1.Miracles of mass communication
I purchased a cell phone before a month. I got the monthly bill via post and today was the last day to make my payments. Since I was busy with my exams when I got the bill, I forgot to make the payment and suddenly remembered it today. When I saw that today was the last day to make the payments, I thought that I cannot make the payment today, since it will take at least a couple days for the cheque to reach the cell phone company by snail mail.
Then I saw that they had an online payment option. I went to the website and made the payments within seconds. I was happy about the entire process and made a point of making future payments online. Then suddenly at 7 PM in evening I got a text message saying that I have missed my payment.I was baffled and decided to call the mobile phone service. I called up the customer care number and was directed to a recorded message.
It asked what my problem was and gave me 5 options. It asked me to speak out my problem among these options. I replied “payments” and then it again gave me 5 options among which I chose “check my payment status” and it informed me that I don’t have any outstanding balance.It was surprising because earlier when I was directed to automatic help services, I had to press a number in my phone to avail various options. But here I was not required to press any buttons, but instead was asked to speak.
I dint know how a computer could understand what I speak.Then an MIS PhD student told me the secret. When I chose an option among the given options, my voice is recorded and is immediately converted into a text message and it matched with an existing option by word similarity. Then automated message is played based upon my choice. For example my problem was to know the current balance and it informed my balance. He said that it was a complex process and needs integration of technology with customer records.I asked him how it could understand my accent.
He said that it is possible to program it to different English accents. The cell phone company even had a Spanish option.He said that this might become problematic at times, if the problem is really unique and doesn’t fall under the categories of automatic choices. Then I have to be directed to a human representative. But as days go and as companies know more about their customers need to speak to such human reps will be lowered by expanding the options.Cell Phone Company saved money by this method. USA saved valuable foreign exchange by preventing outsourcing. Customer saved time by talking to a machine. Many times we won’t even realize that we are talking to a machine. The voice is so human.Mass customization works....hurrahhh...
Then I saw that they had an online payment option. I went to the website and made the payments within seconds. I was happy about the entire process and made a point of making future payments online. Then suddenly at 7 PM in evening I got a text message saying that I have missed my payment.I was baffled and decided to call the mobile phone service. I called up the customer care number and was directed to a recorded message.
It asked what my problem was and gave me 5 options. It asked me to speak out my problem among these options. I replied “payments” and then it again gave me 5 options among which I chose “check my payment status” and it informed me that I don’t have any outstanding balance.It was surprising because earlier when I was directed to automatic help services, I had to press a number in my phone to avail various options. But here I was not required to press any buttons, but instead was asked to speak.
I dint know how a computer could understand what I speak.Then an MIS PhD student told me the secret. When I chose an option among the given options, my voice is recorded and is immediately converted into a text message and it matched with an existing option by word similarity. Then automated message is played based upon my choice. For example my problem was to know the current balance and it informed my balance. He said that it was a complex process and needs integration of technology with customer records.I asked him how it could understand my accent.
He said that it is possible to program it to different English accents. The cell phone company even had a Spanish option.He said that this might become problematic at times, if the problem is really unique and doesn’t fall under the categories of automatic choices. Then I have to be directed to a human representative. But as days go and as companies know more about their customers need to speak to such human reps will be lowered by expanding the options.Cell Phone Company saved money by this method. USA saved valuable foreign exchange by preventing outsourcing. Customer saved time by talking to a machine. Many times we won’t even realize that we are talking to a machine. The voice is so human.Mass customization works....hurrahhh...
posted by செல்வன் at
12:00 AM
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