Founder Insights

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Smart Summaries Without Full Transcription

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Mei Tan

Jul 7, 2025

Summary

We didn’t want to be “just another meeting transcription tool.” Sales reps don’t need every word recorded — they need the right moments surfaced fast. This article shares how we designed Hexa’s AI summary engine to skip full transcription, capture context in real time, and stay fast and light on both latency and cost.

Summary

We didn’t want to be “just another meeting transcription tool.” Sales reps don’t need every word recorded — they need the right moments surfaced fast. This article shares how we designed Hexa’s AI summary engine to skip full transcription, capture context in real time, and stay fast and light on both latency and cost.

Why full transcription wasn't the answer

Early on, we tried using full meeting transcriptions to power call summaries. It worked, technically. But reps hated reading walls of text. Managers ignored it. And it slowed our app to a crawl — both in processing and cost.

So we asked: what’s the minimum data required to extract actionable insight from a sales call?

Turns out, it’s not every word. It’s every signal.

Our new approach: capture signals, not scripts

Instead of transcribing the full call, we built a pipeline that:

  1. Streams audio in real-time

  2. Runs lightweight ASR (automatic speech recognition) tuned for intent, not syntax

  3. Classifies phrases into semantic tags like Next Step, Objection, Urgency, or Blocked

  4. Snaps timestamped highlights to the deal

  5. Generates a bullet summary — not a script

The result? A clean recap under 5 seconds after the call ends — with all the right moments, and none of the noise.

Why it works better

  • Speed: Most summaries process in under 3 seconds

  • Privacy: No full transcript = less risk, easier compliance

  • Storage: We store just the insight layer — not the raw text or audio

  • Focus: Reps don’t get distracted by fluff. They see the action.

Bonus: It made UI better too

Because we only surface tagged moments (not transcripts), the UI is cleaner. Reps can skim the summary, hover over highlights, and jump into context when needed — without digging through a 45-minute call log.

And if they do need more, we retain the audio markers — so playback is still possible.

Final Thought

Sometimes, building fast software means letting go of “complete” and aiming for “correct + useful.” Sales teams don’t need a record of every word — they need clarity, momentum, and zero distractions.

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