Speech-to-text service more like a sitcom

Bill Pending called. He's flying a side economizer with Susan Josh, and wants to talk to me about about the price of hiring housekeepers.

That was the gist of a message I received this week from Vonage's Visual Voicemail service, which converts voice mail messages into text streams and delivers them in SMS text or e-mail messages. Visual Voicemail is an optional feature available to users of its voice over IP telephone service.

Visual Voicemail is a great tool in that I know immediately when I have messages waiting, and I can get the gist of what the call is about, especially if I know the context. But occasionally something gets lost in the speech-to-text translation, with humorous results.

Earlier this week I had conveyed a message (by way of a person named Susan) to Pricewaterhouse Coopers' data center facilities manager Bill Panian, asking for details regarding how PWC's new green data center uses air- and water-side economizers to save energy. Here's what he actually said:

"Hey Rob, Bill Panian, Pricewaterhouse Coopers. I know you had one more question clarifying the water-side economizer with Susan. So she asked that I call you directly. Ah, my number, [phone number]. Call me anytime. [phone number]. Bill Panian, Pricewaterhouse Coopers. Thank you."

Here's the Visual Voicemail message, as delivered earlier this week:

"Hey Rob, Bill pending Price water House Coopers. I know you had one more question are flying the side economizer with Susan Josh. Yes, I call you directly. My number is [phone number]. Call me anytime [phone number] till 10. Your price for house keepers. Thank you."

Thanks to Visual Voicemail's unintentional sense of humor I actually look forward checking my voice mail messages. Perhaps it's time to start a "best of" collection.