Contact centres have become a crucial part of any business. They can be the difference between a deal-breaker or deal-maker for a businesse. However, one of the most common complaints customers make about contact centres are the excruciatingly long hold times.
In addition, it has been seen that if a call centre agent is unable to resolve the customer’s issue and route their call to a senior staff member, they have to repeat the same information to resolve their issues. All such issues can lead to high call abandonment rates, poor customer service and worst of all, customer attrition.
In the present business environment, where customer’s expectations are constantly increasing, contact centres need to find ways to optimise their customer service delivery to ensure customer satisfaction and loyalty. Here is where IVR comes into play.
What is IVR?
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is a feature within cloud-based contact centre solutions used by organisations and businesses to provide automated customer service and support. It is a computer-based system that interacts with customers through the use of pre-recorded voice prompts, touch-tone inputs, and text-to-speech voice recognition.
IVR systems are typically integrated with front-end systems like customer databases and phone lines, which makes it easy for customers to access and interact with the IVR system. Customers can access the IVR system by dialling a toll-free number or using web-based portals or other interactive platforms.
When customers access the IVR, they are generally presented with a series of menu options and prompts. Customers can use the menu to select their desired option. The IVR will then ask them questions, provide information, or even route the customer to a live customer service representative if necessary.
How Can IVR Beneficial for Customers and Contact Centres?
For customers, IVR helps to reduce their effort. Instead of having to wait on the phone for a customer service representative, customers can quickly and easily access the information required. This eliminates long wait times, the need to explain their issue multiple times, and the effort of having to figure out how to navigate the system. This leads to improved customer experience, satisfaction, and loyalty.
In addition, IVR can help customers quickly find the right person or team to answer their query, meaning they don’t have to be transferred multiple times before they get the help they need. This enhances customer experience and establishes a better relationship between customers and contact centres.
For contact centres, IVR can help reduce their burden by streamlining the customer service process. Automated systems can quickly identify customer questions and direct them to the right person or team with the correct skills. As a result, contact centres need not hire full-time agents, which further help reduce labour costs.
Additionally, IVR systems can collect customer data and direct customers to the appropriate self-service channel to resolve their issues, meaning fewer agents are required to handle calls. This helps contact centres save time and money, allowing them to focus more resources on providing other services and improving customer experiences.
The Bottom Line
It is clear that IVR technology is essential for contact centres and customers. Contact centres can benefit from improved customer service, reduced costs, and decreased labour costs, while customers can benefit from reduced effort and improved customer experience.
So, what are you waiting for? Find a Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) provider and leverage the benefits of IVR now!
