Text-to-speech (TTS) software is an application that reads out text from digital or written sources. It converts the written text into audio format. Tracing back to the origin of text-to-speech software or speech synthesis reveals the primary need for such technology - to assist people who face difficulties in reading. TTS aids children and people with disabilities who experience accessibility issues to access information. Subsequent advancements have ensured that text to speech can go beyond reading vanilla parsable text, as it is now possible for TTS to read content from images and other complex online assets like optical character recognition (OCR).
TTS has become the next big thing for contact centers due to its innovative applications that are likely to expand in the future. With text-to-speech software in place, IVR systems can provide information to their customers, such as their account balance or amount due from their latest bills. Text-to-speech software can also confirm what the callers have entered into the IVR system, such as the customer ID. This reduces the workload from the customer service agents. Besides being user-friendly on all devices, text-to-speech software has voice modulation options, adding a human touch to your business communication.
As business needs differ from each other, various factors have particular importance for each business. Let us take a closer look at the features you need to consider while choosing a text-to-speech software.
Language being the central most communication factor, multilingual support in a text-to-speech software is crucial for broader reach. English is the most widely spoken language. However, English Speakers represent less than 20% of the world population. Mandarin is the second most spoken language globally, followed by Hindi, Spanish, Arabic, and Bengali. Thus, to ensure that you have maximum reach, you must not ignore the non-English speaking audience. Multilingual support in text-to-speech software can cut the cost of hiring professionals for translation purposes. Unfortunately, as of 2021, multilingual support in text-to-speech is still a work in progress. You can analyze the software's linguistic reach and map it back to your target market's needs to choose the best alternative. Providing an experience in a language that falls in the comfort zone of a customer.
The English vocabulary contains numerous words, among which similarly spelled words may have different meanings and pronunciations. The correct pronunciation in text-to-speech software is a mandate for avoiding any confusion that may arise. For instance, TTS software instructing in an American accent to an Indian customer navigating his way on your website to make a purchase. An unfamiliar accent can often be hard to understand. The customer may want to switch to a human agent or not make the purchase at all. Butter is an ingredient required for a specific recipe. If a person is following it step by step and butter is pronounced as "but her," it would not make any sense. The example perfectly shows how crucial it is to choose a text-to-speech software appropriately equipped for this function.
Sometimes, the placement of punctuation can change the entire context of a sentence. Haven't we all come across the memes that illustrate the disasters caused by missing commas? The speech delivered by text-to-speech software should also accommodate the audial impact of punctuations.
Like pronunciation, voice modulation is another important factor for a business that plans to expand. The concept of text-to-speech software includes artificial intelligence, which has synthetic voice outputs. The best text-to-speech software accommodates accent and modulation for generating better results well suited for each business. The worldwide presence of a business requires different accents for different audiences for effective reach. A voice that speaks English in an American accent may not make sense to an Asian audience.
Your business is a reflection of your unique ideas. Preserve that uniqueness with an advanced text-to-speech software that has a custom voice creation feature. Recent Businesswire research shows that almost 71% of people prefer humanlike voice over synthetic ones. This information is important and should be considered when designing a unique voice that enhances your customer experience, paving the way for expansion.
Growth is the only constant of a flourishing business. Text-to-speech is a powerful means to grow by expanding the reach of your customer service. With [24]7 Voices, delight customers with the natural interactions by deploying humanlike, high-quality prompts in multiple languages and dialects on the fly.
