Why is it important?
Do you know what is the safest way to do something perfectly right? You just have to spy it in wildlife, i.e. try to see how this problem was solved by evolution, or, if you like, realized by God, because everyone chooses the nature of the world order for himself. If buttons were the most optimal implementation of the communication interface, then they would probably be located on our forehead, well, or in some other prominent and easily accessible place.
Any UI, all these endless scrolls, buttons, areas, etc. - are not obvious, and this is almost always user pain. Unlike them, the voice is, on the contrary, very natural. The problem is that, for all its seeming simplicity, it is quite difficult to develop a high-quality voice interface. There is an opinion that a voice interface is an ideal implementation of an interface that seems to be part of the system, but, at the same time, does not exist in it as a physical display.
Designing a voice interface is essentially designing custom dialogs. And there are quite a few performance criteria here - the degree of customer satisfaction, the depth of the conversation, etc. The complexity of developing dialogues, among other things, is that it is necessary to make them look like people communicate with each other, and not like comic versions of human-robot communication.
"Teach" the assistant to speak correctly
First of all, let's make it a rule to implement correct speech in our voice interfaces. Back in the first half of the last century, one of the linguists said: "A mistake does not cease to be a mistake, even if it is widespread." It is important to understand that the criterion “everyone says so” or “everyone writes that way” cannot be determinative. Only that which does not contradict the internal linguistic law can become the norm.
It is important to observe the following principles:
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Of course, language is a living entity that changes. For example, over the past hundred years, the pace of our speech, like the pace of life, has greatly accelerated, and, as a consequence, in the Russian language there is a tendency to transfer stress: firstly, to the beginning of a word, and secondly, to the root, then is for the part of the word that contains the basic semantic information. The stress transfer in this case just helps us to quickly grasp the meaning of words.
In all fairness, it should be noted one very interesting phenomenon that exists in our life. On the one hand, a person who speaks well and correctly should attract others, but on the other hand, many people around him immediately put a label on him - “not ours”. This is a very interesting culturological moment, and it should be studied not by linguists, but primarily by sociologists. Therefore, it is necessary to teach our virtual voice assistant to speak correctly, but at the same time it is important not to go beyond some reasonable limits. And these very limits you will have to pick up on your own through trial and error.
Understanding the state of the interlocutor
Ideally, a virtual assistant in the process of communication should take into account the emotional state of the interlocutor, the peculiarities of his perception and psychology. This will allow you to correctly adjust to achieve the desired effect of comfortable communication. Psychological adjustment to the interlocutor is a key point, without which it is impossible to achieve high results in building effective communications. Correct adjustment allows high-quality use of speech techniques that help control the attention of the interlocutor.
It is natural for a person to first pass the incoming information through the filters of perception. It is these filters that “throw out” what is difficult for a person to “digest”. The analogy here is simple - we all eat cooked food: boiled, fried, etc. At the same time, food filters for each person are configured in their own way, and "some love watermelon crust, others - pork cartilage."
There are three types of perception:
- Visual, visual type. A person of this type perceives and organizes his experience and thinking mainly through visual images ("It's better to see once than hear a hundred times"). His vocabulary includes visual words: nouns, verbs, adverbs and adjectives, which, as it were, describe the picture of what he saw. Examples: transparent hint, forward-looking thought, impressive blow.
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Determination of external signs of a condition is called calibration. And here well-tuned speech analytics will help you! Having taught our voice virtual assistant calibration methods, i.e. in online mode, to identify the filter of perception, and to give answers in the desired modality, you give the person the illusion that they are being spoken to “in the same language”, which ultimately forms a trusting attitude towards the interlocutor at a subconscious level.
Using speech strategies
One of the most effective existing communication communication strategies is a system of techniques that allow you to influence the interlocutor, forming his attitude to the problem or phenomenon under discussion.
Have you ever observed how experienced psychotherapists and communication masters conduct their communication? They pay great attention to the correct choice of words. There is a belief that in this case it is possible to influence the decision of the interlocutor or to please him, i.e. actually make communication as effective as possible. In this case, a set of certain speech techniques is used.
However, you should immediately understand that speech techniques are ineffective in themselves, because in the process of communication, it is necessary to take into account the emotional state of the interlocutor, the peculiarities of his perception and correctly adjust in order to achieve the effect.
It makes sense to immediately make some remark that the techniques discussed here are manipulative in nature. This is one of the reasons why some experts believe that their use is unethical. But I think - if you discard unnecessary emotions, then you can understand that these are just techniques, the use of which allows you to make communication more effective. The ethics of actions is determined only by the given purpose of communication, and not in any way by the way it is carried out. In other words, an ax in the hands of a lumberjack is not a problem, it only becomes a problem when it falls into the hands of Rodion Raskolnikov, but the ax itself has nothing to do with it. By the way, do not take the examples given in the descriptions too literally, because they are specially selected somewhat pretentious to be more descriptive.
So, let's look at the most common speech techniques.
The law of cause and effect
The technique of using the law of cause and effect is that everything is causal and conditioned. And each of the causes has an effect emanating from the cause. If we talk about the scale of the investigation, then it is tantamount to the cause that provoked it.
Example:
- What you sow, so will you reap.
