BBN survey of corporate travel buyers finds strong consumer demand for speech recognition-based services; Travel industry executives cite improved service, cost savings.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 11, 1995--A newly completed travel industry survey conducted by Market Pespectives found strong consumer demand for speech recognition technology to access information and services over the telephone.

Market Perspectives, a consulting firm located in Natick, Mass., conducted the survey for BBN Hark Systems Corporation at the National Business Travel Association Conference in July. BBN Hark is the speech recognition subsidiary of BBN (Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc.). In the survey, 87 percent of respondents who saw speech recognition-based travel information systems said they would prefer to interact with speech recognition applications over the telephone instead of talking with a person for many routine business requests. Forty-eight percent of survey respondents said they would often or always prefer using automated speech recognition systems rather than speak with an agent.

Respondents showed a significant preference for using speech recognition over touch-tone menus or waiting on hold to speak with an agent. Industry suppliers who were surveyed viewed speech recognition as a positive method for meeting the critical demands of giving customers instant, flexible access to information while controlling operating expenses. Those interviewed said that consumers expect an immediate answer to telephone inquiries, and cited the need for 24-hour staffing and skills-based call routing within call centers to handle this demand, which can be addressed using the "virtual call center concept pioneered by BBN Hark for a project with AT&T. Virtual call centers are networked, interactive, 24-hour-a-day services.

Julie Donahue, chief executive officer of BBN Hark, said, "This survey proves that people like you and me -- who travel for business and pleasure -- are ready to see travel industry suppliers provide them with speech recognition-based access to services to help them complete travel transactions quickly and accurately. As a consumer, speech recognition technology allows me to access information and services directly any time of day or night, without waiting, using natural, comfortable language."

"I believe that both business and leisure travelers will openly embrace the ability to access automated travel information and services over the telephone using speech recognition," said Bob Langsfeld, analyst with Langsfeld Fazio & Associates. "For travelers, speech recognition technology will help enhance the travel reservation process making it less confusing and more enjoyable."

Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, BBN Hark Systems Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of BBN (NYSE:BBN), is the leading provider of commercial-grade speech recognition software products for call center applications. Working with its partners and resellers in the telephony market, BBN Hark combines more than 20 years of speech recognition research, quality software products, and total customer commitment to provide customer services solutions for today's call center. BBN Hark also offers customized consulting services including installation and system integration; application development and performance tuning and industry-leading support. BBN posted revenues of $215 million for its fiscal year ended June 30, 1995. -0-

BBN is a member of Dialogic Corporation's Signal Computing System Architecture(TM) (SCSA) Automated Speech Recognition Working Group, and Microsoft Corporation's Speech API (SAPI) Committee. BBN Hark is a trademark of BBN. All other company names and products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

CONTACT: Barbara Marx or Brenda Nashawaty

BBN Hark Systems Corp. Lois Paul & Partners

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