4 Localization Challenges Facing Telephony Vendors in 2018 and Beyond

In the world of telephony, customers expect to be treated as individuals. In 2018, resellers, especially cloud-based, are seeking to get an early-mover advantage by launching in new geographic markets. However, many are launching without addressing localization issues, and this serves only to spoil the initial impact. Here we outline some of the challenges that resellers are facing in 2018 and the steps they can take to overcome them.

1. Choosing the ‘Right’ Voice.

If a foreign-speaking voice-over artist tells you they have the perfect, approachable voice for a telephone system, how do you whether they're telling the truth? Well, unless you have some native-speaking knowledge, the answer is: you don't.

Many countries have very distinct regional accents and some may only be distinguishable in the area they originate. While it's true that most countries have one or two accents that are generally accepted for all regions, knowing which is which is much more difficult.

To combat this problem, telephony resellers must choose to partner with an internationally acclaimed voice prompt platform, because by utilizing their experience and knowledge they can inform you of the appropriate accent to use.

2. Localize the GUI and the VUI

There are many companies that will provide effective translation and localization of text, such as text on a Graphical User Interface ‘GUI’ like a web-portal. However, localization of a telephony platform requires the specialist skill of localizing the spoken word used in the Voice User Interface ‘VUI’ – and this can be much more complex.

For example, the telephone key '#' is pronounced "hash" in UK English, but "pound" in US English. As this is a commonly used key in telephone systems, it makes it very easy to determine whether or not the voice prompt is in the local language or not. 

Also, some words which share a common meaning (and therefore apparently don’t need translating) may just be the wrong word. For example, in the US, ‘awesome’ is a widely used adjective, but in the UK it sounds, well, American. This extends to phrases too. "Have a great day" is rarely heard in the UK but simply ending with a prompt "Goodbye" might sound blunt in the US.

These are just a small selection of complexities involved with localizing the VUI and even the intonation of sentences can give away that the voice is reading a translation, but by using a specialist provider of prompt recording localisation, you can avoid these pitfalls.

3. Vanishing Voices

In the world of telephony voicing, consistency is highly desirable. Inconsistency across IVR menus not only appears unprofessional but can also significantly reduce user-experience.

Ensuring consistent voicing is of great importance but, increasingly, telephony resellers find it challenging to procure voice artists who are around for the long-term. Many portals exists where temporary voice actors promote their voice to earn a quick buck, and then disappear, leaving telephony resellers with hundreds of prompts with an unavailable voice. 

Thankfully, resellers can find a solution to this problem by working with an organization who provide consistent voicing assurances. With such guarantees, even if a client's chosen actor stops doing voiceover work, or is unavailable for an extended period, the messages can all be re-recorded at no additional expense to the reseller.

4. Drop-outs and Hang-ups

Drop-outs, distortion and caller hang-ups. These are just some of the problems that organisations face as a result of transmitting audio signals across telephone networks of variable quality across the world.

Predominantly, this is caused by signal compression in the cellular network, and noise cancellation algorithms on smartphones. We've come across many a company who thought it wise to extend their branding to telephony. But, have made the error of using the soundtrack from their latest TV Advert without realizing much of the track would be lost in compression or cancelled out as ‘noise’ – delivering a terrible caller experience.

Crystal clear audio can be gained by using music tracks and recordings that are optimized for telephony use, and a speciality advisor will not only be able to provide a library of optimized tracks but can also optimize an existing track for you.

Summary

Throughout 2018, telephony resellers will be subjected to a myriad of challenges. From an inability to choose the right foreign language actors to a failure to provide localization and quality guarantees to customers. And, these challenges are emphasized yet further when combined with an ever-more demanding user-base, spread across an increasingly tech-reliant world.

Even in the current globalized era, localization is still a frequent problem, yet telephony vendors will still expect their European resellers to be able to sell the same solution to prospects despite the obvious language barriers. This is a real problem and 2018 poses a real risk to resellers, but by taking the right precautions, they have the opportunity to not only survive 2018 but thrive in its competitive environment. By choosing to partner with a global-facing, well-establish voice prompt vendor that offers unparalleled guarantees, resellers can gain the upper hand on their competition and become a market-leading player in the telephony reseller space. 

Promptvoice works with most major telephone systems, in over 50 different languages, and provide superior quality professional voice artists for telephone systems. And, with a rich history of supplying over 500 corporate customers across Europe since 1994, we have become market leaders in the voice prompt space. To discover more about how we can help your overcome reseller challenges and what benefits you can gain by joining our partner network, get in touch today.