Speech Configuration

Timing control for assistant speech

The Speaking Plan and Stop Speaking Plan are essential configurations designed to optimize the timing of when the assistant begins and stops speaking during interactions with a customer. These plans ensure that the assistant does not interrupt the customer and also prevents awkward pauses that can occur if the assistant starts speaking too late. Adjusting these parameters helps tailor the assistant’s responsiveness to different conversational dynamics.

Note: At the moment these configurations can currently only be made via API.

Start Speaking Plan

  • Wait Time Before Speaking: You can set how long the assistant waits before speaking after the customer finishes. The default is 0.4 seconds, but you can increase it if the assistant is speaking too soon, or decrease it if there’s too much delay.

  • Smart Endpointing: This feature uses advanced processing to detect when the customer has truly finished speaking, especially if they pause mid-thought. It’s off by default but can be turned on if needed.

  • Transcription-Based Detection: Customize how the assistant determines that the customer has stopped speaking based on what they’re saying. This offers more control over the timing.

Stop Speaking Plan

  • Words to Stop Speaking: Define how many words the customer needs to say before the assistant stops talking. If you want immediate reaction, set this to 0. Increase it to avoid interruptions by brief acknowledgments like “okay” or “right”.

  • Voice Activity Detection: Adjust how long the customer needs to be speaking before the assistant stops. The default is 0.2 seconds, but you can tweak this to balance responsiveness and avoid false triggers.

  • Pause Before Resuming: Control how long the assistant waits before starting to talk again after being interrupted. The default is 1 second, but you can adjust it depending on how quickly the assistant should resume.

Considerations for Configuration

  • Customer Style: Think about whether the customer pauses mid-thought or provides continuous speech. Adjust wait times and enable smart endpointing as needed.

  • Background Noise: If there’s a lot of background noise, you may need to tweak the settings to avoid false triggers.

  • Conversation Flow: Aim for a balance where the assistant is responsive but not intrusive. Test different settings to find the best fit for your needs.