I called the bank the other day and for a change I was blown away by the superb service. Guess what made the difference. I wasn’t talking to a human.

IVR has been met with both enthusiasm and scepticism by businesses & consumers.

Because customer service plays such a huge role in any company’s success businesses find it hard entrusting their customers to a ‘robot’. However, IVR can save time, effort and money. But this is only worthwhile benefits if it actually works.

On the other end of the spectrum consumers usually prefer conversing with humans rather than technology. With a robot you can’t have discussions to make yourself understood. This was how I felt. Until yesterday.

After a short, clear question and answer conversation I was instantly directed to the correct department. I admit I was so shocked at its accuracy I was speechless for a moment. But I take this as a good sign that IVR has improved enough that it’s now here to stay. If it keeps on impressing consumers this way it will become all its inventors were hoping for.

So let’s ready ourselves for what’s to come.

IVR in the Future
The reason I was so surprised is because this technology is still evolving and I didn’t realize the advances it made. Now at last it’s reaching a stage where there are more benefits than problems with the tech, software and features.

Below are a few improvements that are on their way. So if you have major concerns, get ready to be impressed the same way I was.

Improved Voice Recognition
This is the foundation of these systems but it has been the source of frustration for many users. An ideal voice recognition system will direct you to the menu, agent or department no matter what you say on the phone.

The technology is not quite there yet so at the moment you face one of these situations:

• – The IVR system provides you with a list of menu options. You have to press a number on your phone in accordance with the menu but this means you move the phone away from your ear and may miss some instructions.
  – You’re asked what your preferred action is but the system doesn’t recognize what you’re saying.

These problems still occur because the human voice is difficult to dissect if you’re a robot. At the moment the technology enables the system to recognize certain words that have been programmed into the setup. Of course, if you don’t use those exact words—or even if you have a unique accent—the system gets confused.

So what does the future hold?

The technology has already improved a lot and as the tech enables easier recognition these calls will become more user friendly. You’ll be given less limiting options and more people’s speech will lead to quick resolutions.

AI Driven = More Happy Customers
One type of technology that will enhance IVR is AI. Artificial intelligence—like IVR—is quickly taking over the market to benefit businesses, workers and consumers.

Now imagine when these two are combined.

Part of AI is machine learning. This tech can pick up tips from human functioning to improve its own operation.

With this capability AI can turn an IVR system into a more understanding module. Your unique speech or a lengthy sentence will still be understood even if you’re not using the exact words the systems usually recognizes.

This can benefit a call in many ways:
– The AI part of the IVR system will learn about your intent and requirements from what you say. It won’t be necessary for IVR to repeat a long list of options anymore. This will shorten calls and callers won’t feel limited in their options.
– When the call starts the caller can use any relevant sentences, words or questions instead of trying to figure out which words were programmed into the system. Yes, this will be very close to talking to a human.
– AI technology can ask questions to callers. What you say will be added to the robot’s list of facts it already knows. This is then used to find relevant information on the business’ database or direct you to an appropriate agent. Humans have such a high need of interaction and this Q&A process will feel normal, familiar and more positive than what is currently possible with IVR.

The tech is almost there. You’ll enjoy this level of service soon.

More Appropriate Menus
One of the frustrations I used to have is not knowing exactly where I want to be directed. When you talk to a customer care agent it’s easy because you can explain and ask questions until you know exactly which department will help you.

Not so with IVR. But only for the moment.

Already it’s possible for businesses to customize menus with features as easy as drag and drop. That means companies can quickly change their setups as they research and realize customers’ preferences.

And once AI joins in callers will feel less confused because there will be more interaction.

More Accurate Flows
The reason people phone your business is probably to get certain facts or details. And they want it quick. At the moment I’m not surprised when someone simply bangs down the phone when IVR can’t supply the necessary information. In some cases it’s still faster and more efficient to talk to an agent.

In future—when voice recognition has improved enough—callers will reach the right departments from the start.

It’s worth dropping our preconceived ideas and even our impressions that are based on past experiences. In the same way the TV first daunted people before they fell in love with it, IVR is set to transform how businesses communicate in the future. Don’t fall out of sync with these developments because you want your customers to be as impressed as I was this week.

