How IVR Improves Productivity in the Call Center

1
How IVR Improves Productivity in the Call Center
2
Introduction

• What is your interpretation when we say the term
  IVR in the telephony industry? Not sure?
• Then, lets try to figure out what IVR means?
• Well, IVR stands for Interactive Voice
  Response. To understand this in more detail
  Interactive Voice Response is a system that is
  used for identification and segmentation purposes
  in a call center.
• It also enables the call center software to route
  the caller to the most appropriate agent.
• An IVR system is always integrated with CTI
  (Computer Telephony Integration) and ACD
  (Automatic Call Distribution) technologies to
  allow interaction between the Computer-Telephone
  and for proper call routing.
• Since now, we have got a slight idea about what
  IVR is, lets us look into its importance in
  todays call center environment.

3

• IVR plays a significant role in the best call
  center software as it helps a call center in
  providing an efficient and uninterrupted calling
  process.
• If you are running a call center and your primary
  motive is your customers delight with the
  services offered, then it becomes extremely
  essential for you to handle the high call volume
  on daily basis in an effective manner.
• For which you need to have various software
  equipped with the latest technologies that can
  help you in a seamless management of customers
  calls consistently..
• And that can be easily achieved with the help of
  IVR. Not just that it can also play a crucial
  part in the growth of your business.

4
Creation of personalized messages for IVR

• IVR provides a contact center with an option of
  creating personalized options or messages for
  your customers.
• By using this feature of an IVR system a call
  center can add a personal touch in their service
  which helps them in giving personalized service
  experience to their customers.
• Using this characteristic can help a call center
  in making a strong bond with their callers in no
  time.

Using pre-recorded or default messages in IVR

• The main objective of a call center is to provide
  their customers with an exceptional service
  experience. And believe it or not one of the
  major constituent of a remarkable experience is
  professionalism.
• Because of this reason a lot of contact centers
  prefer not to use the customized messages.
  Instead, they can use the default IVR messages
  along with their call center solutions which
  ensures professional service every time.

5
Information collection

• The most common problem faced by the call center
  agents which is also very frustrating for a
  caller is multiple call transfers.
• Thus, it is very important for a contact center
  to try and minimize the number of transfers as
  much as possible. And this problem can be
  eliminated with IVR.
• And IVR system records and collects customers
  information and preference when the customer is
  interacting with the system. This ensures that
  the customer is routed to the most suitable agent
  based on the input provided to the IVR.
• This method can be used for fast and correct call
  transfers adding to the customer satisfaction.

6
Allows automation of customer support

• Apart from the routing of calls to the most
  suitable channel, IVR can also be used for
  automation support in a contact center.
• With the help of customized message feature, a
  call center can provide solutions to the common
  problems.
• This will allow customers to get answers to their
  queries without even talking with an agent.
• It can also be a contributor in reducing the call
  volume of a contact center.

7
Call prioritization

• It is an unstated fact that a high-profile
  customer is very important for a business as it
  can greatly affect the reputation and
  productivity of the business.
• So, to make it certain that a contact center is
  never losing a high-profile customer is it
  essential to provide them with fast and quality
  service.
• Using the call priority option of an IVR system,
  an incoming call from a high-profile customer can
  be routed directly to the most suitable agent.
• And in case all the agents are busy, then the
  system can automatically re-route their calls to
  the waiting queue giving them the top priority,
  so they do not have to wait in queue for a long
  time.

8
Call routing
As an IVR system is always incorporated with an
ACD system. so, it is guaranteed that the call is
routed to the most suitable agent every time
making sure customers always experience a good
quality of service.
Prosper in high call volume

• As IVR makes call routing easier for a call
  center, it allows them to perform effectively and
  showcase their best performance when dealing with
  high-call volume.
• With correct routing, the resolution time is fast
  and wait time is low which adds on to an
  exceptional service level.

9
Helps in building a good image for your contact
center

• Along with providing a great service experience,
  IVR can also play a role in building a good image
  for your contact center, especially for the SMEs.
• By using IVR the SMEs can give an impression of
  being a larger contact center than they actually
  are. Also with less staff using IVR for support
  automation can help them in fulfilling their
  customers needs without requiring an agent.

10
Benefits of IVR
Since now we have seen different features of an
IVR. Its time to understand how these features
can benefit a call center. Some of the main
advantages are as follows
   Increased service quality

• As an agent gets the call based on their skills
  and specialization it directly reflects in its
  performance.
• The agent will be able to resolve issues quickly
  and effectively when he/she has more knowledge
  about the subject thus increasing the service
  quality.

11
Increase company efficiency
An agent working in a contact center using the
IVR will be more competent when handling issues
matching their skills. Thus reducing the number
of escalations or call transfers to the other
agents can add to companys efficiency.
Increased customer satisfaction
The IVR systems reduce call volume, increases
availability and agents performance. All these
characteristics result in improved CSAT.
12
More professionalism in service

• As a customer service representative, an agent
  needs to be very professional while interacting
  with a customer.
• But not all agents have the same level of
  professionalism so the level of service changes
  based on the way they interact with a customer.
• But with IVR the call center management can make
  sure that every caller gets the same quality of
  service in the first contact.
• As the first contact can build an impression of
  service, they are going to have through the
  overall business transaction. And so it is very
  important to have a good and professional
  experience in the first contact.

13
Reduced operating cost

• One of the ways in which a call center can make
  more profit and improve their ROI is by reducing
  their operating cost.
• However, some of the things like investment in
  agents training and hiring are very critical to
  maintain a good quality of service and thus
  cannot be compromised.
• Other less important things like hardware,
  storage devices, need of additional staffs are
  something which a contact center can fine-tune to
  reduce the operating cost.
• An IVR system completely replaces the traditional
  technique of having a receptionist to transfer
  calls and at the same time provide more benefits.

14

• It is multipurpose, error-free, more quick and
  effective way of handling calls and can be used
  to reduce the operating cost.
• It can also help in getting the customers
  feedback without requiring any additional work or
  software.
• So, from all these above points we can easily
  make out why IVR is one of the most used and in
  demand technology, especially in the customer
  service.
• But for this idea of having an IVR system in your
  call center will become even more adaptive, if we
  can see a real-life situation and see how IVR
  played a vital role in controlling the situation
  through this case study.

15
Your Free Trial Is Just A Click Away
16
Thank You