Why it matters
Accurate speech recognition is essential for reliable call handling. If the agent mishears names, technical terms, or location details, its responses may become incorrect or confusing. Boosted keywords and pronunciation entries help the agent transcribe caller speech more accurately, especially in noisy environments or workflows that rely on domain-specific vocabulary. Although AI agents can also handle messaging, these features apply specifically to call interactions.
Key Concepts
Boosted keywords: Words or phrases added to increase the likelihood that the speech-to-text system recognizes them correctly.
Pronunciation guide: A custom phonetic entry that tells the system how to pronounce and interpret specific terms.
IPA / CMU notation: Two phonetic formats used for custom pronunciation entries.
Domain-specific vocabulary: Industry, product, or location terms that callers use and that may require additional recognition support.
Step-by-Step: Improve Speech Recognition
Open your agent and navigate to the Voice and interaction settings.
Scroll to the Boosted keywords section.
Add important keywords or phrases the agent must recognize reliably.
Scroll to the Pronunciation guide section.
Choose a notation system: IPA or CMU.
Enter the word and its phonetic spelling.
Click Add entry to save the pronunciation.
Test the updates using a Phone preview to confirm improved accuracy.
Tips and Best Practices
Choosing Effective Boosted Keywords
Add proper names such as employee names, product names, or company names.
Include local street or city names that are often misheard.
Add industry-specific terms your callers commonly reference.
Avoid adding too many keywords; focus on the most important ones to prevent dilution.
Designing Pronunciation Entries
Use a trusted phonetic dictionary or converter to generate accurate IPA or CMU spellings.
Add pronunciations for:
Uncommon names
Brand-specific wording
Abbreviations or acronyms
Keep entries short and precise to avoid unpredictable interpretations.
Improving Accuracy Overall
Combine boosted keywords with appropriate denoising settings in noisy call environments.
Use accuracy mode for speech-to-text if callers use complex terminology.
Test pronunciation entries across multiple preview calls to confirm reliability.
Review and update your keyword list regularly as workflows evolve.
Troubleshooting
Issue | Possible Cause | Fix |
Agent mishears a name repeatedly | Name not boosted or pronunciation missing | Add name to boosted keywords and create a pronunciation entry |
Keywords still misrecognized | Too many boosted keywords competing | Remove low-priority keywords and focus on essential terms |
Pronunciation entry not applied | Incorrect IPA or CMU format | Validate phonetic notation using a trusted reference |
Agent struggles in noisy environments | Denoising not enabled | Turn on noise cancellation or switch STT to accuracy mode |