SEB Chooses Syntellect to Deploy Speech Recognition System

BERKSHIRE, UK - Syntellect Inc., a subsidiary of Enghouse Systems Limited (TSX: ESL), and a developer of speech-enabled self-service software solutions, announced that it has signed an agreement with SEB to design and implement an interactive voice response system. The Syntellect Vista IMR-based solution will use both advanced speech recognition and speaker verification technologies and is designed to serve the bank's 10,000 employees in Sweden, with the potential to extend to its 5,000 employees based in Germany. By providing telephone-based self-service to employees, the system is anticipated to reduce the number of inquiries serviced by SEB's internal helpdesk thereby improving contact center agent efficiency and reducing operating costs. SEB IT Service, a subsidiary within the SEB Group, services the internal helpdesk. Ulf Franzén, Manager for Workplace-related Services for SEB's IT Services, said of the agreement, "By using Syntellect's VistaVoicePass technology, SEB will reduce the cost per call for this type of inquiry. Using speech recognition to interpret the answers, the system will ask SEB employees a series of simple questions such as 'please speak your name'. Through this dialogue, VistaVoicePass will not only capture relevant information but also identify the caller, using speaker verification to match the employee's voice against a digital voiceprint. From what we have seen, Syntellect are the most suitable partner to deliver an advanced technology solution such as this application." Syntellect's Director of Sales for the Nordic Region, Joachim Röken, added, "We are delighted to be working with SEB on such an exciting project. Speech solutions of this kind have demonstrated significant business benefits not only for financial institutions, but also for companies in many different industries. Syntellect works with banks and other organisations around the world that are successfully using speech driven automated customer solutions. This project with SEB will demonstrate Syntellect's suitability as a preferred vendor and long-term speech partner."