GM Voices Featured in the May/June 2010 Speech Technology Localization Feature “When In Rome…”
Nobody likes a tourist. Whether it’s the American wearing cargo shorts and sandals in Italy or the German wearing a turtleneck and space-age track pants at Disney World, tourists stick out like a sore thumb. They’re interesting, sure, but they’re also different. Not one of us. They’re distractions, and from their cultural disconnect, a popular adage was born: “When in Rome, do as Romans do.”
GM Voices posits another variation that should apply to every company trying to succeed in international markets: “When in Rome, speak as Romans speak.” If your automated phone application isn’t localized to meet the expectations of the local market, you won’t make the sale.
GMV CEO Marcus Graham is featured in the current issue of Speech Technology, speaking to the importance of a culturally-authentic caller experience. Regardless of where you do business, the voice prompts need to be localized to ensure local market credibility.
“You’ve got to talk the language and be embraced by the local community if you’re to have any chance of success. If it doesn’t sound local, people just won’t buy it.”
Check out page 20 of Speech Technology, or read the online feature.
When in Rome, do as Romans do. That means shelving the shorts and Hawaiian shirt and picking up a Gucci leather jacket. It also means finding a native Italian voice talent and translator. It’s your transaction on the line, and nobody likes a tourist. Capisce?
If GM Voices blew your mind with “Asterisk Song,” you haven’t seen nothin’ yet. Coming soon: Chad.
If you didn’t find out in January, GM Voices doubles as a rising music video production house. Our first endeavor was “Asterisk Song,” a tune and video inspired by our visit to AstriCon 2009. It was a fun, quirky way to let folks know that GM Voices is in the Asterisk space (Get your custom Asterisk voice prompts today!). We’ve gotten over 4,000 views in just a few months.
Well, our second foray is nearing completion. The music, the visuals and the story are all more ambitious than our first effort. We won’t reveal too much just yet, but it tells the story of Chad, a tech geek done good. Chad stays ahead of the game by attending a foremost industry show, identifying the best solution and perfecting it by adding voice recordings from GM Voices. Along the way, he drives his Lamborghini, enjoys a hearty breakfast and rocks out with his band.
It’s like Thriller, only with fewer zombies and more unifed communications providers.
Keep checking this blog for all things Chad.
Meet Chad.
GM Voices brings in local high school students for career advice and recording sessions.
Recently, GM Voices held its annual open house for students at Milton High School. Check out the official press release at the main site.
Literally, figuratively and other, young adults are the future. To foster independent, hard-working values in our little futurelings, CEO Marcus Graham teaches entrepreneurship in two of Donna Robinson’s business classes at MHS.
Every spring, before the students disperse to colleges near and far, we hold an open house to prepare them for the step after the next step: the work force.
Whether they want to start their own business or just work for one, we try to impart some wisdom and practical advice for getting a job, liking your job and keeping your job.
Here are some pictures from this year’s event.