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.

When a business owner like you searches for ways to improve your company, IVR is probably one aspect you’ve stumbled upon.

But IVR seems like such a drastic step. The logistics of installation alone are enough to put the notion off for another day far from now. And the costs simply don’t justify the value of having an IVR system, do they?

I’ve heard multiple objections to getting IVR, and like a broken record I always answer them each the same way respectively. Are some of these objections the reasons why you haven’t considered IVR yet?

Customers Prefer Speaking to a Person Over a Machine

Business owners want to give their customers as much of a personalized experience as possible. They therefore use the objection that IVR will replace that ‘human touch’ they’ve worked so hard at developing.

FACT!

Customers actually find dealing with technology a lot quicker and more efficient. A study showed that 78% of customers prefer competency over speaking to a real person. The world is changing, and people are becoming more and more comfortable with technology.

With efficiency as a plus, companies who implement modern day IVR into their companies are more likely to increase customer satisfaction. Not only are you leaving them in the most competent hands possible, but you’re also resolving their queries faster.

IVR Systems Cost Too Much

The implementation and installation of an IVR system takes a fair amount of time—and it isn’t cheap. I have heard this objection the most, and it’s usually from business owners who are careful with their expenses.

This is good. But sometimes we miss out on excellent opportunities because we’re too afraid to take the risk. So the question is, does IVR pay for itself?

FACT!

IVR systems increase productivity, increase customers and handle queries on their own. Many companies are doing away with conventional call centres and switching to automated systems where customers are helped more efficiently.

Why? Because they understand that if they drive customer efficiency, they get more customers and make more profits. In today’s market, there are too many business owners who don’t think they need IVR to compete in today’s market. The truth is, they do.

My Company is Too Small to Need a Full IVR System

I once worked for a small family business. The extent of their phoneline was one phone answered by a receptionist. A year after I started, they introduced an IVR system. There were only 7 people working there, but it made a world of difference to our productivity. Customers were helped quicker and the 7 of us were in constant communication with each other at all times. There was a great flow.

Business owners seem to believe that IVR systems are for large corporate companies and public service entities. After all, how many calls do you really get at your company? Does this number warrant an IVR system?

FACT!

All good IVR systems are fully customizable, and you only pay for what you use. This includes equipment, installation costs and the amount of features you want to access. So smaller companies can afford to implement IVR because it will improve their productivity without costing much to implement.

People Only Call in to Check on Their Orders

If you don’t get many calls related to customer queries at your company, perhaps you feel that an IVR system would be redundant. Perhaps the only people who call you during the day are those checking on their orders.

Guess what? Customers hate doing that!

FACT!

Today’s customer is growing more and more accustomed to convenience. They don’t want to chase companies for their orders. They want access to their information so that they can check for themselves.

What does this have to do with IVR? Imagine an automated system that immediately recognized your customers and gave them their order information—leaving you and your workers to get some work done.

People Can Help Customers Quicker than IVR

It seems logical to us that speaking (and reasoning) with a person is quicker and more efficient than dealing with an options menu. And we can be so hesitant to let go of an old system that we know (think) works best.

But what if you base this decision on an assumption? What if a fear of the new keeps you from trying one of the most effective systems available?

Customer service agents may also waste time on irrelevant chatting, or take too long to answer a call. With an IVR system, you circumvent many of these problems.

FACT!

Firstly an IVR system answers immediately and it’s directly connected to your data. How much quicker can an employee be than a computer that instantly provides updated records? You know how many times you’ve called a company where the customer care agent comments on waiting for the system to update.

And let’s not get started on the chaos when human error draws out the process even further. That’s how you waste your customers’ time.

Why not let the customers communicate with the system directly?

And then there’s the way an IVR system can help you place the most sought after information within easy reach of customers.

The data compiled by an IVR poll or during calls, tell you what customers call about the most. Now you can place those options at the top of the menu so your customers find common information quickly.

