Pizza Hut orders voice recognition with the lot - News - Communications

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This story was printed from ZDNet Australia.
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Pizza Hut orders voice recognition with the lot

By Stephen Withers, 0
January 24, 2002
URL: http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/Pizza-Hut-orders-voice-recognition-with-the-lot/0,130061791,120263094,00.htm

Looking to slice operating costs and deliver streamlined ordering processes, Pizza Hut will soon add voice recognition to its Sydney and Brisbane call centres with a system based on VeCommerce's VeBook order fulfilment product.

Instead of pushing buttons on the phone keypad or waiting for a human operator, customers will be able to order pizzas and other items by speaking to the computer. Other local organisations using VeCommerce systems include most state TABs, the Australian Tax Office and the NSW Motor Accidents Authority.

The Pizza Hut system, expected to cost around $2 million depending on the level of use, should be active by the second quarter of this year. According to VeCommerce, it will be the world's first voice-enabled pizza ordering facility.

"We pride ourselves in utilising technology that continues to drive customer service. Recently, we went live with our new online ordering facility and now we are voice automating our telephone orders," said Tony Lowings, general manager of Pizza Hut Australia.

The two Pizza Hut call centres handle a total of 7.8 million calls per year, and the Sydney centre is the largest of the 12 operated around the world by Tricon, the chain's parent company.