Yes, we all need the good ol’ cheat sheet now and then, so Angel.com has graciously supplied you with the one you need for IVR. Here are some best practices in IVR design to make your system efficient and effective for both you and your customers:
Let callers know what to expect from the system immediately. This is a simple rule that applies to any customer experience. Present a pleasant greeting and explain succinctly what the system can and will do for the caller.
Do not hide the option for callers to speak with a live agent. No matter how useful your IVR system is for customers, there will always be times when customers want and need to speak to a live agent to resolve their issue.
Whenever possible, give the caller an approximate time for the completion of the request. If transferring to a live agent, let the caller know the expected hold time and provide options to go back into the IVR system.
Do not make callers repeat information collected in the IVR to the live agent they are transferred to. If you want callers to believe that the IVR can help them resolve a problem, respect the time they put into the IVR and don't ask for the same answers twice.
Provide callers with an option to navigate the system using touch-tone (keypad) or speech recognition. Let callers choose the most effective option based on their general preferences, location or understanding of the system.
For instance, someone calling from a cell phone in their car may find it difficult to make menu choices using the phone keypad, but will be able to make those same choices using speech without any hassle.
Personalize the IVR for each caller by integrating with your customer databases and CRM systems. If callers know that the system recognizes their identity, they will be far more likely to stay in the IVR.
Identify and communicate a few universal commands that are recognized at any time during the call. Examples include "beginning" to go back to the start of the dialogue and "help" to get detailed information on the current request for input.
Always let the caller know what is happening. Keep in mind that the IVR dialogue should be similar to a conversation between two human beings. The system should explain pauses with messages such as "Thanks for the information, let me look up your account" or "I am trying to find the most appropriate person to handle your request.”
David Sims is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of David’s articles, please visit his columnist page. He also blogs for TMCnet here.Edited by Tammy Wolf