Most IVR systems today reside in Wintel PCs equipped with special
ISA and/or PCI board-level products and their accompanying DSPprocessors.
These specialized processors connect to the telephone system (the
platform that actually switches the calls) using analog ports
(the same type of ports used for basic single-line telephones).
Some are available to connect using a digital connection for advanced
signaling between the adjunct call-handler and the switch. They're
also increasingly networked on LANs/WANs, which is only natural:
Again, their reason for being is to extract and provide information
gleaned from live databases.
Almost all turnkey platforms are also available with a graphical
application customization tool so the that the system integrator
and/or developer can flexibly create applications quickly. Most
generally work along the drag-and-drop model, wherein users build
call-flows with application "blocks."
The main benefit to an IVR system is that it eliminates the need
for agents to answer repetitive questions. An IVR system does
not replace live agents, but it frees them from having to handle
simple repetitive calls. An IVR system also does not take breaks,
lunch or call in sick. It allows callers to get the information
they need 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
You can also use an IVR system as a front end to your ACD to
improve call routing. For example, an IVR system can prompt callers
to enter an incident number which signals to the ACD to route
the caller to a rep familiar with the product they're calling
about.
It can also be useful for running special applications that change
frequently. For example, if you are running a special promotional
offer via a print ad, you can program the voice prompts to direct
callers to the menu choice related to that ad (i.e., "press
one to hear more about the $19.99 book club of the month offer,
two to order this month's best seller, three to receive our catalog...").
The system can then capture information like a credit-card number
or address.
IVR can also be offered as an option if callers experience long
waits in queue. You may create an on-hold message that suggests
the caller try to use the IVR system to get technical assistance,
for example. The system can then interact with the caller to learn
about their problem and even recommend likely solutions from the
database.
In general, IVR is more accepted by callers today. Most realize
that they can get the information they need more quickly through
IVR than if they wait on hold or press 0 to speak with a live
agent.
As for agents, IVR lets them focus on more complex calls and
deal with issues that require their time and talents. The cost
of handling transactions is also more than 1/3 less than the cost
of using live agents to handle calls. It's typically so cost effective
that most call center managers report that an IVR system pays
for itself in less than one year.
Be sure to choose a system that will grow with you.
You'll want a system that will let you simply add lines and
voice storage capacity as needed.
Be sure to use high-quality voice recordings.
But keep in mind that if you want to use professional recordings,
this can be an added expense. Find out if this is an extra
cost every time you want the vendor to make changes to your
scripts.
Make sure the sequence of your voice prompts flow smoothly
and that the program's content can be changed quickly and easily.
Also find out if your system integrator will help you handle
this as the system changes over time (it will).
Offer fax-back as an option.
Since people like to receive things on paper (such as order
confirmations, flight itineraries, receipts, etc.), make sure
the vendor you choose can help you add this, particularly
if you can't rely on your IT department.
Look for an open solution.
Is the original equipment manufacture an active participant
in the ECTF? They should be. Advanced IVR is headed for the
open CT server; proprietary hardware systems will effectively
lock you into very expensive upgrade paths.
Speech rec is now a must.
It makes IVR just so much more robust (the touchtone interface
has always been a drag on the app). In fact, The Gartner Group
projects that within two years 30% of all IVR applications
will have advanced speech recognition built in.
Buy a self-service platform that not only supports touchtone
IVR, but also all other self-service platforms, including speech
recognition and e-mail.
More and more, customers will want multiple ways to communicate
with you; unless you have a platform that can support multiple
channels, each time you add a new way for customers to reach
you they'll have to start from scratch.
Easy integration.
Buy a system that easily integrates with the technology currently
being implemented in your center. Forklift upgrades are never
any fun.
Buy into one-to-one marketing.
In addition to automating simple, repetitive interactions
like account inquiries, you need a system that captures knowledge
every time a customer interacts with you and can apply marketing
campaigns consistently across all channels. With increased
competition, it's easier for companies to sell more to their
existing customers than to acquire new ones.
Look for deep computer telephony-based call control integration.
The IVR should be as much a part of your call center's switch
fabric as the original ACD switching code.
Remember that a poorly developed IVR system can lose customers.
Things to remember on the implementation front:
- Short and too the point is always good.
A primary goal in any IVR scripting project should be to
implement the call-handling solution in such a way as to minimize
the overall length of a call. This not only allows an IVR
system to handle more calls per hour, but more importantly
it respects the callers' time and gets them the information
they need as quickly as possible.
- Pressing 0 should always get a caller to a live agent.
As a business, your goal is to automate as many calls as
possible. But if you don't allow a caller to get to a live
agent when they really need it, you can lose callers and customers.
One more suggestion — if a transfer to an agent cannot
be done immediately, tell them how long they will have to
wait.
For any given IVR system, you will find a natural percentage
of calls that can truly be automated. Don't force this percentage
to be artificially high.
- Never ask a caller to enter the same information twice.
IVR systems often will prompt you for an account number,
followed by a live agent who will ask for the same information
once you are connected. This is very irritating to callers.
- Spoken error messages should not be interruptible by
touchtones.
If a caller makes a touchtone entry error, the IVR system
will speak an error message back to them. Be sure that these
error messages are played in their entirety even if the caller
is continuing to press touchtones. The reason is this: callers
often make errors when they are confused. If additional touchtones
terminate the playing of the error message itself, it can
only compound the caller's confusion.
- Try to limit choices in a single menu to four items or
less.
Yes, there are exceptions to this rule, but in general callers
appreciate shorter menus and you will see fewer abandoned
calls. The basic idea here is to put the most common operations
in the earlier menus so most callers can get to the information
they want faster.
Daily feedback on IVR system performance is important.
You will never know for sure if your IVR system is performing
properly unless you can monitor its performance on at least
a daily basis. In this context, performance relates not only
to how quickly calls are handled but also to the quality of
call handling.
An IVR system, therefore, should let you monitor the following
call-handling parameters: the number of and average length
of calls handled for each line; the number of times a given
menu is repeated consecutively during a given call, which
can indicate which menus are too complex and should be simplified
or broken up; and the places in the menu structure where callers
hang up without selecting an action, which can indicate where
a caller gave up in frustration.
Insist on a platform that provides a graphical application
customization tool.
You will want the power to streamline existing apps and create
new ones as time goes by. This is now a must.
