Getting your text read out loud to you by a computer is now a mainstream way of doing business. Thanks to the wide adoption of the Cloud services, businesses can afford to outsource their voice interactions to specialized firms that specialize in text-to-voice projects. So instead of handling all of the back-and-forth via email or phone chat, business can now rely on their tech-savvy employees to communicate with customers, vendors, and other stakeholders without the necessity of a live person.
While live human interaction is still valuable, businesses that outsource their text-to-voice interactions benefit from the extra time and attention that a non-interactive digital assistant provides. Plus, the convenience for business and consumer alike is unquestionable.
What is text-to-voice?
Simply put, text-to-voice is the automated conversion of text to speech, usually through the use of a digital assistant. While there are many specialized tools and services to accomplish this task, the process remains the same: an input of plain text is provided to a digital assistant, which then returns an audio file containing the spoken words and possibly some additional information or contextual clues.
Why should businesses outsource their text-to-voice needs?
Outsourcing your text-to-voice needs to a third party is a common and well-established procedure in business. Whether you're replying to a customer via text or email, responding to a legal request or requirement, or would simply like to have a general assistant to handle some of the administrative tasks that you're overburdened with, text-to-voice is a viable option.
The benefits of outsourcing your text-to-voice needs to a third party are many. First, you get access to additional experts who can help you accomplish your goals more quickly and effectively. Second, you get the freedom to focus on your core responsibilities while delegating lower-priority tasks to your digital assistant. Finally, you get the ability to scale your operations as you grow.
How does text-to-voice work?
The text-to-voice process starts with you, the business owner or manager, inputting the text you have prepared in advance into a digital assistant. In most cases, this is a simple and straightforward process since you're the one who knows the text best. However, in some instances, this may be more challenging because you may require some prompting or you may have to rewrite parts of your text depending on the input of the digital assistant.
Once you've entered the text, you can instruct your digital assistant to begin speaking the text aloud. In case you're planning to use a human assistant, you may have to train them to recognize your unique voice.
Depending on the application, the output of your text-to-voice process can range from audible phrases to a complete narrative with all of the inflection and pauses exactly as you would, if you were speaking with a human assistant. Naturally, text to voice is somewhat dependent on the software and data plan that you use, however, this is more of an issue with the types of applications that are designed to work online.
Which digital assistants should I choose for text-to-voice?
When selecting a digital assistant for use in a text-to-voice project, you want to consider a number of factors. First, you want to ensure that the software is user-friendly and has a pleasant appearance. Second, you want to make sure that it's designed to work with your specific type of text and not with other documents or files types. Third, you want to consider the input methods and whether or not they're supported by the software. Finally, you want to make sure that the data plan is affordable for your business.
When it comes to digital assistants for text-to-voice, there are many different options to choose from. Some popular choices are Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri, and Microsoft Cortana.
Depending on your needs, budget, and the nature of your business, you may find that one of these digital assistants provides the best overall solution. If you have a specific brand or model of computer that you need for the application, make sure that it's Wi-Fi enabled so that it can communicate with your device. In some cases, you may also need to invest in an external microphone since the built-in microphone on your device may not suffice.
Where can I find documentation on text-to-voice?
The best place to find documentation on text-to-voice is within the online help system of the software. Almost all of the major applications have some form of documentation located within the Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and other Office applications' help systems. It's important to note that these are only references and may not contain all of the information that you need to successfully run your business operations. Always consult with an expert if you're having trouble getting your application up and running or you need assistance beyond what the online help system provides.
Converting text to speech for business use
If you're new to the world of text-to-voice, you may wonder what types of applications exist and what functions they serve. Essentially, text-to-voice can be used for a variety of purposes. From answering customer questions to documenting events and meetings to taking dictation, many businesses use text-to-voice as part of their daily operations.
The important thing to remember is that you should only use text-to-voice for what it was designed to do. If you find that it's not performing as advertised or expected, it's likely that the application was not chosen for its intended purpose and can cause more harm than good. While using a third party to take care of your text-to-voice needs can seem convenient at first, you may find that it causes more problems than it solves. In some cases, a digital asset manager can also become overburdened with numerous assignments and may not have the time to respond to your calls and emails in a timely manner. As a business owner, if you're not comfortable outsourcing your text-to-voice needs to a third party, then you may need to reconsider the choice. In most cases, this is a temporary solution that will allow you to get the information needed while not having to pay to have someone manually enter it for you.
Many businesses find that using a tool like Dragon dictation software simplifies the entire process of converting documents to digital voice. This is a popular choice among businesses that need to have the information instantly available for review by someone within the company. Other applications, such as OneOpinion, allow businesses to conduct online interviews and have recorded interviews made into podcasts, which are ideal for presenting complex information in a simplified manner.
Regardless of whether you decide to go with Dragon or another service, once you get the hang of it, using text-to-voice for business purposes becomes much simpler and more effective. Not only does it free up your time to focus on more important responsibilities, but it can also allow you to get the information exactly the way you want it without having to worry about missing details due to human error.
What are the requirements for a successful text-to-voice project?
A successful text-to-voice project requires a lot of preparation on your part, as you already know the content that will be spoken. However, you also need to prepare for the equipment that you'll use to convert the text into speech. In most cases, this means purchasing dedicated hardware either on your own or through a professional electronic equipment provider. If you have a lot of text and do not have the time to prepare it for conversion, then you may want to consider hiring someone to do it for you.
Depending on the complexity of the project and your needs, you may want to outsource the entire process or at least some of it. If the text was prepared in advance with specialized terms that the digital assistant does not understand, then it may be a good idea to have someone else help you with the technical aspects of the project.
Even when done by a trained professional, the process of converting plain text to speech is still labor intensive. Depending on the complexity of the project and your needs, this can take a lot of time. To reduce the amount of time that it takes to complete a project, you may want to try to automate as much of the process as possible. This can be accomplished in several ways, such as by using specialized tooling that performs the task more efficiently or by using software that can be remotely accessed, where work can be monitored and completed on a timeline.