So, does it work?
If TAB's statistics are anything to go by, the roll-out has been an incredible success. TAB NSW claims that over 90 percent of bet placements are completed successfully on the first attempt.
They credit this to an extensive customer education program that it ran prior to TABitha's launch.
-A good lesson for anyone else [considering implementing a similar system] is to do everything you can to keep customers informed. TAB NSW ran an intensive media campaign as well as calling each of its registered customers individually to explain the new system and how it would work," says Flude.
Fletcher agrees, stating that the main reason for the 10 percent rate of unsuccessful attempts can generally be attributed to customers not knowing how to use the system.
Of course, some of the system failures can be attributed to TABatha. Any system reliant upon speech will be challenged by major variations in speech, such as customers calling in with speech impediments or heavy accents.
For customers experiencing genuine difficulty in using the service, TAB NSW has a facility to list these names and automatically transfer them to an operator upon their call.
Who's behind TABatha?
Given the nature of speech technology and its relative infancy, one of the biggest concerns for TAB upon implementation was manual back up and support.
A 'Third Try Situation' was implemented, which transfers callers to a human operator after three unsuccessful attempts. The operator then establishes the cause of the unsuccessful attempt and completes the transaction. Fltecher explains the need for this mechanism resulted from initial criticism from people not able to use the service.
-There was a bit of criticism in the beginning from people that were unused to using the system or were using it incorrectly, not using the correct keywords etc. Once they were transferred to the operator, and given brief training by the operator, nine times out of ten they were then able to make a successful bet."
Staff at TAB's phone centre have also received training to deal with any low-level system glitches as they occur. Higher-level faults or failures are the responsibility of VeCommerce under the maintenance and support contract.
What's keeping voice technology quiet in Australia?
With the documented cost-savings and return on investment that voice technology has the potential to provide, why aren't more companies embracing voice-enabled systems and services?
Flude claims that although costs and risks are a factor, he also believes past failures of other systems are to blame.
-We have to deflate the Telstra [Directory Assistance] media backlash and break it down into the application element and the speech recognition element. If it is done properly and done well, people will flock to it," says Flude.
I do not a like a this new system, eh.
This a Tabatha, she a stupid and noting understanding my bets, bloody.
I dont like it much mayte.