ChatGPT defines Answering Machine Detection as follows:
Answering machine detection (AMD) is a technology used in outbound calling systems to identify whether a call has been answered by a human or a machine (specifically, an answering machine or voicemail system). AMD analyzes audio patterns and characteristics to make this determination, allowing the system to take appropriate action based on the result. If AMD detects an answering machine, it may leave a pre-recorded message, while if it detects a live person, it can connect the call to an available agent or play a scripted message. This helps optimize the efficiency of outbound calling campaigns.
At outboundANI, we believe that the tuning of Answering Machine Detection is a fundamental tradeoff between the agent experience, and the consumer experience...
If AMD is set high, or precise, that will provide the optimal agent experience, ensuing very few answering machines get through...unfortunately, this type of configuration also provides the worst consumer experience, greeting them with an audible and tangible pause in between answering the call, and the agent being brought on the line...
If AMD is set low, you make for a more difficult agent experience, as they have to tend to more false calls...but you also maximize the consumer experience, with agents being available to talk right away, no pause whatsoever...
IMO, you pay your agents...not your customers...so to put the burden of your outreach on the shoulders of the consumer, with the hopes of optimizing things for your agents, is the absolute wrong thing to do...
Maximize and optimize the consumer experience, always, and without question...it's simply the right thing to do...that is all... :-)