Today, we are living in a day and age marked by instant communication. However, the need for accurate and quick communication cannot be pressed more than in a crisis situation.
Whether it is triggered by a natural calamity, a corporate crisis, or a public health emergency, crisis situations necessitate the dissemination of accurate information. Important decisions regarding rescue operations and damage control are dependent on accurate information reaching the right sources.
To the same end, leveraging the latest advancements in natural language processing and machine learning, voicebots are emerging as a reliable solution in simplifying crisis communication and, by extension, crisis management.
The Need for Speed & Consistency!
The entire crisis management hinges closely on the right information being made available to the right channels and decision-makers within the appropriate time window.
With so much at stake, one cannot rely on traditional channels of communication such as call centers and specialized hotlines. In a panic state, these channels would struggle to match the volume of inquiries.
To this end, voicebots present a solution that is easily scalable. They can repeatedly relay the information forward without being plagued by fatigue or human panic, one that’s understandable, given the crisis situation.
This has already been tested during the unfortunate COVID-19 crisis, where several governmental and non-governmental organizations turned to voicebots to address growing queries related to the symptoms, testing, and vaccination centers.
With voicebots taking care of such queries, valuable human time can be better utilized in more critical and complex tasks.
Making Key Information Accessible
One of the key accomplices of the crisis is the panic that happens due to a lack of clear information, in addition to the rampant spread of misinformation. With the help of a voicebot, we can eradicate both of these.
Through pre-configured answers and real-time data integrations, voicebots can share all the relevant and updated information needed to better navigate through the crisis situation. To different callers, a voicebot can provide more precise information related to their location, demographics, etc.
In addition, one of the most important use cases of voicebots is their hold on multiple languages and regional dialects. In areas with diverse populations, we don’t want the crisis to escalate further due to language differences. To the same end, voicebots can discern tone, regional dialects, etc., to provide the relevant information in a language that the caller would understand.
The accessibility feature is immensely valuable for people with disabilities. Through text-to-voice or voice-to-text features, the voicebot can reach out to individuals with hearing difficulties.
Thus, by offering multilingual and accessible support, voicebots help create a crisis response that is more inclusive and accessible to different individuals, irrespective of their grasp of a language or physical abilities.
A Full-Fledged Post-Crisis Support
The role of voicebots is not limited to providing timely and easily accessible information during a crisis situation. Once the immediate crisis phase is over, voicebots can be used to provide assistance to those affected by the crisis.
This may include acting as a bridge between individuals and necessary resources. Individuals may need help with their insurance claims, housing assistance, help in locating people in shelter homes, or other rescue operations. And voicebots can be trained to take all of these queries, freeing up the human resources to take on more complex and challenging tasks.
Voicebots and Crisis Management: Important Considerations
While integrating voicebots in crisis management, it is important to balance automation and empathy. At a time when individuals are panicking, they deserve communication that feels reassuring and not cold and repetitive.
Thus, voicebots with advanced sentiment analysis to gauge the tone and respond accordingly are of utmost importance. Voicebot should also have the discernment to transfer more complex calls to highly trained professionals while providing personalized support to others.
In the coming years, as artificial intelligence continues to grow and expand in its scope, so will the voicebots. In fact, across the globe, voicebots are going to play an integral part in crisis management. Integrating voicebots with other latest advancements such as drones or IoT devices will only enhance their effectiveness.
In conclusion, voicebots are increasingly becoming indispensable to crisis management. By making sure that the correct information is relayed forward in real-time and in a way that is accessible and easy to understand, voicebots extend important help to crisis-affected areas. In addition to reducing the dependence on human resources, which may be scarcely available in a crisis situation, voicebots enable more data-informed decision-making. By streamlining responses during crises and the long-term recovery, voicebots ensure crucial communication during times of need.