Interactive voice response (IVR) suffers from a bad rap on the consumer end; it is associated with rigid and complex menu systems, shouting into the phone, and lots of effort for little payout. This has made some businesses avoid deeply using an IVR system for their contact center solution.
But IVR has come a long way, and its reputation no longer matches the reality. Solution providers such as VoltDelta (News - Alert) deliver sophisticated IVR that not only lets callers interact more naturally with the system, but also includes features such as multi-channel support and advanced grammar evaluation.
Here are five ways that businesses can better leverage their IVR systems.
1. Offer robust self-service options. It is not good if a caller can make an automated payment by telephone but needs to speak with an agent to check his or her balance. It is important to leverage activity codes during calls with agents to discover why callers are contacting the company. Agents can then use this data to fine-tune the self-service solutions that are delivered via IVR.
2. Let IVR handle routine data-entry. Identification and verification are two steps in the call process that easily can be delegated to an IVR system, and this frees up agents to handle more call resolutions.
3. Connect IVR data to agent screens. One of the most important aspects of a good IVR system is the contact center’s ability to use the data that is collected. If an IVR system asks for verification, for instance, all it does is waste agent time and anger the caller if this information is requested a second time by the agent. So make sure that the data collected by IVR is fed directly into agent screens, where it can be immediately useful.
4. Tie IVR systems into existing company databases. An intelligent agent is one who has access to previous customer interactions and company info, and the same goes for an IVR system. An IVR that is connected to a business’ various databases takes the IVR’s effectiveness to a whole new level and delivers a better experience for the customer.
5. Keep IVR menus simple. IVR can be useful, but too much of a good thing will turn customers away. One challenge faced by some IVR implementations is that the firm using the software makes the menu system overly complex and time-consuming. Callers need to navigate through the system easily and quickly or they won’t use self-service IVR, and will be less likely to have a favorable impression of the business they are calling.
By implementing these five IVR tips, businesses can save money, improve efficiency—and drive a better customer experience. And that’s a pretty good deal.
Edited by Ashley Caputo