It’s going to change how businesses function so you better stay on top of things.
Yes, IVR has been around for a while and as yet it has been given limited space in business environments. But this is the warming up period. The tech is changing, improving and starting to impress both businesses & their audiences. So get ready for action.
Are you still apprehensive about this technology? The truth is customers can find answers faster and businesses can save money. Does this sound like good enough reasons to learn more? You’ll miss out if you don’t embrace it.
The IVR Features that Change How We Work
Call Assistance
Here’s the biggest benefit that tends to attract businesses to this technology. Why waste your customer care agents’ time on filtering calls and providing basic information if a robot can do it?
IVR helps companies get more done by taking some of the load off employees’ shoulders:
– Answering calls the moment they come in which prevents customers getting frustrated with waiting.
– Gauging where calls should be directed so customers get feedback faster.
– Creating a ticketing or reservation system so it doesn’t have to happen manually
– More people are available to handle calls without employing more individuals.
– Handle basic functions such as bookings that don’t require talking to an individual.
You can see this benefits a business but customers often forget how this—albeit impersonal—system provides advantages for them too. When you know exactly what you want and you don’t want to have a conversation about it, isn’t it better to let a robot help you?
The result is faster service which is something most people insist is their top priority so it’s worth giving this tech a chance.
Information Source
Note that IVR can be tasked with much more than simply directing a call. It can help call center agents function better by already providing some information about the caller that’s transferred to him or her. Now the caller and agent can reach a solution faster.
Part of the speed of such transactions or interactions can be attributed to this: Machines handle certain tasks much faster than humans ever can.
The moment you’re identified on a call an IVR system can look for information about previous calls or transactions. This happens instantly instead of you having to wait for an agent to browse your history, read details and make assumptions.
It’s the speed with which IVR handles certain tasks that should attract us to use it even more.
Self Service
This ability to provide information also relates to helping customers get what they want. One of the best things about IVR is that customers no longer need agents to help them complete tasks.
You probably embrace this self service approach on other platforms. Don’t you love online shopping, making movie bookings and even sending personal gifts without ever talking to anyone?
Still callers tend to shy away from it when they phone a company. Why? Through IVR you can find information or handle transactions as you would do on an online platform. The only thing we tend to feel awkward about is talking to technology, not using it.
If you can ignore your apprehension you’ll realize this is exactly what we want in our lives.
Number Identification
You see people’s numbers whenever they phone you so of course number identification is not new technology. The benefit of using it with IVR is that you can be identified by your number so others—or the IVR system—can already start preparing your feedback based on the data connected to your profile.
Multi Language Options
In our global community all cultures and nations interact daily. But language is an obvious barrier that could slow down transactions or conversations.
Not if you implement IVR and you’re open to use it.
An IVR system can be set to function in multiple languages. That means your business can now engage with almost anyone from around the globe. By accommodating more people businesses show they care about their customers.
The benefit for consumers: If this technology can help you get served in your own language I see it as a better option than talking to an agent, don’t you?
Surveys and Polls
Most probably this feature makes business owners smile while it brings frowns to their customers. Most consumers hate being part of surveys or polls since it feels like wasting time.
But isn’t an IVR driven poll better than filling out lengthy questionnaires? And if it’s going to help you receive better service, isn’t it worth the sacrifice?
I love how easy it is to answer questions by pushing a few buttons. Of course I can’t share my views entirely as there aren’t any open ended questions so there’s still room for development.
Text to Speech
What’s the one way companies try to keep IVR as personal as possible? By NOT letting the systems sound like robots.
This becomes challenging when IVR must supply information outside the few recorded questions, answers or menu options. What if you need your IVR to tell incoming callers that your business is experiencing a unique challenge which influences their waiting time or transactions?
Luckily this technology has evolved and now you can communicate almost anything without even recording the word or sentence beforehand.
Simply type out what you want the IVR system to communicate and let TTS (Text to Speech) functions convert it into a very normal sounding human voice. Customers will appreciate the in depth information which will make talking to a robot seem less like a problem.
Let’s be honest. The tech is still evolving so you may find a few hiccups here and there. But at the rate this has changed over the past few years it’s only a manner of (short) time before IVR is applied in all kinds of entities. You’ll find it in businesses, public works, research projects and more. Be one of the first ones to join the pack so you can enjoy the benefits while the rest still catches up.
