SPWX
Consumers Validate Nascent Voice Portal Category
/FROM PR NEWSWIRE SAN FRANCISCO 415-543-7800/
TO BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY EDITORS:
Consumers Validate Nascent Voice Portal Category
Newly Released Data From Quack.com and SpeechWorks International Indicates
Strong Future for Voice Portal Industry
BOSTON and SUNNYVALE, Calif., Aug. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Quack.com, the
leading provider of voice enabling solutions for Web content, and
SpeechWorks International (Nasdaq: SPWX), the market leader in the
telephony-based speech technology industry*, today released the first
definitive consumer data regarding voice portal usability. One of the key
findings concluded that more than 80% of the respondents are convinced, based
on their experience with the Quack voice portal, that speech recognition is
ready for use by the general public.
In this recent nationwide survey of over 200 people who have used the
Quack voice portal, ease-of-use and convenience of speech-access to the
Internet were cited as major advantages over conventional Internet access:
-- Users found voice access through the Quack portal to be more convenient
than traditional Internet access by more than five to one.
-- Users found the Quack portal overall faster to connect to than
traditional Internet access by more than two to one.
-- Four out of five users indicated that they expect to use voice portal
services at least several times per week in the future.
"The results of this survey are consistent with our research that shows
the inherent advantage of voice as an interactive interface," said
Gary Ozanich, Senior Analyst for the Kelsey Group.
"This survey, combined with our customer acquisition data, indicates that
adoption of voice portals will likely exceed the adoption rate of the first
years of the Internet," said Alex Quilici, CEO and co-founder of Quack.com.
"Using our Powered by Quack solution, businesses can also leverage voice
access to offer new services, create new revenue streams and achieve cost
efficiencies."
"Research results validate our assumption that consumers will not only
accept voice access to Internet information and services, but they will in
many cases prefer access through a speech-activated service over the phone,"
said Steve Chambers, VP of Marketing of SpeechWorks. "We have worked closely
with Quack to test consumer responses and deliver enhancements based on those
responses that drive caller satisfaction to new heights."
The Quack Voice Portal, the first nationally available voice portal with
country-wide information coverage, was developed based on SpeechWorks'
award-winning speech recognition technology, and launched nationally on
April 10, 2000. Users can call the toll-free number 800-73QUACK from any
phone to access current Internet information including weather, sports scores,
stock prices, movie information and more.
About Quack.com, Inc.
Quack.com, Inc. is a privately held company based in
Sunnyvale, California, with offices in Toronto and Boston, that uses speech
recognition technology to provide quick ubiquitous access to consumer
knowledge. Quack.com has developed patent-pending technology that can quickly
speech-enable Web sites and Internet information making content available
anywhere there is a phone. Quack.com provides turnkey solutions to businesses
looking to extend the reach of their Web-based content with voice access. The
free Quack voice portal service can be accessed nationally by dialing
800-73QUACK (800-737-8225). For more information, visit quack.com
on the Internet.
About SpeechWorks International, Inc.
Organizations worldwide rely on SpeechWorks to delight their callers and
provide them with a new level of service over the phone. Complementing the
self-service model of the Web, SpeechWorks speech recognition solutions,
including the revolutionary SpeechSite(TM) product, let callers communicate,
obtain information and complete transactions automatically, simply by speaking
naturally over any phone, anytime.
SpeechWorks customers include some of the world's most sophisticated
customer service innovators such as America Online, Amtrak, BellSouth,
Continental Airlines, E*TRADE, FedEx, Fidelity Investments Institutional
Brokerage Group, MapQuest.com, McKessonHBOC, Quack.com and United Airlines.
SpeechWorks strategic partners include technology leaders such as AT&T,
Dialogic, an Intel Company, InterVoice-Brite and Net2Phone. The Company offers
the SpeechWorks Here(TM) Guarantee, the industry's only customer results
program with a money-back guarantee.
SpeechWorks is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts and has offices
around the world. To experience the power of SpeechWorks, call 888-SAY-DEMO.
For additional information, call 617-428-4444 or visit
speechworks.com .
*Based on Frost and Sullivan's U.S. "Telephony-based Speech Technology
Software Market 2000" report.
NOTE: Quack.com is a trademark of Quack.com. All rights reserved. All
other names are used for identification purposes only. SpeechWorks,
SmartRecognizer, DialogModules, SpeechSite and SpeechWorks Here are either
trademarks or registered trademarks of SpeechWorks International, Inc. in the
United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of
their respective owners.
SOURCE Quack.com
/CONTACT: Danelle Hoffa of Switzer Communications, Inc., 415-945-7070,
ordanelle@switz.com, for Quack.com/
/Web site: speechworks.com
/Web site: quack.com
Aug-23-2000 12:17 GMT
Symbols:
US;SPWX |
