Time to reconsider deploying Speech Rec...?

CIO magazine features an article on deploying speech recognition for callers
But as the article points out

What frustrates customers most about automated voice menus? A survey from the Yankee Group found that 63% of callers were distressed by long hold times, and 50% reported that automated menus were confusing. Other major complaints include: being asked the same question more than once, getting trapped in a menu of options that don’t apply to the customer’s needs, and lack of personalization. The group’s survey also found that 18% bypass the automated menu 100% of the time when they can.

This is not rocket science - if the people deploying these call systems actually had to call for themselves they would soon work out what works and what does not. Failing that just take a quick trip to www.gethuman.com for some insight into what does not work and how people will get around your system.
I think it was Paul English I head say some years back - your existing customers are the ones that deserve the best treatment so don't put them through hell on some interactive voice system (IVR)

Pittsburgh-based M*Modal' received the ABBY Award from the Adaptive Business Leaders Organization

Cool award for an innovator in the Speech Understanding business

"The Healthcare CEO judges in the audience confirmed that M*Modal was the most transformational new healthcare IT they'd seen this year - following a search that spanned the country," noted ABL's President, Mimi Grant, following the Awards ceremony. "The company's technology understands the context of "words" recorded in dictation, captures their medical "meaning" and transfers it automatically into accessible, electronic medical records. This is nothing short of amazing." Grant added: "And what's particularly impressive is that Michael Finke, the founder and CEO of M*Modal, has a technology background, proving once again that the biggest breakthroughs to healthcare's toughest problems frequently come from innovators outside the industry." The awards ceremony was held in Costa Mesa, CA on April 23.

Speech is the rising star

Philips sells controlling stake in Medquist Inc. to CBaySystems for US$285 Million

Sale finally goes through......
Price is only for the 70% stake and leaves the remaining30% open

The Associated Press

Thursday, May 22, 2008

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands: Philips Electronics NV has agreed to sell its 69.5 percent stake in MedQuist Inc. to CBaySystems Holdings Ltd. of the Virgin Islands for around US$285 million (€185 million).

Philips says it agreed to sell MedQuist, a U.S.-based medical transcription service, for US$11.00 (€6.98) per share, a premium of 47 percent on its closing price in New York on Wednesday.

Philips said in a statement Thursday the deal will close sometime this fall, conditional on regulatory approvals.

Medquist lost US$4.4 million (€2.8 million) on sales of US$84 million (€53 million) in the first quarter.

CBaySystems, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, provides billing and other services for U.S. hospitals and has outsourcing operations in India.