area. Does anyone else find this insulting? Maybe that isn't the correct word. But I liked it much better when I had a recorded voice that said, "for blah" press 1, for bla bla, press 2". It was simple. Now it's like. "Te me what you would like to do" If you want to speak to a representitive, say representative". And if you say something that the computer doesn't understand, the voice will say, "I'm sorry, I didn't understand you, could you repeat that"? Anyone else bothered by this? www.myspace.com/apocrypha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angelo Clematide Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 what really bothers me is, that my machine crashes when i hit your website !!!! www.myspace.com/apocrypha -Peace, Love, and Potahhhhto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbroni Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 Yes. When I had comcast digital phone, they had an automated interactive 411 service. I'm a major 411 abuser says my wife, but I'd get so pissed at that system. Together all sing their different songs in union - the Uni-verse. My Current Project Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phait Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 Just wait till they do this with 911. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spokenward Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 USPS is doing this on their Express Mail tracking. I was struck by the way the response is calibrated. The pause for recognition is a little on the slow side, so the voice that confirms your input is a deliberate but faster cadence. As though it was a "thoughtful" pause and an "urgent" reply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Knight Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 It's a new thing and will improve shortly. I hated the self checkout lines at Home Depot or the grocery store but now... I dig it. Voice recognition isn't really being used to it's fullest. It's more of a gee whiz kind of thing right now. Soon however, it's going to enable companies to collect info faster and more intuitively and as an end result, make the customer happier. You're just picking up the fact that it's kind of pointless in it's current application. That's going to change... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 Actually, the voice recognition support I've used over the past few years has been far superior to pressing buttons, for several reasons. Fedex is the main support number I use that integrates voice recognition. First, I don't have to remember what their menus and numbers mean. I know if I want to schedule a pickup, it will always require me to say, "pickup". Same for contacting a representative. I say "rep" and automatically I'm put through to a live, human being. And I've never had difficulty with their system understanding my commands, whether they are one word as the examples above or input of multiple numbers, as with entering our Fedex account number or an address. I don't see how you could actually like being routed through multi-layered, button driven menus better than simply speaking your requests or input to their system. It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sp3nc3r Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 I definitely would be if I had to face it. The next thig I'd do is go find a local office of said company, and take my gripe to the "people". Dehumanize this, fuckers!!! Cheers! Spencer "I prefer to beat my opponents the old-fashioned way....BRUTALLY!!!!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Botch. Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 Depends on which phone I'm on! If I'm in my study on the desk phone, I prefer pushing buttons. If I'm in my recliner or on the porcelain throne, using my cordless phone with the buttons on the handset, I prefer speaking the commands so I don't have to continually remove the phone from my ear, press a button, and put it back up to my ear. The inconvenience, the horrors! Botch "Eccentric language often is symptomatic of peculiar thinking" - George Will www.puddlestone.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryst Posted June 8, 2005 Author Share Posted June 8, 2005 Originally posted by Angelo Clematide: what really bothers me is, that my machine crashes when i hit your website !!!! www.myspace.com/apocrypha Oh, well that's just because my music sucks. It's the saae concept about how ugly people break cameras. www.myspace.com/apocrypha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paully Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 Sometimes when you encounter voice-rec, saying the word 'agent' to any question will bypass to a real person. Also, say something in jibberish as a reply, so that it can't understand. That works too. VR is almost as annoying as being put on hold, then forced to listen to company propaganda and sales pitches every few seconds. That REALLY rubs my wires! Paul WUDAYAKNOW.. For the first time in my life, I'm wrong again!