02/08/2014
Making Brands Sound Better
How to Build a Brand-Consistent Persona for Your Automated Voice Technology
Matt Strach, Brand Manager, GM Voices
As a first priority, the pre-recorded voice utilized on any automated telephone application should aid the technology’s ultimate purpose, which is enabling and encouraging the caller to achieve their goal with as little live agent interaction as possible. Voice automation exists primarily to reduce costs; given the choice (in most instances), callers would prefer to speak to a live agent. But that’s not reality. There is also a service component—many automated voice applications allow firms to serve customers faster and more intelligently. Automation can be a time saver instead of a time waster, but fighting the public’s long-held perception continues to be a struggle.
Second to savings is the branding component, which is partly symbiotic with the primary purpose. Voice automation—the telephone—is one of many customer touchpoints for any brand. It would be unthinkable for a company to neglect its positioning in paid media, the Web or its store or office. Yet a branding disconnect prevails over the phone, often the very first point of contact with a customer.
The voice featured on a company’s automated call technology should be aligned with its positioning at other touchpoints. It should affirm and complement the brand identity. It should be the vocal representation and equivalent of the brand. This is a marketing imperative to ensure a unified message to the marketplace, but it also makes business sense. By delivering a consistent, friendly and familiar voice—a virtual brand representative—callers are more inclined to accomplish goal number one: staying contained in the automation, handling their own business, and saving the company money.
A persona development project is the best way to ensure that your automated voice enhances the ROI of your technology and meets the branding requirements of your calling audience. GM Voices specializes in these projects, providing all the consulting, persona documentation and talent direction that is needed, and none that is superfluous. We pride ourselves on being good stewards of our clients’ time and money. This guide outlines our thoughts on bringing to life the perfect voice persona for your automation within a reasonable timeframe and a reasonable budget.
Step 1: Know Thyself – Researching Overall Branding
Because a voice persona should be aligned with the company image, the process starts with an evaluation of the brand at each customer touchpoint. Advertising, sales and marketing materials, Web and social media presence, corporate communications and PR are all reviewed and compared for consistency. The marketing team is then engaged to make sure that the current brand positioning is in line with its objectives.
As the voice will be engaging customers, the company’s buyer demographics, psychographics and preferences all must be factored. Much of this will be apparent following a comprehensive brand review, but additional insight is always revealed during a phone consultation.
With the brand strategy and audience determined, the persona is ready to be structured, defined, and… well, personified.
Step 2: The Blueprint – Persona Development and Documentation
Developing the persona helps everyone involved in the project, client and vendor, get on the same page (literally and figuratively). This step involves creating several descriptive guide documents that will inform the sound and style of the persona and the performance of the auditioning voice actors as they inhabit the role.
Use the branding research in step one to finalize a list of vocal traits/personality characteristics. Would your callers connect with a younger or more mature sound? Does that style fit with the brand? Is a warmer, “smiley” style preferred or a more professional tone? When compiling your adjectives, also consider the role of the application. Member- or loyalty-type callers may require less hand holding; a faster and more authoritative style may be appropriate. Frustrated customers calling for service may require more calmness and empathy. Combine caller needs with the brand requirements to find the proper balance.
With the traits determined, the persona report is drafted. This master document accomplishes several things: it establishes the direction of the persona so everyone can read, refer to, and provide approval of; and it serves as the how-to manual as the voice actors prepare to read a session-ready script.
A good persona report includes all the aforementioned vocal traits, organized and displayed clearly with the reasons for their selection; an exercise called “would say/wouldn’t say” that proposes scripting and grammar suggestions; a persona bio that gives the virtual personality context, clarity, and a life (“Who is this is person?”); and finally slice-of-life dialogue samples that complete the picture, including some personal information, business goals and how he/she plans to interact with callers. Typically, a robust report will range from four to six pages—plenty of quality information, with no excess to confuse the voice talent or the client.
