What is IVR?
IVR (Abbreviation of Interactive voice response) automatic interactive response system via telephone, often used in switchboards contact center or call center. IVR interacts with the user by playing a pre-programmed recording and guiding the user through selections using commands on the phone keypad.
How does IVR work?
Let's go through a scenario to better understand how IVR works.
When a user calls the customer service center of company A, the system now Contact Center received the signal and the IVR will:
Step 1: Welcome to contacting company A's hotline, for support on account information please press 1, for support on loan information please press 2, ….
Step 2: Users press key 2 according to their needs.
Step 3: The call is being transferred to the loan consulting department.
Step 4: Operator in charge of consulting.
Step 5: End call.
Note: During IVR interaction, there is often the participation of ACD system ( Automatic call distribution). You can learn about ACD to get a thorough understanding of how ACD and IVR work together.
What is needed to set up an IVR?
IVR system is built on programming language VoiceXML. To operate requires:
- Telephone network.
- TCP/IP: Transmission Control Protocol.
- Web server.
- Database.
Applications of IVR.
Customer care
- Streamline & forward appropriate information in customer care.
- Automatic information notifications (event information, opening and closing hours, etc.)
In sales:
- IVR allows customers to fill out order forms using commands on the phone keypad.
Marketing & Survey:
- Customer surveys, market surveys on product and service awareness/quality.
Look up information:
- Look up customer information automatically by entering information (usually numbers) using the keys on a mobile phone.
- Check bank account balance / phone account,…
Benefits of IVR
Improve customer service quality.
With the use of voice automation, customers will receive a response almost immediately using a pre-programmed voice to minimize waiting time. You can also build this interactive content so that "service standards" as possible
In addition, some advanced IVRs also have the ability to personalize messages based on available information data such as name, gender, etc.
Open 24/7/365.
Programmed and operated fully automatically at all times, even without an operator present.
In case it is outside working hours, you can set up IVR as follows (For example): Welcome to contact the switchboard of company A, currently our switchboard operator only operates from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm. We hope you understand and please contact us again tomorrow morning. Thank you and wish you a warm evening!
Increase operator efficiency.
Minimize the interaction time and manual information extraction that agents have to perform.
Save costs – increase profits.
Depending on the operating model, IVR can replace humans to answer frequently asked questions (FAQs) or provide available information such as customer information, account balances, travel instructions, etc.
Disadvantages of IVR
Despite the great benefits, IVR also has its drawbacks in automation, as businesses sometimes encounter cases where customers have specific needs while the system is not working properly. only limit the information to a certain scope.
IVR: What's next?
The development of artificial intelligence (AI) opens up strong growth prospects for IVR. AI can be integrated into IVR for voice recognition to provide interactive solutions and answer accurate information completely automatically.