And since technology has evolved to where customers can speak menu selections and requests instead of pressing buttons, it won’t be much different than speaking to an agent. Only faster.

Can you see the value you—and your customers—are missing out on?

Looking at what these systems can do and how successful they’ve been at it so far; do you feel that IVR offers an immense amount of value for companies? Even smaller businesses can benefit from automating their customer processes—and those that do are in for exponential growth in the years to come.

Be a forward-thinking business owner. Investigate the benefits of IVR for yourself and see how it can transform your company.

Just when you thought IVR technology was fading away, new methods of optimizing customer communication make their way into our business world. The way you think about IVR is nothing like it was 20, 10 or even 5 years ago.

New technologies have streamlined IVR in ways that might surprise you, and in an attempt to become more customer centric, companies are exploring them.

If IVR could help you do the following, would you rethink your perception about it?

What if IVR had the following end results:

• Enabling you to cater to a wider demographic
• Providing your customers with a personalized experience
• Helping your customers faster
• Telling you what your clients want
• Fully automating your communication between customers

Today’s IVR can do that. Here’s what you may not have known about modern day IVR technology.

Language Versatility

New IVR technology strives to connect your business with multiple cultures across the world. But even if you operate locally, adapting your IVR to accommodate different languages instantly broadens your potential customer base.

Adding common language preferences like Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Portuguese to your communication capabilities will connect you with those in your surrounding areas who don’t speak English—or prefer not to.

If you’re operating in a non-English country, why not add English to your IVR system? Grow your company by reaching out to more people, and adapt to the global hub where English is the most commonly spoken language.

How Does Language Versatility Make You More Customer Centric?

Customers appreciate being dealt with in the language they are comfortable with. You are sure to attract customers of different languages as well as retain them with your efforts to accommodate them.

Remembering Individuals

Personalizing the customer experience is what customer centricity is all about. Modern IVR technology now learns from past calls. It can:

• Tell what the caller’s personal preferences are
• Access the caller’s personal account details
• Put the caller through to the desired department
• Collect statistics on that called for future reference

This is what we call intuitive IVR. It’s a breakthrough in technology that essentially adds an AI element to your communication system. Since your customers prefer quick service over human-to-human interaction, this technology leaves them feeling satisfied with their call.

How Does IVR Memory Result in Customer Centricity?

Customers want to be remembered. Most of them would prefer dealing with the same automated system every time they call, rather than a different call centre agent each time. This results in higher efficiency at resolving calls, quicker calling up or updating of details, and the ability to handle more call queries per day.

Instant Assistance

Today’s IVR technology has presented businesses with streamlined communication. With the help of Smartphone technology, customers can now communicate with you wherever they are. But your company must adapt to this convenience, or you’ll be left behind competitively.

Adapt your IVR technology to accommodate app-based software where users can access and initiate changes they want. Give them the control they need to assist themselves, and they’ll appreciate your efficiency.

Payment methods can also be added to make accounting a simpler process. IVR technology has reached so far as to assist in this. Investing in this kind of technology is essential to surviving an ever-changing global climate.

How Can Smart IVR Technology Make Your More Customer Centric?

By handing control back to the customer, you are giving them the convenience and speed they want to feel satisfied and well served. Customers will grow so accustomed to the convenience you offer with your IVR system that they will be unlikely to leave you for a competitor.

Gathering Feedback

Did you know that intuitive IVR keeps records of all your client information? Not just personal information, but also all preferences that are evident during calls. IVR systems can now personalize your customers’ experiences more than call centre agents because it’s one system that remembers everything.

Gathering this kind of feedback makes you more customer centric because:

• Customers feel valued when they are remembered
• Calls are handled quicker because that feedback is never forgotten
• Feedback statistics give you a map on how to please customers
• By learning what your customers want, you can shape your company to bring in more of them

Competency

One of the main reasons call centres have such a bad rep is because of the inefficiency at which they assist customers. Since the point of a help centre is to help customers, why do so many customers feel frustrated after speaking to a consultant?

