Detroit-based bridgeSpeak is in the business of
using voice technology to help auto dealers help their customers. The
company's Interactive Voice Response (IVR) software packages helps
automate the process of keeping in touch with the customer, so that
service doesn't have to end when the vehicle leaves the lot. Co-founder
Jon Poploskie talked about the company and its relationship with
Microsoft.
When and why was bridgeSpeak founded?
bridgeSpeak was founded in January 2004 to provide technologies that can
help businesses communicate more effectively with their customers. We
were excited about the new markets Microsoft was going to open up to the
benefits of speech with its new Speech Server product.
How does your Interactive Voice Response and bridgeSpeak AR software
work?
Automotive Retail (AR) is built on the Microsoft .NET Framework, and it
allows automotive dealerships to interact with their customers by
telephone. It automates the process of outbound calls to schedule and
confirm appointments with customers, notify customers that parts they
have ordered are in, as well as inform them about scheduled maintenance,
recalls, or special promotions. The system quickly directs inbound calls
to the person or department the callers wish to speak with. By
automating some critical customer interactions, bridgeSpeak AR helps
ensure that the dealers does not lose revenue due to missed appointments
or parts not being picked up. It also drives new sales through customer
mining.
Is the speech-recognition technology used in your products
proprietary, or do you lease it from another company?
It is not proprietary; our products are built on Microsoft's speech
recognition platform, Microsoft Speech Server. It is based on the open
SALT (Speech Application Language Tags) specification.
Do you have figures reflecting your products' rate of adoption, such
as a number of dealerships that use them?
bridgeSpeak's Automotive Retail solution only recently became generally
available, and we have a couple of dealers currently running the
software. We are continuing to attract and secure new customers, and
have been very happy with the interest the product is generating.
Describe your relationship with Microsoft, and how it benefits your
company.
We were an early adopter of the Microsoft Speech Server product, and
were one of the beta testers. We are also a Microsoft Speech Partner.
This has had several benefits for us, including early access to software
releases, educational opportunities, and development support.
Are your products aimed at certain-sized businesses?
bridgeSpeak AR has substantial benefits even for smaller businesses.
Microsoft has priced Speech Server very attractively, which has enabled
us to offer a lot of value to businesses of all sizes.
Can your software bring benefits to businesses outside the automotive
business, or is it specific to that industry?
There are parts of the system that could be immediately used in other
industries. The auto attendant, for example, could be used to replace a
more cumbersome touchtone system, or to free up a receptionist's time to
better serve customers. Customer satisfaction followup can be used for
any business that wants to ensure that their customers are happy with
the service they're receiving.
