How IVR Software Can Take A Business To The Next Level - By: Kathryn Dawson

Every company always looks for ways to reduce costs and to increase profits while properly serving its clients. When it comes to serving customers, it's important to ensure that they are served in a timely fashion, while addressing any issues that they may have. Companies are increasingly turning to technology to achieve these goals through the use of voice-automated systems.

What are IVR Systems?

These are systems that use voice technology to service its clients. The traditional way of dealing with service calls was to setup a main operator. When the operator received a call, they would direct the call to the most appropriate group to best address the customer's concern. The problem with using the traditional method for servicing customers is the inefficient way that calls are handled and the long time it may take to transfer a caller.

Over time, companies started becoming aware of certain transactions that really didn't require a customer to speak with a service representative. Examples of this included getting information on account balances, getting address information and retrieving the last transaction records.

These voice automated systems allow customers to quickly serve themselves. Instead of having to wait for a customer service representative, they can use voice commands or key pad inputs to direct the correct actions.

How Voice Automated Systems Help Businesses?

Enhances customer experience

There are companies that offer support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Other companies do not need to offer that type of service level, due to the nature of their business. Companies like these usually only provide live service support during normal business hours. When a voice automated system is implemented, companies that offer limited live support can still allow customers to retrieve important information. These types of transactions could include: transaction history, payment information, account balances and more. A company may not need to provide round the clock support, but with the system in place, it may seem like customer service is available 24/7. Customers can self-serve themselves, at the same time they don't have to endure the long wait times.

Company costs are considerably reduced

Once a company implements an automated voice system, there is no need to have a lot of agents waiting on standby for the next call. A company can use more agents during peak times when many callers call in and reduce the total number during slow periods. A company that can properly plan these periods will definitely save on payroll costs.

Agents provide focused service

With a voice-automated system in place, simple calls can be re-routed quite quickly to the voice answering services. Valuable time is no longer wasted. Call center agents no longer have to deal with low-level problems. They can now address and resolve high-level problems that require that one-on-one human interaction.

Many voice automated systems integrate with CRM systems

Many voice systems today can be integrated into a company's existing customer relationship management system. This means that all activities or interactions that take place over the phone can be tracked and monitored in a customer's history file. A company will have a better overview of all interaction between sales support staff, customer service and the customer.

It's clear that phone applications that are directed with simple voice commands and key pad inputs will improve the overall efficiency of a company's operations. A company that isn't currently implementing any kind of IVR software or IVR system is potentially wasting a ton of internal company resources. Needless to say, customers may also be suffering because of this. Before a company decides to make any type of investment, it should start reviewing its current goals and processes. Once goals and processes have been defined, the next step is to review a list of voice-automated systems that can meet these needs and align with business processes.

About the Author

Kathryn Dawson writes articles for Vicorp, a company that makes it easy to design, build and run great ivr system and phone applications. They are one of the leading IVR speech experts with a global client track record, well-known for providing pioneering ivr software to their clients.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Kathryn--Dawson/78883

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