I’ve been on both ends of phone, and this is my theory:

• The majority of customers want to deal with an automated system rather than a fallible person.
• Customers hate having to call back only to speak to a different person. The customer therefore experiences varying levels of service based on the individual they are talking to.
• People have a tendency to be inefficient. Their personal lives, personalities and social skills have a great bearing on whether the customer ends up satisfied in the end.
• People forget. They forget to record notes, they forget to send invoices and they forget to call back.

It’s an inescapable truth: customers feel more comfortable with technology. It’s more reliable, more efficient and much quicker.

Full Customization

After working with many different companies over the years, one thing I’ve realized is that every company is different. The culture is different, the processes are different, and the chemistry between workers is different.

New IVR caters for any company by presenting itself as a sandbox system—meaning you can tweak multiple different settings to make it suit the way you do business.

IVR has come a long way. It’s had to in order to survive the changing market. Today’s IVR is sure to become a part of our every day lives as more and more companies adopt this superior business tool.

What is IVR?

Technically, the initials IVR stand for “interactive voice response,” but that’s a bit of a misnomer because an IVR system can also interact with keypad commands that a caller inputs, along with an actual human voice.

We’ve all encountered simple and complex IVR systems when calling companies to ask questions. Even the Internal Revenue Service, one of the largest and busiest government agencies, uses a multi-faceted IVR system to deal with more than 95 percent of incoming queries.

An IVR system can be set up to perform automated dialing and then interact with people who answer their phones. So-called political “robo-calls” are an example of this type of sophisticated IVR usage. The outbound calls go out by the thousands or millions, and when someone picks up, a pre-recorded message is delivered. After that, the listener can either hang up or continue to interact with the system by offering survey responses, opinions, or demographic data.

The essence of IVR is the collection and delivery of information in a totally automated way. The software can pick up or dial, respond to customer questions, give information, or even ask questions. Most consumers know about IVR systems that are in use by major banks and credit unions. Today, the majority of customer queries in the banking industry are handled by capable, efficient IVR software.

What are Some of the Major IVR Advantages?

High-volume: Perhaps the most obvious advantage of IVR systems, in addition to outbound dialing and automated dialing, is the sheer number of calls they can handle. Calls can simply be directed to the appropriate department or company division where they belong, with an option for the customer to wait for pick-up or to have an agent call them back.

First-ring answering around the clock: IVR, because it is fully automated, answers calls immediately at any time of the day or night. Customers can get their questions answers and issues addressed immediately, wherever they live and whenever they call.

Better company image: IVR software gives a great first impression to customers, often making a small startup appear to be larger than it is. There’s no deception involved here, just the accurate portrayal of a business entity that has decided to efficiently automate and prioritize its customer response systems.

Efficiency: Customers get routed to the departments where they can get the fastest help and get their questions answered rapidly. This has a two-pronged effect: it makes customers happier and it decreases response time for customer service agents.

Hands-free options: So-called “hosted IVR” software allows a company to fully automate its customer response systems. Hosted IVR software resides in the cloud and is managed by the vendor. That way, a company can totally outsource its incoming and outgoing customer interactions.

Case Studies of IVR in Action

Outbound dialing and automated dialing are both common parts of modern corporate business environments. IVR has been the primary solution for thousands of companies. A few representative examples are:

The Dubai Airport responded to a rapid increase in traffic with the implementation of an IVR system that handles thousands of queries each day, many of which are crucial for customers who need to connect on international flights and learn about itinerary changes by various airlines.

Major newspaper industry entity Scripps Company implemented an IVR software response system several years ago. Now handling in excess of 10,000 calls per day, the company’s owners say that IVR has increased customer usage of the system by more than 70 percent.

Econux Limited of Asia, a sales and service arm for a global electronics manufacturer, implemented IVR recently in order to route calls to appropriate departments. As a result, routine queries about hours and services are now answered immediately via automated interaction, while more complex inquiries about specific products and sales data are sent directly to the agents in charge of those departments.

Should You Implement an IVR System in Your Business?

An IVR system is actually a solution to dozens of different business challenges. Across a wide range of industries, IVR has already proven its capabilities for improving customer service, speeding up real-time customer assistance when needed, facilitating owner-client interaction, and accomplishing hundreds of other tasks that pertain directly to customer satisfaction, business efficiency and cost-cutting.

