Automated QA vs manual sampling
Manual QA means reviewers listen to or read a small sample of conversations and score them by hand. Automated QA means software scores conversations against the same scorecard at volume, with people reviewing what it routes to them. Each has strengths; this page sets them side by side.
Side by side
How the two approaches differ
Manual sampling
Automated QA
Manual sampling
Coverage is limited by reviewer hours, typically a few conversations per agent per month.
Automated QA
Coverage is limited by the volume you process. In Merivex, up to your plan's monthly evaluation allowance.
Manual sampling
Consistency depends on the reviewer; two reviewers can score the same conversation differently.
Automated QA
The same scorecard is applied to every conversation; calibration shows where it differs from your reviewers.
Manual sampling
Rare problems are often missed because they never land in the sample.
Automated QA
Recurring problems show up as patterns across many conversations.
Manual sampling
Scores can reflect context a reviewer knows and a transcript does not show.
Automated QA
Scores reflect only what is in the conversation text.
Manual sampling
Reviewer time goes to finding and scoring conversations.
Automated QA
Reviewer time goes to checking routed conversations, calibrating and coaching.
Where manual review still wins
Keep people on these
New or rewritten criteria
Until a criterion has been calibrated, reviewer scores are the reference.
Disputes
When an agent or a client challenges a score, a person decides.
Context outside the text
Anything that depends on tone of voice, account history or systems the transcript does not show.
Calibration sets
The conversations used to check the automation have to be scored by people.
Merivex, specifically
What automated QA means in Merivex
Evidence per score
Each criterion score comes with a rationale and a citation to the transcript turn.
Human override
Reviewers accept, adjust or reject any evaluation, and the decision is recorded.
Text only
Chat, email and call transcripts. No audio, no transcription, no real-time assist.
Questions
Automated vs manual QA, answered
Is automated QA better than manual QA?
They answer different questions. Manual review is better at judgment and context on a small set; automated QA is better at coverage and consistency across many conversations. Most teams use automation for coverage and keep people on calibration, disputes and coaching.
What sample size does manual QA usually cover?
It varies by team, but manual programs commonly review a handful of conversations per agent per month, which is a small fraction of total volume.
Can automated QA be trusted?
Only as far as it has been calibrated. Score the same conversations with your reviewers and measure agreement per criterion before relying on the automated scores. Merivex publishes no accuracy figure and provides calibration instead.
How much does automated QA with Merivex cost?
Merivex is priced by conversation volume with unlimited users. Plans start at $299 a month; the pricing section on the home page lists each plan's allowances.
Keep reading
Compare on your own conversations
Run Merivex on a set your reviewers already scored and see where automated and manual QA agree.