Making sure the "I" in Your IVR Really Stands for "Interactive"

Companies have been relying on interactive voice response (IVR) systems for decades. The first generation of this technology was pretty basic…it was meant to route calls, and it did little else. The only “interaction” that happened from a customer’s perspective was pushing a button for a menu choice.

So…does a technology that started out so basic have a place in today’s omnichannel, hyper-digitalized world?

Yes, most definitely. As long as you truly mean “interactive” when you say it.

With the right IVR system, you can simultaneously increase automation rates and improve the customer experience (CX) with dynamic, personalized, frustration-free IVR technology delivered in the cloud. A cloud-based IVR system allows you to do a variety of things older IVRs can’t, such as personalize call flow based on caller behavior, detect potential fraudsters in real-time , and analyze goal completion so insights can be used to help continuously boost automation rates.

Another benefit of a cloud-based IVR solution is the ability to customize operations depending on time of day and call volume. Most call centers have rapidly fluctuating call and contact volumes, and a cloud-based IVR solution should be able to help you accommodate these cycles. Look for an IVR service provider that offers users an easy-to-customize menu with tools to address call volumes. This might include adding an alert for high wait times, or allowing customers to schedule callbacks during times of lower volume.

Another outstanding benefit of cloud-based IVR services is business continuity. Solutions such as Verint’s (News - Alert) fully managed cloud solution can take the drama out of operating an IVR, especially during a crisis.  The company’s voice self-service cloud has not had a system outage in more than 10 years of operation.  It has survived hurricanes, earthquakes, and ice storms that triggered massive power outages. It has plenty of capacity on demand, so users can spike to many times their average call volume and still handle the load.

It should be the job of your IVR solution to ensure customers are taken care of, despite the call capacity, to help your business run smoothly. Is your IVR prepared for the challenge? 

Edited by Luke Bellos