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What is voice biometrics and how can it be applied in the contact center?

8/4/2015

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Question
What is voice biometrics and how can it be applied in the contact center?

Answer

Voice biometrics, also known as voice recognition, is a practical science whose time has finally come. This technology, which uses the characteristics of each speaker’s voice to identify them, has been commercially available since the late 1990’s, but until recently was impractical as a business application because it was too cumbersome and difficult to use. Though it may require a significant amount of time for each user to establish a valid voice print for verification purposes, more people are now willing to put forth the effort because of growing security concerns.

The primary use for voice biometrics today is to fully automate the process of verifying callers so that once they set up a voice print, they do not need to answer a number of security questions with information that could pose a significant risk of identity theft, such as their address, last few credit card transactions, or even a personal ID. As each person’s voice has unique characteristics that are extremely difficult for a thief to steal or duplicate, voice biometrics is considered the most accurate and least intrusive way of verifying callers. (In addition to being more accurate, it also reduces average handle time.) As companies get better at rolling out voice biometrics programs, the adoption rate of this technology will improve. As a result, doing business by phone will become one of the most secure ways to interact with a company, as well as increasingly simple and quick, which will, in turn, reduce enterprise costs and improve the customer experience.

Companies that want to greatly reduce the risk of a fraudster gaining access to their customers’ sensitive information should consider the use of voice biometrics. The voice verification process is handled by an interactive voice response (IVR) application, but this does not mean that the IVR has to handle the rest of the interaction, unless desired by a caller. While voice biometrics is not for everyone, DMG expects it to become the “front door” to an increasing number of organizations, particularly those dedicated to the protection of sensitive customer data.