Call routing by name recognition: Field trial results for the OperettaTM system

The mechanical and repetitive part of a telephone receptionist's job is an obvious target for automation. Indeed, this is precisely the problem which is addressed by existing auto-attendant systems. However, these approach automation by forcing callers to modify their behaviour to suit the limitations of the technology. We describe a speech recognition-based system called Operetta^TM which achieves high levels of automation in routing incoming calls, without compromising the simplicity and user friendliness of call handling. Operetta breaks new ground by offering the capability to process up to eight simultaneous calls using low cost technology, and by providing system administration tools which allow the system to be set up and maintained without any specialist knowledge of speech technology. Evidence collected in the field demonstrates that the majority of callers behave in a fashion which can be managed by Operetta.