Need feedback, suggestions, or comments

[ANMMark]

We are currently developing and testing a new feature for the IntelloDesk HelpDesk System, called ALeRT.

This stands for Automatic Language Recognition & Translation.

What this means, is that IntelloDesk will be able to effectively break the language barriers that sometimes present themselves between companies and clients.

Let's take for example, a Spanish speaking client and an English speaking company, as a scenerio.

1. The client submits a ticket via email, or via the helpdesk, is Spanish.

2. IntelloDesk recognizes that it is in Spanish, and converts it to English automatically, to make it readable to the English speaking staff.

3. The English speaking staff member can respond in English, which would be automatically converted back to Spanish for the client.

The recognition and translation would occur seemlessly, quietly, and automatically.

We are working to add more languages as time goes on.

However, the engine currently recognizes the following:
- English to Spanish
- Spanish to English
- English to Italian
- Italian to English
- English to German
- German to English

If you have any questions, suggestions, or comments, please post them here. We'd like to hear what you have to say about this (comments, concerns, etc). This can be a very touchy type of feature for some folks, so we figured we would bring the concept and description to the public forum, and get public feedback.

 

[techguy]

Sounds like a great feature, one problem I could see with it is a lot of times things don't translate well. With it translating from one language to another and then back to the other as replies go back and forth I would be worried the meanings will change as they are translated over and over. Naturally you wouldn't be saying the same thing over and over back and forth, but a lot of times the meaning of the original text changes as it is translated repeatedly.

For example, I used the last paragraph of your post and used Babelfish to translate it to spanish and got this.

Original

If you have any questions, suggestions, or comments, please post them here. We'd like to hear what you have to say about this (comments, concerns, etc). This can be a very touchy type of feature for some folks, so we figured we would bring the concept and description to the public forum, and get public feedback.

Gives this in Spanish

Si usted tiene cualesquiera preguntas, sugerencias, o comentarios, fíjelos por favor aquí. Quisiéramos oír lo que usted tiene que decir sobre esto (los comentarios, las preocupaciones, etc). Éste puede ser un tipo muy delicado de característica para alguna gente, así que calculamos que traeríamos el concepto y la descripción al foro público, y que conseguimos la regeneración pública.

translated back to English

If you have any you ask, suggestions, or commentaries, fíjelos please here. We wanted to hear what you must say on this (the commentaries, the preoccupations, etc). This one can be a very delicate type of characteristic for some people, so we calculated that we would bring the concept and the description to the public forum, and that we obtained public regeneration.

Back to spanish

Si usted hace que cualesquiera usted pidan, las sugerencias, o los comentarios, fíjelos satisfacen aquí. Deseamos oír lo que usted debe decir en esto (los comentarios, las preocupaciones, etc). Éste puede ser un tipo muy delicado de característica para alguna gente, así que calculábamos que traeríamos el concepto y la descripción al foro público, y que obtuvimos la regeneración pública.

And finally back to English

If you cause that any you they request, the suggestions, or the commentaries, fíjelos satisfy here. We wished to hear what you must say in this (the commentaries, the preoccupations, etc). This one can be a very delicate type of characteristic for some people, so we calculated that we would bring the concept and the description to the public forum, and that we obtained public regeneration.

 

[ANMMark]

Yes indeed.

One of the problems with all online translation tools is their inability to construct a proper sentence, in another language other than the one it was written in.

The key thing to remember however is that many languages do not construct sentences, as we do in english, and they have different words for the words we use.

Using Spanish as an example again, when looking at the way they construct a sentence, it's arranged in a way that appears backwards, in comparison to it's english counterpart.

A good example was while we were testing the translator internally, our co-developer entered the term... "Hello, my name is bob" which translated to "hola mi nombre es sacudida" meaning, "hello my name is shaken"

This happened because of the use of the word "bob" not the name "Bob." It couldn't tell if he was telling it a name, or the word for the action "bob"

 

[techguy]

That makes sense, I still think it's a great idea. When I was working support before I had a couple of support requests that were not English and there wasn't a whole lot anyone could do to help them.

 

[webfreak08]

The proposed feature seems like it may come in handy when hosting companies advertise themselves and reach other countries which may not speak English.

However, I think the hosting company should make an effort to offer website text with Spanish (or other language) translation. I do not know of any in particular, but I am sure there are hosts that are native to a particular foreign language that do not have an English translation. For example, I feel that if an English person is not willing to conduct business with a Spanish website, why should a Spanish person conduct business with an English website?

The recognition and translation would occur seemlessly, quietly, and automatically.

I also would suggest some type of alert system that would alert the person responding to the ticket that the wording has been translated. The alert would simply make it clear that they are communicating through the ALeRT system.

Overall, I find this a new and unique innovation that could help web hosting companies offer support without worrying about any potential language barriers. I hope you found my comment useful to you and wish you good luck in the development of your new helpdesk.

 

[ANMMark]

Exactly. This is where we want IntelloDesk to step up to the plate.

I think, while some translations may get lost (that happens from time to time if not careful of course). It at least takes that next step in at least helping the staff understand what the non-english speaking visitor/client is trying to convey.

While it's current accuracy is pretty good, there is room for error. In those instances, I believe it to be a wise move to tell the client either by the staff manually, or automatically added to the ticket by the system, that your language is not their's and you will try your best to assist them with their issue, in their language, to the best of your abilities.

It's in no way perfect. In fact, I don't think an automated translation system ever could be, anytime in the near future. However, we feel it breaks down one of those barriers between languages, and let's the client know that even though you may not be able to speak their language, you can assist them in some manner.

 

[ANMMark]

I also would suggest some type of alert system that would alert the person responding to the ticket that the wording has been translated. The alert would simply make it clear that they are communicating through the ALeRT system.

Definately.

It's definately a good idea to alert both parties, IMO. I think both parties should know that it was an automated translation, so that neither parties feel like they are being mocked, or feel like the other is making a horrid attempt at speaking a language they really don't know.

The ability to turn the feature on and off will definately come in handy for hosts, as well as a tool we plan to implement, should the feature be turned off, and a foreign ticket come in. We want the intergrated translator to still be available in those instances, so that the staff is not completely lost lol, but it would then be a manual translation activation, rather than automatic.

Possibly a special ALeRT icon within the ticket however, would be enough to let them know they are relaying communication through the ALeRT system?

 

[webfreak08]

Possibly a special ALeRT icon within the ticket however, would be enough to let them know they are relaying communication through the ALeRT system?

This is exactly what I was suggesting.

 

[ANMMark]

If you guys would like to test the ALeRT system, in user friendly form, you may do so here:
http://www.avidinteractive.com/id_screen_admin/lang_test.php

 

[webfreak08]

In actual tickets, would an error be displayed if a particular word could not be translated?

 

[ANMMark]

No. If there is a word that cannot be translated within a full ticket or phrase, it simply will continue with the translation, leaving that word untranslated.