A fully integrated IVR system can be whatever the business owner wants it to be: a simple call response function, a multi-disciplined customer routing method, or a fully interactive and highly intelligent way to handle an infinite variety of client inquiries and needs.

If you think that IVR is the smart choice for your business, sign up for a free account with Nimblevox at their site, www.nimblevox.com.

Automated dialing, of which outbound dialing is just one type, is a common feature of the corporate marketing world. Telephony systems that contact thousands of potential customers each day are able to use interactive voice response systems to gather information from callers who willingly respond to a pre-recorded question after picking up the phone. Properly managed auto-dialing systems have the potential to identify potential customers and connect them with live agents when necessary, thus increasing a company’s client base with ease and at a very low cost.

Interactive voice response systems, also known as IVRs, are telephone-based menus that allow callers to choose from various options in order to be routed to the precise department that can best handle their inquiry. These arrangements are mostly used for both inbound calls as well as outbound dialing campaigns, as mentioned above.

There are both sophisticated, complex IVRs as well as simple, “Press 1 for Billing,” types of menus that offer just a few options for incoming callers.

Companies that use IVR systems quickly discover that there are literally dozens of advantages inherent in these automated response menus. The following are the most cited by professionals who work with IVR technology on a daily basis:

Five Key Advantages of IVRs

Companies implement IVR telephony systems for many of reasons, whether it’s to manage large call volume, to make a small entity appear large, to personalize the customer experience, to save money, or to offer around-the-clock customer service.

Handle large call volume with ease.
IVRs are capable of handling as many incoming calls as necessary, whether that means thousands for a mega-corporation or just a few for a startup or tiny organization. Automated responses require no live operators or complicated switchboards, just a simple computerized call response software that can handle massive incoming volume if need be.

Project the type of company image you choose.

As is often the case with startups, there is a need to project an image of being something other than a one-person shop, or the newest player in the field. IVRs are ideal choices for new companies with one or a few employees, or for home-based organizations that wish to project a professional, “brick and mortar” image to inquiring callers and potential customers.

Because of their low setup and maintenance costs, IVRs are used for this purpose by hundreds of different types of entities, from one- or two-person law or accounting firms, to new medical practices where a doctor and one assistant are the only staff on hand at any given time.

Offer personalized options to every caller.

IVRs can be set up to identify incoming calls by telephone number and thus greet particular clients by name, or with a dedicated message based on their typical inquiries. Even callers who wish or need to speak with a live agent can be immediately routed to someone who can help them.

As opposed to old-fashioned “live operator/receptionist” systems, IVRs can keep tabs on potentially infinite numbers of personalized responses to incoming callers. First-time inquirers can be sent to a special agent whose expertise is in dealing with new clients, for example. Likewise, repeat or established customers can be identified by their phone numbers and routed to their “favorite” customer service employee or department. The uses of IVRs for personalized response are endless, and most importantly helpful for every person who contacts the company by phone.

Save money.
Of course, one of the best-known advantages of IVRs is in the area of cost. The systems are much less costly than live operators and receptionists, can handle an unlimited number of calls for no increase in cost and are able to increase company efficiency to the point where every worker is dealing with customers that have been routed to them based on their needs.

Offer 24/7 customer service.

Customers appreciate the fact that they can call any time of the day or night and obtain basic information about hours, company policy, account balances, and a host of other necessary information. IVRs know no time clock, never get “tired,” and are always perfectly polite, even at midnight on a holiday!

Modern Marketing Techniques

Automated dialing, outbound dialing and IVR systems in general, are among the most potent of today’s phone-based marketing methods. They’re inexpensive, easy to set up, help bring in new customers, solidify current client populations, and do dozens of related business chores that impact the bottom line.

IVRs have become a staple of the modern commercial landscape, and the public has become quite comfortable with hearing and responding to automated/recorded versions of the human voice. The systems are in use by millions of small and large companies worldwide and are one of the simplest ways to boost ROI.