Communication is a world in constant changes. Some readers may remember a time when phone calls were the main tool that everyone used in order to get in touch with companies. These days, we have entered into omnichannel communication, which enables consumers to interact with companies in their preferred way. As for those time that we still need to call our service providers, the experience has completely changed, thanks to interactive voice response systems. Here is how they have upgraded call centers.
IVR: The Main Entrance to Call Centers
When you place a call to your service provider, the first voice you will hear may not be one from a representative of the company but from the IVR system. IVR stands for Interactive Voice Response system. Click here to see an example. It has become the heart of call centers around the world. Thanks to AI technology, it can learn how to answer best to customers requests, through time and experience. But right away, it makes the experience better for customers, as it handles their queries right away.
The first thing it will do is define the reason why the customer is calling. To do so, it will offer a variety of choices to the caller. From that answer, the system will continue the conversation, trying to get closer to being able to answer the demand. In some cases, the IVR system will handle the request from the beginning to the end. But when it can't, it will transfer it to the right person inside the company, so that the customer can be served right.
The Main Advantages of IVR Systems
Naturally, the main advantage of an IVR system is that it takes care of the customer right from the moment that the call is connected. This reduces the waiting time to zero, from the start. And although they may have to wait farther down the line, at least they feel as if their call has been answered. It also makes the process faster, as it transfers the call to the right individual, immediately.
If someone wants to call their service provider outside of their opening hours, it is possible to reach them through the IVR system. That doesn't mean the issue that the caller faces will be automatically solved, but in some cases it will. In others, they will be asked to leave a message to the person in charge of the department, who will then get in touch with them, during the next workday.
For the company that acquires an IVR system, it also offers a great number of benefits. The first one is that it can handle more inbound calls, at the same time. No matter how many people are trying to reach the call center, they will be responded to by the IVR system, all at once.
Since the system can resolve some of the customers issue by itself, it enables the company to keep a reduced number of phone operators. That means an improvement in costs, as well as a greater efficiency.
