How to Use Voice Notes to Run Your Business Faster

TL;DR

A voice note is often faster than typing, especially mid-task, with your hands full, or when you're more comfortable speaking than typing in English.

BOS Afora understands voice notes in English, Pidgin, Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa.

The most reliable voice notes state the item, quantity and amount clearly and in that rough order, the same way you'd naturally describe the sale out loud.

Background noise and mumbled amounts are the two most common reasons a voice note needs a correction afterward.

Typing a sale into a phone assumes your hands are free and you're comfortable typing quickly, in whatever language the keyboard is set to. That's often not true in the middle of an actual busy moment, which is exactly why voice notes exist as an alternative, not an afterthought.

This is a short guide to getting a voice note recorded correctly on the first try, so it doesn't need fixing afterward.

Step by Step

How To Do It

1

Say it the way you'd naturally describe it out loud

There's no special phrasing to memorize. Describe the sale the same way you'd tell a staff member what just happened: what was sold, how much of it, and for how much.

Sold two bags of rice, forty-five thousand naira

2

Use whichever of the five languages you're most comfortable in

English, Pidgin, Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa are all understood. Speaking in the language you'd naturally use with a customer or staff member is usually clearer than forcing a translation in your head first.

3

State the amount clearly, and once

Amounts are the detail most likely to be misheard if mumbled or repeated with a correction mid-sentence. Say the number clearly, and if you misspoke, it's easier to stop and restart the voice note than to correct yourself partway through it.

4

Record somewhere reasonably quiet, if you can

Background noise from traffic, a generator, or loud conversation is the single biggest cause of a voice note being misheard. A few steps away from the loudest source usually makes a real difference.

5

Check the confirmation before moving on

After a voice note is sent, BOS Afora replies with what it recorded. A quick glance confirms it matched what you said, and if not, it takes seconds to correct or resend rather than finding out at the end of the day.

Watch Out For

Common Mistakes

Speaking too fast when rushed

The instinct in a busy moment is to rush the voice note too, which is exactly when it's most likely to be misheard. A calm, normal pace is faster overall than a rushed one that needs correcting afterward.

Leaving out the customer's name on a credit sale

If the sale is on credit, the customer's name needs to be part of the voice note, the same as it would be if you typed it. Without it, there's nothing to attach the debt to.

Recording in a genuinely loud environment

Next to a generator or in heavy traffic noise is the hardest condition for any voice recording to come through clearly, regardless of language. Stepping a few metres away is usually enough.

Voice notes exist because typing isn't always the fastest or most natural option, not as a lesser alternative to it. Used the way described here, a voice note is often quicker than typing the same sale would have been, especially for anyone more comfortable speaking than typing.

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Questions

FAQ

Which languages can I use for voice notes?

English, Pidgin, Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa are all understood.

Can I mix languages in one voice note?

It's best to keep a single voice note mostly in one language for the clearest result, though switching between voice notes in different languages is completely fine.

What if a voice note is recorded incorrectly?

Check the confirmation message right after sending it. If something's off, you can correct that specific transaction the same way as any typed entry, by describing what needs fixing.