Continental Airlines just launched Alex, a Virtual Expert. Type a question, she answers and provides the search results. Its really awesome and a glimpse of what's to come in search. A voice-powered version will follow (mobile, IVR). I also like the use of Virtual Expert rather than Virtual Agent.
Check her out on the Continental web site
The technology is powered by Next IT Corporation. Here's their summary:
Next IT’s Human Emulation Software, ActiveAgent, creates Virtual Experts that are redefining the communication between people and technology. ActiveAgent, accurately understands and interprets natural language questions and delivers exact results across multiple service channels such as the Web, contact center, intranet, mobile devices, and more. For more information on Next IT and its customers, please email info@nextit.com or visit www.NextIT.com.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Bing to Power Yahoo Search - First of Many Deals?
The Yahoo / Microsoft deal was announced this morning. I wonder if we will see more of these deals from msoft? With a Bing-powered back-end, yellow pages publishers such as Idearc and RHD, or newspapers could focus on sales and marketing. The cost of maintaining a competitive, independent local property / IYP is too great, and dooms the publisher to mediocrity and/or losses. Outsourcing the back-end and operations would enable many publishers to remain competitive and reduce costs. These deals would make sense, but is msoft likely to try to integrate more than one partner? I hope we see msoft make this a strategic imperative and aggressively recruit media partners.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
From GigaOM: iPhone’s Voice Control
"Is iPhone’s Voice Control the Sound of Things to Come?"
Yes, and not just mobile devices, voice control (voice search, voice portals) will be prolific. There is a convergence of technology, cost, and usage. Microphones and speakers are cheap, bandwidth is easy and voice applications are up to the task. There will be voice control at retail ("tell me the specs of the new Sony flat screen"); voice portals built into vending machines; at tourist attractions - everywhere that a kiosk with a touch screen is cost prohibitive or otherwise inaccessible.
From GigaOM: "Apparently, Apple believes that speech recognition is the sound of things to come for mobile devices and applications. Apple’s attention is a welcome development, and will undoubtedly accelerate the shift that began with the success of Goog411, Vlingo and other speech-enabled mobile apps. Despite the fact that mobile devices are well-suited for speech recognition — they do, after all, have microphones already built in — no OEM or operator to date has delivered a speech solution that is easy to use, much less promoted the feature to users as a key distinction. Apple is changing that, and other device makers and mobile operators that fail to keep up will be left behind in the competition for users who value simpler, more intuitive UIs."
Yes, and not just mobile devices, voice control (voice search, voice portals) will be prolific. There is a convergence of technology, cost, and usage. Microphones and speakers are cheap, bandwidth is easy and voice applications are up to the task. There will be voice control at retail ("tell me the specs of the new Sony flat screen"); voice portals built into vending machines; at tourist attractions - everywhere that a kiosk with a touch screen is cost prohibitive or otherwise inaccessible.
From GigaOM: "Apparently, Apple believes that speech recognition is the sound of things to come for mobile devices and applications. Apple’s attention is a welcome development, and will undoubtedly accelerate the shift that began with the success of Goog411, Vlingo and other speech-enabled mobile apps. Despite the fact that mobile devices are well-suited for speech recognition — they do, after all, have microphones already built in — no OEM or operator to date has delivered a speech solution that is easy to use, much less promoted the feature to users as a key distinction. Apple is changing that, and other device makers and mobile operators that fail to keep up will be left behind in the competition for users who value simpler, more intuitive UIs."
Friday, July 3, 2009
The Rise of Proactive Customer Care
Great review of voice applications driving customer benefit:
"With the emergence of the proactive customer care market, IVRs are providing additional strategic benefits, as they are making major contributions to revenue generation and are helping to provide an outstanding customer experience".
Presented By: Donna Fluss, DMG Consulting LLC
"With the emergence of the proactive customer care market, IVRs are providing additional strategic benefits, as they are making major contributions to revenue generation and are helping to provide an outstanding customer experience".
Presented By: Donna Fluss, DMG Consulting LLC
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