IVR, or interactive voice response, is a technology included in today’s leading voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) solutions that greets and acts on information it collects from callers. If you’ve been in the position of having to “say or press one to speak English,” then you already know what IVR actually is. It makes use of the information it collects to forward calls, check the identity of the caller and provide the caller with information or handle other tasks that don’t need a human agent, like change their pin or making payments.
What is an IVR and how does it work?
The IVR is the first feature customers encounter when calling a contact centre. The IVR will greet the customer with a recorded message after which they will be presented with various options. For example, the caller are required to press 1 or say “Service” for a direct connection to the department for service then press two or “Sales” to be directed to talk to someone in the sales department, etc.
IVR solutions can support multi-level menus, which means you can gather additional information prior to deciding. For instance, if a customer selects the department for service the sub-menu will ask about the specific product they’re calling regarding. This is how the IVR can forward the call to a particular team who is responsible for that product.
IVR is typically employed in conjunction with automated call distribution (ACD) solutions. ACDs utilize information from the IVR, together with metadata about calls to assign callers to an orderly queue and prioritize their calls prior to routing the caller the agent next in line who is the best equipped to assist the client as swiftly as is possible. When used together, they will reduce wait times and boost the number of calls your agents are able to take in a day.
Important IVR Features
Historically, IVR served as a basic ACD. It would provide callers with choices, and then it would then route the call based on the input. In the present, IVR is being used for a wide range of purposes than just handling calls, from providing access to account details to taking surveys , and even accepting payment details.
Self-Service
Most of the time people call call centers to find the answers to questions that are simple. “Where is my package?” What’s my balance in my account? When do you have to in business?” IVR enables businesses to answer these questions with no human interaction which allows the agents in bustling call centers to concentrate on larger issues which require human intervention.
IVR’s self-service capabilities isn’t restricted to answering an inquiry. IVR may be utilized to let customers take actions that have traditionally needed assistance from a human. For instance, IVR could be used to alter an account’s PIN, sign up an account , or accept the orders of customers.
Payments
The process of obtaining payment information on the phone can be a hassle particularly when the information is lost in the translation. According to a study from Zendesk customers do not like repeating themselves. More than 40% of respondents said that repeating their own names was by far the most annoying part of poor customer service. It was the third most requested answer.
IVR payment options eliminate this tedious job of giving the payment details to an agent who enters the information in the system for payment. Instead the IVR is linked to the payment gateway and the customer inputs the payment details. This means that there is no requirement for the customer to repeat their information, and also reduces the chances that data will be wrongly entered.
Do I need to use an IVR Service?
Contact centers and companies with high call volumes could benefit from an IVR the most. They probably would not function without it, especially in peak times of call. In the end, IVR is a great option for any business looking to cut down on waiting times, speed up service , and delegate tasks to the IVR to allow agents to concentrate on the issues which require human intervention.
The volume of calls is much less be concerned with whether you should use An IVR, or whether you should have one. According to a study by Zendesk 68 percent of customers are unhappy when they’re transferred between departments. The report also revealed that more than half of respondents stated that they’d choose an alternative after one bad experience. IVR sends calls to appropriate person first time which means that agents don’t need to switch calls several times and reduce the churn rate.
How Do I Set Up an IVR
In the past, IVR was a very complex piece of technology to manage. It was necessary to buy additional IT infrastructure that could support the IVR as well as an IT specialist who is highly paid to oversee everything. It is necessary to scale solutions as the company expands. This is because increasing numbers of users will require more equipment, which will cost more money and takes longer time to install.
Today things are more straightforward. Cloud phone systems don’t need any additional infrastructure. Therefore, you don’t have to spend money on an additional infrastructure or staff to set up and manage it. Cloud phone systems are also more simple to expand (up and down) since there is no need to install additional equipment. You simply need to purchase more licenses and then set up the users accounts.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between the IVR and ACD?
IVR can be described as an automatic telephone system that welcomes customers and collects data about them through voice. ACD uses call metadata with input from IVR and places the call into an inbox, gives it a priority and route in accordance with a specific set of guidelines. While both of these methods are usually employed in conjunction with one but they are completely separate VoIP features.
Do I require VoIP to make use of IVR?
There is no need for an internet connection to use IVR. IVR is compatible using traditional landlines or VoIP. Be aware that IVR is generally offered along with VoIP options. Furthermore, VoIP providers–especially those hosted in the cloud–make it much easier to set up and manage IVR than with traditional landlines.
What is the difference between inbound IVR and the outbound version?
The Inbound IVR form is most frequently used type of IVR. It is utilized to answer calls from incoming calls like the case of companies who need to be able to answer calls 24/7 and uses an automated attendant, puts calls on hold, or employs an automated method of routing calls. Outbound IVR is used for automated dial calls like for surveys notification, appointment reminders, and other calls.
What features can you expect from IVR Systems?
The most important characteristics of IVR systems are voicemail and voice response technology. contact-tone response, messaging according to the time of the day, and access to accounts using authentication.
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