India is at an incipient stage in speech technology

Do you think 100% complaint redressal through

interactive voice response is possible? What are the steps you have taken in

this regard?



Yes, theoretically 100% complaint redressal is possible on an automated

system. While the ERP systems, CRM, and customer interaction management within

organizations are supposed to be seamlessly integrated, we are far from that in

reality. Though it is assumed that a trouble ticket raised by logging a

complaint on the IVR should set in motion an array of back-end actions to

rectify the issue, it need not always be as simple. There are many cases that

require human intervention which an automated system cannot take over. So, while

issues that can be automated are completed on the IVR, issues requiring human

intervention are passed on to an agent.

After Yes Bank, what is next on your agenda?



In India, technology adoption from a CIM perspective is at the highest among

banking, and telecommunication verticals. Healthcare, insurance, administration,

travel and hospitality will be the next big waves. Consumer durables and retail

will follow. Apart from the markets, Servion is constantly innovating with new

service delivery capabilities across the spectrum from consulting to managed

services and enhanced support packages.

Any plans for entering the rural hinterland?



India is at an incipient stage in terms of adopting speech technology. For

example, the deployment at Yes Bank is the first speech deployment in the

banking industry in India. So, while we have acquired the skills in deploying

speech technology in other parts of the world, the focus in India at this moment

is to get more enterprises to adopt speech. This would initially be focused on

customers rather than an urban versus rural segmentation. It is true that speech

recognition can play a major role in the rural hinterland, but we have to bear

in mind that penetration into those areas will also be restricted by the

complications of multiple languages and dialects.

Could you provide details on the investments involved

in the development of the technology?



The investments fall into three categories. Firstly, infrastructure, that

consists of Cisco gear (unified contact center enterprise with IP IVR). This

includes hardware (servers/routers) and software licenses. Secondly,

professional services that are needed to deploy the solution and application

development based on Yes Banks requirements. Thirdly, ongoing support that is

AMC for hardware/software as well as dedicated support from partners such as

Servion.

Sanjeev Ramachandran/CIOL



maildqindia@cybermedia.co.in