In this post we do not want to discuss fraud related issues like impersonation and deepfake. We will discuss legitimate scenarios in which, for example, the call center agent might not hear the original voice of the customer but a slightly different voice due to audio filtering and specifically due to aggressive noise cancelling software.

Aggressive noise-canceling software in call centers aims to filter out background noise and improve call quality. However, it can have unintended consequences. For example, the software might mistakenly identify parts of the customer’s speech as noise and filter them out, leading to the call center agent hearing slightly different words than what the customer actually said.

Another example is that while the noise-cancelling software tries to aggressively attenuate all the noise, it will slightly modify the speech causing the other party to hear a similar but yet different word.

The common risk in this situation is primarily related to communication accuracy and customer satisfaction. If the agent is hearing a distorted version of the customer’s words, they might provide responses or assistance based on incorrect information. This can lead to misunderstandings, frustration on the customer’s part, and potentially a negative overall experience.

In some rare cases, critical information might be misinterpreted, causing errors in processing customer requests or providing support. This could result in customer dissatisfaction, decreased trust in the company’s services, and even potential legal or compliance issues if crucial details are misunderstood.

Balancing noise canceling to enhance call quality without sacrificing communication accuracy is crucial for call centers to provide effective and satisfactory customer service. When you select a noise cancelling software, don’t vote for the most aggressive one but to a more balanced one or one that provides you the ability to control/tune the best balance for your environment.