Speech applications are one way to provide customer self-service over electronic networks (the technologies collectively known as e-Service). e-Services must focus on meeting customer needs to increase market share and revenue. Technologies are enablers in e-Service that can enhance customer convenience and support, but applications require carefully designed user interfaces to manage customer expectations.
However, a key element of customer relationship building, human interaction, is absent from most e-Service facilities. Through careful design, speech technologies allow a more conversational, human interaction. Given the limitations of current technologies, conversations with automated system are very different from conversations between humans. Nonetheless, excellent user interface designs working with current technologies can create the illusion of human-like interaction. To achieve this level of excellence in user interface design, it is important to consider users' interpersonal communication, cognitive, and social skills in the initial design, then to apply usability testing methods throughout the design cycle to tune the interface.