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gator Wing Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 I don't like it, for one reason because it takes longer to get through the menu. How about the messages at the self-check at the grocery store? "Please place the item in a bag" hey, great idea! Or my favorite "please scan your first item" Once I scanned my last item first and the store's computer system crashed, and I had to leave, quickly! There are two theories about arguing with a woman. Neither one works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryst Posted June 8, 2005 Author Share Posted June 8, 2005 Originally posted by Lee Knight: It's a new thing and will improve shortly. I hated the self checkout lines at Home Depot or the grocery store but now... I dig it. The self checkout line is for people who don't want to deal with humans (in front of you line or the teller). The telephone was invented to talk w/ people, not computers. I see what your saying but I think the phone thing really sucks. I know some companies have ENDLESS menu options and it's a maze to get though to speak to a human. But yesterday I inquired about my balance and the "puter voice Beeatch" chuckled and said..."well, your balance is zero dollars right now". I would much rather have a voice with no emotional response. I feel like these companies are forcing us to become even more zombie like. Watch tv all day, lsietn to subliminal advertisments on the radio, talk to a computer on the phone. I am really just bothered by the simulation of emotion in the computer voice. If you are a robot, then talk like one! www.myspace.com/apocrypha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 Originally posted by Gator Wing: I don't like it, for one reason because it takes longer to get through the menu. That is so wrong. How can it take longer when you simply say what you want instead of hitting a number in the first menu, then another number in the second menu, then another nu... Plus, on systems you're unfamiliar with and those whose "prompts have changed" you end up listening to a whole message. With VR, it doesn't matter how they change the routing of commands. "Rep" or "agent", for example, will always put you through to a real person. Other commands can stay static because the number of words available isn't limited as the number of individual keys on a phone are. How about the messages at the self-check at the grocery store? "Please place the item in a bag" hey, great idea! Or my favorite "please scan your first item" Once I scanned my last item first and the store's computer system crashed, and I had to leave, quickly! LOL. But I'm with you on that one. The systems at the grocery store are much too sensitive and quick to say you're erring. It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theblue1 Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 Originally posted by ryst: At least two companies of the top of my head are doing this. Bank of America and T-mobile. When you call their custoemr support line, it's no longer a list of items to choose from by listening to a voice and pushing the correct number on your phone to continue. Now you are "forced" to interact with a "intelligent speech recognition" software/human voice combo by speaking to the "human" to go to the correct area. Does anyone else find this insulting? Maybe that isn't the correct word. But I liked it much better when I had a recorded voice that said, "for blah" press 1, for bla bla, press 2". It was simple. Now it's like. "Te me what you would like to do" If you want to speak to a representitive, say representative". And if you say something that the computer doesn't understand, the voice will say, "I'm sorry, I didn't understand you, could you repeat that"? Anyone else bothered by this? When they're set up right, they give you options that are easier for the conversabot to sonically parse. But I've had tremendous problems, at times when they either didn't suggest appropriate responses (which might have cut down on the machine's potential for confusion and misinterpretation) or the options were too similar -- and the machine took me off in the wrong direction. But it does crack me up when they go: "Mmm... Okay. You want to.. " Mmmm... -- like it's thinking for crying out loud. Mmmm...I don't know if I can do that, Mr Major, would you like me to ask a customer service rep to see if they could shove my head where... bookmark these: news.google.com | m-w dictionary | wikipedia encyclopedia | Columbia Encyclopedia TK Major / one blue nine | myspace.com/onebluenine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 BTW - Blue, take a look at the Alaska thread you started on the Guitar forum. Inquiring minds have questions. (And a few silly people missed Caevan's, "Welcome back" reply and keep giving you travel advice. It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super 8 Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 It's just nice to have someone to talk to. I get so lonely.... Originally posted by ryst: I am really just bothered by the simulation of emotion in the computer voice. If you are a robot, then talk like one! I couldn't agree more! It should have a monotonal voice, and occasionally it should say; "Intruder alert....Stop the humanoid". That would make it cooler! Super 8 Hear my stuff here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gator Wing Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 Neil, I think it takes longer because it seems that it takes longer for it to say the verbal response you need to make. Just seems shorter to say "press 1 for service, 2 for sales, 3 for customer service" than to listen to "If you would like to talk to service, please say service. If you would like to talk to sale, please say sales. If you would like to talk to customer service, please say customer service". Just my perception! There are two theories about arguing with a woman. Neither one works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 It actually takes less time to say the prompts at Fedex because of the natural, speaking voice of the recording. But more to the point, you hear the prompts once and never forget them, nor will they change if the routing changes. It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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