IVR is short for Interactive Voice Response, is an online phone service that is available for most if not all the customer service or sales hotline around the world. Instead of dialing the operator code or waiting for the receptionist to transfer your request to the correct department. IVR service offers the caller convenience by pressing the selected option in his/her keypad when he or she listens to the recorded message that list down and select the available options over the phone.
To the callers, IVR offers better service experience as they can connect directly to speak to the helpdesk agents and to the call centre management, it helps to streamline the call process and make easier for the management to track the call’s data and generate reports based on the IVR selections chosen by the callers.
To understand further on why call centre shall engage IVR service providers for their daily operations. It is important to know the benefits and the advantages of IVR systems as mentioned below.
- IVR helps to prioritize incoming calls, especially for “popular” services that are constantly called in on the daily basis. Using IVR helps the call centre to understand and allocate more helpdesk agents that are trained in that particular field to handle the high call volumes as and when needed.
- Using IVR service will help to improve the First call resolution rates by using the interactive voice responses system that can be fully customized. By evaluating each and every caller’s individual requests while using the IVR option, it helps the call centre to assess and routed them to the most suitable helpdesk agents to get the issues resolved within the first call resolution.
- From the company’s perspective, using IVR services help to reduce cost per call transaction. Instead of using the agent’s time to do outbound calls to gather surveys or feedbacks or spend a long time to resolve each and every customer’s case. IVR system can be customized to aid the management to gather customer’s data and reduce the call waiting or interactive time more effectively and efficiently.
- Another benefit of using IVR service is that it helps to increase the Call Centre’s operational efficiency and inbound capacity of call handling. With IVR, it can easily reduce the average incoming call length and duration by fifty percent or lower. This, in turn, gives the call centre more flexibility to manage the manpower and additional gains to manage the operations.
- Last but not least, IVR services has help companies to create a professional image that convinces customers that business is thriving and in-demand for the call centre. IVR also boost the company’s brand in a positive manner that customers will see the company that manages the call centres as caring and helpful.
Looking at all the benefits that IVR services can offer to customers and companies. It is not surprising that almost every call centres have their own service provider that manages the IVR software and other call centres online system. For companies who wish to change or upgrade their call centre operations, You can engage Converged Solutions to assist your company to set up call centre provided IVR services that suit your company’s operational requirements and budgets.