Talking to Machines

The article "Computers That Speak Your Language" (TR June 2003) reports that AT&T has a system that correctly routes more than 90 percent of calls. Unfortunately, when I asked AT&T's customer service line a question it could not understand, it continually asked me to restate my question and offered no opportunity for me to speak with a human. Companies intending to implement this technology should understand that if they cannot accurately forecast the full suite of possible questions, they must provide human assistance as a backup.

John E. McNamara
Maynard, MA