Interactive Voice Response

Remember hearing a sweet automated voice welcome you to the company you called? Yeah, that’s an IVR for business, an Interactive Voice Response.

IVR is a research in technology that predates the arrival of digital computers. Back in early 1900’s, Corporate world sat back to make a huge investment to make themselves look more professional and serious with these automated answering services. IVR become viral in call centers and then becomes vital for them. It started acting as a consultant or an agent which collect customer data which provides business and routing solutions.

IVR allows customers to interact with company’s host system via telephone keypad after which their queries and inquiries are serviced by following IVR‘s voice dialogue. A pre recorded audio or dynamically generated audio entertain callers and service them with precise instructions and correct guidance.

• Caller can be given the option to wait in the queue, choose an automated service or request a call back.
• System obtains Caller line identification data from the network to help identify or authenticate the caller.

Traditionally IVR is deployed as:-

1. Equipment installed on the customer premises.
2. Equipment installed in the PSTN(Public Switched Telephone Network)

Hosted IVR systems, such as MyOperator a leading call center software, are the latest technological advancement in IVRs. Their advantages include:

• Affordability to provide value to the SME’s (small and medium enterprises) and start-ups
• IVR makes business appear larger than they are
• Improves the customer experience, reduce cost and service high call volumes.

[Tweet “Why should you lose the valuable customers when you can interact with them.”]

Their application pans over various factors:

• It can be used for surveys to ask more sensitive questions to make respondents feel more comfortable.
• IVR used in hospital and clinics can give anonymous access to test results of callers.
• IVR systems can be used for outbound calls in response voice mails or for call back requirements
• IVR systems are used by pharmaceutical companies and contract research organizations to conduct clinical trials.
• IVR holds major application in Mobile sector, Banking sector, Retail sector, Travel and Entertainment Sector.

Why should you lose the valuable customers when you can interact with them even when you are not available or when you can handle loads of them at the same time?!

IVR changed the scenario of the telecommunication industry and brought revolution of heuristic interaction in the hands of big corporates. Now it’s available in the domain of every company irrespective of the size or budget.

Did you get your IVR yet?