With the competent and delicate application of the law in question, it is possible, without intrusiveness, for example, to lead the interlocutor to the conviction that cooperation with our company will benefit the interlocutor.
Truisms
Truism is a banality. This is a well-known statement that does not require proof and is perceived as true. For example:
- We all sometimes make mistakes.
Truisms may seem primitive, but they are very effective as they are perceived without criticism and guide the thoughts of the interlocutor. For example, starting a message with the phrase: "All people can change," we immediately bypass the conviction of the interlocutor that he cannot change anything. After all, he is a person, and all people can change.
Another way to use a truism is to build credibility on subsequent statements. That is, to adjust:
- We are constantly changing. The "Individual" tariff changes with you.
As truisms, sayings or proverbs are often used, which we just out of habit perceive as some kind of truth:
- Whoever gets up early, God gives. If you come at night or early in the morning, then you can buy the product cheaper.
Assumptions
This speech technique is usually used to induce a person to action by linking two events in one expression:
- As soon as you come to see me, you immediately feel much better.
If one event happens ("come to the appointment"), then another will happen after it ("you will feel better"). It turns out that you cannot refuse to take it, because the second part of the phrase about good health is associated with it.
Another very common example from life:
- If you go for a walk - buy bread.
At first glance, a completely innocent phrase is actually a rather tough manipulation, because it does not imply a refusal to buy bread.
Opposites
Speech technique, when different phrases and concepts are used to link in a logical sequence. With the help of constructions:
- Than ... so ...
- As soon as ... so ...
- The better you learn, the easier it will be for you to live.
The first part encourages action, the second part of the phrase motivates the interlocutor. However, there is no guarantee that as soon as the action takes place, the second will come true (life will be easier).
If in the assumptions two events are connected with each other, that is, two static things, then in this case two processes are connected with each other (maybe even leading in different directions - and therefore oppositions):
- The more doubts, the easier the choice!
And although it seems that doubts should not help much to facilitate the choice, here these things are connected by one rope, and the strengthening of one leads to the strengthening of the other.
The contrasts are often used Unions:
what ... so
far ... so
Illustrative examples:
- The more you get distracted, so listen carefully.
- The more carefully you read the agreement, the faster you will make a decision.
- The more the head hurts, the faster the pain goes away.
- The more time you spend studying, the better you will know this subject.
The most interesting thing is that if the technique is used for manipulation, then you don't even have to bother too much about at least some kind of coherence of the processes used. It is curious that even in this case, this method works.
Sometimes an event can be attached to an action, but this is less convenient.
- The more you spend, the more you save.
In oppositions, as in assumptions, you can also use motivation:
- The sooner you sign the contract, the earlier we start deliveries.
- The more difficult the task, the greater the pleasure of the solution.
- The longer the path to the goal, the sweeter the victory.
Double questions
A technique when one phrase contains two questions. The first one goes as auxiliary, and the content of the second part of the question is subconsciously perceived as the truth, although perhaps this is completely wrong. An example of such a design:
- Have you noticed that ...
- You feel that ...
Examples:
- Have you noticed how this suit suits you?
- Do you feel how with every word I say you are getting better?
Despite the apparent simplicity, it is believed that this technique has a fairly powerful effect.
False choice
Reception, when, as it were, given the opportunity to choose, but in fact the phrase pushes to make a decision:
- Will you sign the contract immediately or read it first?
- Do you want to buy a washing machine or refrigerator?
All elections
A speech technique that gives the interlocutor a number of choices, but the one you need is always highlighted in different ways: intonation or a slightly louder pronunciation:
- You can argue until you blue in the face, but it would be better if you conceded, because smart ones always persist less fools.
Assessment
This technique uses a very simple method of disguise - the interlocutor's attention is shifted to the speaker's assessment of the situation, and the situation itself becomes kind of true.
Example:
- I like how you look good today.
In this strategy, evaluation words are most often used:
- important
- need to
- strange
- like
- curious
- annoying
- surprises
- I doubt
- sure
- I would like to
Example:
- I wish I could make decisions as quickly as you.
Hidden meaning: you make decisions quickly, especially when I need it.
- Everyone is surprised by the quality of this camera.
Hidden meaning: The quality of this camera is the truth.
- It's strange that you paid attention to this.
Hidden meaning: I don't like your persistence.
Negatives in commands
This is a technique that operates with the fact that the human unconscious does not know how to work with negations. It simply ignores them. And everything is based on the use of this opportunity.
Example:
- Don't rush to start all over again.
Hidden meaning: hurry up to start all over again
Using denials allows you to accurately fit into the context and go through the barriers of consciousness (which can just cope with denials).
The construction of this speech strategy is extremely simple: you define a command, and then put the particle “not” in front of it.
Example:
- You don't want to buy an expensive item without looking?
The hidden meaning: if you want to buy, but whether this most expensive thing will be examined or bought immediately - most likely it does not matter.
It should be noted that “negations in commands” can be effectively used with other speech strategies:
- Why do you think that you shouldn't pay attention to the little things?
Hidden meaning: pay attention to the little things.
For a team to work, it must either be in an imperative mood: run, shout, talk, buy. You can also use action verbs in the present tense: want, receive, pay attention, apply.
As a consequence of the work of this technique, messages about what will not happen often cause an influx of those who “will not be” very interesting to someone:
- You will not find much interesting here.
