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srican69

(1,426 posts)
Mon Apr 8, 2013, 11:36 PM Apr 2013

in the near future...I mean near...a lot of call center jobs will be gone

I saw demo from a Texas based company for an IVR that is based on siri like free form voice technology that can interact with a customer and troubleshoot problems with the companies products....and also do some small talk,(weather local sports) while it is provisioning services.

While it is not at a point where a human at the other end wouldn't realize that he or she is talking to a computer....trust me..that day is not far off...

You can kiss those call center jobs goodbye..

The scary thing is that when you combine big data with this technology..a program can take into account every scrap of data that the company owns or has purchased on the customer....

It would truly be the rise of the machines....

13 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
in the near future...I mean near...a lot of call center jobs will be gone (Original Post) srican69 Apr 2013 OP
Umm, they're already gone. Overseas. SharonAnn Apr 2013 #1
A fair number are coming back Lithos Apr 2013 #4
I once did overnight shifts at an answering service for doctors, clinics, businesses. no_hypocrisy Apr 2013 #2
I did the same back in the 80's Skittles Apr 2013 #5
that would be an improvement over offshore Skittles Apr 2013 #3
I think it won't work Lithos Apr 2013 #6
there were no tight scripts..just objectives and talking points srican69 Apr 2013 #7
"Sorry, I don't understand you. Did you say marybourg Apr 2013 #8
That sounds fine for an outbound call center Lithos Apr 2013 #10
Never going to work treestar Apr 2013 #9
Every person, every job can and will be eventually RKP5637 Apr 2013 #11
This will only work for limited cases. backscatter712 Apr 2013 #12
The voice on Amtrak's computer call line cannot understand my name. JDPriestly Apr 2013 #13

Lithos

(26,397 posts)
4. A fair number are coming back
Mon Apr 8, 2013, 11:52 PM
Apr 2013

Turned out cost alone was not the panacea.

I work for a retail company. We brought back our call centers as we found the off-shore people had a hard time understanding not only the basic colloquialisms, but also the context as well as the basic industry. Time is money in retail and sometimes hours if not days to solve a problem means a fair amount of lost revenue. The model just was not there.

Also, the job market in India and Philippines (where native English speakers are available) is getting tighter and the employees are wanting more money. This in turn is making the cost of doing business overseas not so valuable and also bringing back call centers.

no_hypocrisy

(45,774 posts)
2. I once did overnight shifts at an answering service for doctors, clinics, businesses.
Mon Apr 8, 2013, 11:48 PM
Apr 2013

It was a good gigue. I rarely took calls, watched cable TV all night, A/C in the summer, heat in the winter, microwave, refrigerator. It was better than hanging at home.

I was truly sorry when the business closed.

You'll love the name: EZ Connection.

Lithos

(26,397 posts)
6. I think it won't work
Mon Apr 8, 2013, 11:55 PM
Apr 2013

Someone has got to be there to help tweak the responses. Also some call centers are more than just following script - the people often bridge multiple teams to make sure problems are resolved. Ie, you can't script everything.

L-

srican69

(1,426 posts)
7. there were no tight scripts..just objectives and talking points
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 12:04 AM
Apr 2013

The real sauce behind it uses configurable strategies and interactions...the program determines an objective for itself based on what it hears just as a human would and then deploys a strategy...the program even had a basket of strategies and had the capability to learn on the fly as to which strategies were working and adapt as needed...this is the real deal..


Lithos

(26,397 posts)
10. That sounds fine for an outbound call center
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 12:17 AM
Apr 2013

But not so good for an internal inbound one. The objective/strategy is going to be dictated by the person on the other end.

L-

treestar

(82,383 posts)
9. Never going to work
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 12:15 AM
Apr 2013

It is annoying to get a menu and annoying to talk to those robots. I always want a real human being and find it annoying to have to hold for one. Hard to imagine any person that does not feel the same.

RKP5637

(67,032 posts)
11. Every person, every job can and will be eventually
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 12:20 AM
Apr 2013

replaced with biologically based computers synaptically wired into an internet of sorts. The gating factor is time, and the question is why are we doing this ... basically, everyone is a product of their inherited firmware and the result of their soft programming. Why? ... because human beings are incapable of realizing their innate potential, and hence will be wired to the synaptical grid It's fucked up!

backscatter712

(26,355 posts)
12. This will only work for limited cases.
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 12:27 AM
Apr 2013

For example, instead of the old voicemail hell where you push buttons on your phone, now you can say words. Of course, you're still in voice-prompted menus, sometimes, you can say a word like "operator" to try to get directed to a live human, but computers are not nearly smart enough to pass the Turing Test, and won't be for quite some time.

JDPriestly

(57,936 posts)
13. The voice on Amtrak's computer call line cannot understand my name.
Tue Apr 9, 2013, 12:30 AM
Apr 2013

What is the point? I hate talking to a machine.

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