Filler words are words that don't add any value to a conversation. Filler words are highlighted in calls when they are used excessively by the host. We don't have solid evidence for the effect of these words on the call outcome, though it might exist for some companies, but it's important to be mindful of them, and to avoid using them in excess.
When we detect that filler words are used excessively in a call, they are shown in the call page, in the POINTS OF INTEREST tab.
How it works
Before highlighting filler words, Gong gauges the use of the word and takes into account:
-
How often the filler word is said in the call
-
How much more frequently it's said relative to its general prevalence in the language
We consider both the absolute and relative prevalence of a term.
Note
Um, uhh, hm are vocalized pauses, not filler words. We identify them in calls, in order to improve transcript readability by omitting them, but we don't highlight them in the Points of Interest tab.
In the POINTS OF INTEREST tab, we only highlight terms that pass a threshold based on our formula. For example:
-
People rarely use the term "at the end of the day". If someone uses it 2x more than other people, it will hardly be noticed. However, if someone uses it 10x more than other people, it will be noticed, and we'll mark it as filler word in a call.
-
People often use "like" as a filler word. If someone uses it 2x more than other people, it will be very noticeable.
Here is a list of filler words:
-
actually
-
as you can see
-
at the end of the day
-
basically
-
believe me
-
cool
-
great
-
I mean
-
kind of
-
know what I mean
-
like
-
OK
-
okay
-
or something
-
perfect
-
right
-
so
-
sort of
-
you know
-
well
-
seriously
-
totally
-
clearly
-
literally
-
I see
-
you see
-
what do you call it