Insight of the Week: IVR = Conversational AI?

by?Kerry Robinson

So what is conversational AI. Really??

No BS.?

No marketing.?

What the... is conversational AI?

This question is deeper than you think. I don't want to make it more complicated than it needs to be... but it's err, complicated!?

Here goes...?

I want to say conversational AI is actually just like IVR. But then you'll start yawning and click away.?

I want to say it's some amazing new tech that changes everything. But that's not quite true.?

Conversational AI is about new tech. And it is amazing. But it doesn't change everything.?

The dirty truth is that conversational AI is 90% the same as IVR.?

Conversational AI is trying to achieve the same outcome as IVR.?

It uses a lot of the same technology as IVR.?

But most IVRs are rubbish. And that's what people think of when we say IVR. So we need a new name for, err... good IVR. Great IVR.?

And chatbots.?

And messaging apps.?

And voice assistants.?

We need a name that communicates the excitement and the possibility that I see.?

That we all see.?

We need a name that emphasizes that good IVRs and chatbots should be smart.?

Not human-like intelligence... we're a long way from making artificial intelligence that's as flexible and robust as human intelligence.?

But we need a name for an IVR that doesn't present endless options.?

That uses data to personalize the interaction... instead of treating every customer like a stranger.?

That asks "how can I help?" instead of listing a dozen options.?

And that understands what customers say.?

And gets them to the right place. Whether that's an agent, or a more convenient channel. For your customer, and for you.?

Or self-service. Conversational AI is about helping customers get stuff done without speaking to an agent, too.?

Conversational AI lets your customers speak or type when that's easiest. And press buttons if that's easier. Whether on a telephone keypad, or a smartphone messaging app, or a website chatbot.?

Ultimately, Conversational AI is IVR as it should be. Chatbots done right. Messaging apps that make customers' lives easier.?

Perhaps the key difference is in the I.?

The I in IVR stands for Interactive. But it doesn't set a bar for the quality of the interaction.?

The I in conversational AI, stands for intelligence. It sets a much higher quality bar.?

So maybe one way to think of it is that conversational AI is intelligent voice response. It's a smart IVR. A helpful IVR.?

It uses some cool new tech that means we can recognize and understand what customers say more easily. And build systems faster. And they can learn and get better over time.?

But they won't do that on their own. Conversational AI is more intelligent IVR. But it's not creative. It won't design itself. It won't build itself. It won't tell you where IVR and chatbots can have the biggest impact in your contact center.?

We still need humans for that.?

Because with IVR, or chatbot, or, shall we say, conversational AI, you don't just have a piece of tech.?

You've got a bot workforce. And those bots, whether IVR or chatbots, need leading and managing, just like a human workforce.?

I covered this in my Insight of the Week about how to?Maximize ROI with a Bot Management System.?

So conversational AI is great IVR. Great chatbots. IVR and chatbots done right.?

IVR and chatbots that are managed with a Bot Management System.?

Interactive?Voice Response is dead. Here's to?Intelligent?Voice Response.?

Here's to conversational AI!

One last thought: Another term I hear thrown around is IVA – or Intelligent Voice/Virtual Assistant… I don’t have a problem with it, but nor do I think it really clears things up.?Is it intelligent, or interactive? Is it voice or virtual? Seems to me that conversational AI covers it. Disagree? Let me know what you think!

Kerry

Kerry Robinson?is an Oxford physicist with a Masters in Artificial Intelligence. Kerry is a technologist, scientist, and lover of data with over 20 years experience in conversational AI. He combines business, customer experience, and technical expertise to deliver IVR, voice, and chatbot strategy, and keep Waterfield Tech buzzing.

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