Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System
IVR, it’s a technology that allows callers to interact with the company without being connected to an operator. In simple words, an IVR system plays a pre-recorded voice that prompts individuals to give their responses by pressing numbers on the mobile keypad to choose an option.
What is Interactive Voice Response (IVR)?
Interactive voice response or IVR is an automated business phone system feature that interacts with callers and gathers information by giving them choices via a menu. It then performs actions based on the answers of the caller through the telephone keypad or their voice response.
The choices of the caller decide the actions of the IVR — it can provide information or, if the issue is more complex, route callers to a human agent who can better handle their needs.
If you ever called a business phone number and had been answered by an automated greeting, which proceeded to interact with you via some pre-recorded message, then you know what an IVR is.
Features of IVR Service
Interactive Voice Response Benefits
Below is a list of the advantages you get when adopting IVR capabilities in your call center workflows:
Better Customer Service
No business can thrive without customers. Therefore, having a good customer experience is imperative. Most of the customers prefer using the phone to resolve their issues. IVR systems also make clients feel like they’re better attended to. IVR systems ensure that any usual question a customer might have already has a quick response readily available. A good IVR flow provides informative and time-efficient responses, guiding customers through an intuitive menu right to the department that can best resolve their needs.
Ultimately, this means answering a call on the first ring, thereby reducing customer wait time and cutting call volume, and saving time for both the client and company. And because they’re talking to the person who can solve their problems, there’s a much better chance of fixing the problem on the first call.
Unlimited Customer Access
While office hours, holidays, and breaks dictate and limit employee availability, IVR systems are always at the customer’s disposal. They can call your contact center and interact with your IVR systems at any time, even outside your business hours.
This means a customer can receive customer service whenever they need it. While the option of having a live representative is still essential for more complex support requests, an IVR system gives unlimited access to a basic level of customer service.
Wider Personalization
IVR systems allow for tremendous personalization, creating a better relationship with customers.By using technology in a more natural way, you can create a more humanized customer experience for your customers.
Each IVR system can be modified and programmed with personalized greetings for known callers. This is possible if caller ID information is available or if the IVR is a part of a larger cloud phone system with CRM integration.