How does voicemail detection work?
- Voicemail detection technology distinguishes between live people and answering machines by analyzing silence and noise patterns during a call. Here’s how it works:
- Detection of Live People:
- The system assumes a live person has been reached unless it detects consistent strong noise indicative of an answering machine.
- Shortly after the call connects, the system starts playing the message intended for a live person. If it detects consistent noise exceeding the answering machine threshold, the call is reclassified as an answering machine.
- Challenges with Detection:
- Live people may be misdetected as answering machines if background noise meets the answering machine threshold.
- Answering machines may be misdetected as live people if their voicemail greetings lack sufficient consistent noise.
- Improving Accuracy:
- To minimize errors, users are encouraged to record a standard voicemail greeting that:
- Is at least 5 seconds long.
- Contains a strong, loud voice.
- Avoids long pauses between sentences or before the beep.
- For example: "Hello, this is [Name]. I cannot take your call right now, please leave a message after the beep."
- To minimize errors, users are encouraged to record a standard voicemail greeting that:
While the detection technology is highly accurate, it is not infallible due to the variability in how calls are answered and voicemail greetings are recorded. Our vendor has optimized the system to balance accuracy and reliability to the greatest extent possible.
