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Using IVR at Your Call Center? Make Sure It Succeeds
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Using IVR at Your Call Center? Make Sure It Succeeds

 
May 21, 2014

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  By Rory J. Thompson, Web Editor
 


Interactive voice response, or IVR, can be a timesaver for customers in a hurry and a money-saver for call centers watching every dollar. But unless it’s carefully calibrated and monitored, it can also turn into a system that frustrates rather than helps customers.


In a recent report on Business News Daily, an industry expert shared his thoughts on what works best for IVR. Donny Jackson is Senior VP of software development for IVR provider USAN (News - Alert), and shared five points he felt were worth exploring to assure an IVR system is working at full capacity.

The first point is Identification and Authentication. “Unless the IVR is simply directing callers to specific departments or employees, then the first step of the system is to verify the caller is who he says he is. This needs to be done when a customer wants to pay a bill, check an order or shipping status and obtain personal records,” Jackson noted. “If the system can't quickly and accurately authenticate the customer, the call will be transferred to an employee, which costs businesses both time and money.”

“Confusing Menus” are also another challenge that callers find particularly frustrating. "The goal is to identify the tasks people are looking for and present them in a way that isn't confusing," Jackson told BND (News - Alert). "Craft the menu system to be clear and concise and make the caller feel like it has the information they need." It was also noted that callers get easily frustrated with an IVR system that offers menu options that are hard to understand, and sending callers to wrong options are signs an IVR system is poorly designed, the report noted.

Other challenges Jackson identified that should be addressed include:

Callers not clear what's available: If callers think their needs can't be handled by the IVR, they are quickly going to opt out of the system so they can speak with a calling agent. That move will cost you money.

Callers don't trust the IVR: "We have to tell [the caller] our automated system has the most up-to-date information," Jackson said. "You have to make them know there is nothing more an agent is going to tell them than the automated system."

Not fully utilizing the IVR: Jackson noted that one area where businesses could be doing more is by using the system to cross-sell and upsell callers on new products and services. He said when in the IVR, businesses have a captive audience so they need to make the most of it.

Jackson told Business News Daily that IVRs are best used when they can handle all of the caller's needs quickly and easily. "An IVR is an important channel," Jackson said. "It is crazy to not give them a great experience."




Edited by Alisen Downey
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