Four Tips for Better IVR Implementation

By Chris DiMarco, TMCnet Web Editor

IVR systems enable fluid and efficient call routing for call centers, financial institutions or anyone else with a service phone line. Implementing an IVR that works successfully means taking into account not only the concerns of the customer but also your corporations end goals. Since an IVR can be a valuable tool for marketing, sales and IT proper configuration is paramount to successful deployment. With these facts in mind IVR provider Angel.com (News - Alert) is offering four tips on how to best use an IVR platform. The companies IVR solutions make them uniquely qualified to offer advice on the topic and while voice-rec success isn’t rocket science, if you need advice for your system this is a good place to start.

When it comes down to it, an IVR is a customer service platform. Even though it can give additional information to other facets of your workforce you should be addressing your customers first.  If you know your customer base you should have no issue knowing what questions they’re going to ask and setting up a menu system that lets them get to it as quickly as possible. By eliminating the need to ask for an operator, you can save valuable service rep resources and save time and money.

Simplicity is Angel’s next tip. A good IVR is an “elegant” one in their opinion and this means that a customer can get where they need to be without an excess of menus to sort through. Angel says, “Once you’ve analyzed your current call center needs and created a wish list of features you’d like in your IVR system, sit down with your IVR provider to determine which tasks can be handled elegantly for end users through a speech-enabled system.”

Making your IVR display your brand’s identity as opposed to being a generic boilerplate will also net point in the marketing department. To this effect Angel recommends conferring with customer service reps and marketing agents before implementing your IVR, this will lend some of the companies character and will make for a memorable and pleasant self-service experience for customers.

Vigilance is the last and possibly most important tip for proper IVR deployment. By making sure the little annoyances and issues with your IVR have been smoothed over you can ensure customers will come back.  The details relayed by your customer service team will allow an IVR user to remain nimble and flexible in the space.

Angel.com offers customizable and easy to deploy hosted IVR solutions. By utilizing the tips that Angel has outlined, any suite of IVR technology can be repurposed to boost customer service results.  

Chris DiMarco is a Web Editor for TMCnet. He holds a master's degree in journalism from Quinnipiac University. Prior to joining TMC (News - Alert) Chris worked with e-commerce provider Suresource as a contact center representative and development analyst. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Chris DiMarco

(source: http://www.tmcnet.com/channels/ivr/articles/125169-four-tips-better-ivr-implementation.htm)