Speech analytics is entering the market at a period when the importance of optimizing agent time can hardly be overestimated. On one hand, contact center managers are under pressure to handle calls as rapidly and efficiently as possible; on the other, they must provide a consistent positive customer experience. There is less face-to-face contact and more communication between the customer and the business than ever before. The agent has in many respects become the human face of the organization. Cost pressures are rising, and competition is intensifying as organizations concentrate on customer service as a key differentiator.