OO How to Optimize Your IVR Configuration...How to Optimize Your IVR Configuration able o Contents...

TALKDESK EBOOK

How to Optimize Your IVR Configuration

Table of Contents

Introduction

I IVR Basics A Guide to Interactive Voice Response Systems

III How to Customize Your IVR

II Beyond the IVR basics

Conclusion

03

04

18

11

23

3

IntroductionIn the digital age customers first seek to resolve issues on their own through non-voice channels such as mobile apps websites email SMSText and chat and to a lesser degree social media When a customer is unable to resolve the issue on their own they pick up the telephone When they do they expect the agent answering their call to be the best agent available to address the issue without being transferred The agent should know who they are without reciting a string of information about their account and have access to all required information in order to resolve their issue quickly and with a minimum of additional effort

To properly address these issues and create a customer experience that leaves a lasting impression contact center platforms must have an agile Interactive Voice Response (IVR) configuration that can enrich extract and filter data to instantly identify and route callers to both the channel and agent with the highest likelihood to achieve first-call resolution The right IVR configuration will enable you to improve your routing strategies with the automated application of data insights

The IVR is the flexible backbone of any contact center and enables customer service operations to build an amazing customer experience This ebook explores what an IVR is how it supports the contact center and customers and simple ways to customize an IVR to the needs of your organization

4

I

What is an IVR system

IVR Basics A Guide to Interactive Voice Response Systems

We are all familiar with that lovely voice telling us to ldquoPress 1 for Salesrdquo but many managers entrepreneurs and CEOs donrsquot understand the value that this simple tool will bring to their company

An Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system is a contact center software feature that facilitates self-service call segmentation and routing by enabling callers to make choices using spoken or typed commands on the telephone keypad Most consumers are familiar with IVR systems whether or not they are aware of what the acronym stands for Many may associate IVRs with the standard initial language selection often ldquoPress 1 for English Oprima numero 2 para Espantildeolrdquo

5

How do IVR systems workIVR systems greet callers and assist them in reaching the most appropriate agent or resource for their particular needs They do this by responding to caller input either by voice or via the telephone keypad As the caller selects menu prompts the skills-based routing system begins to narrow down what department and which agent will best meet the callerrsquos needs For example a caller that selects English gt Billing in the IVR will be routed to an English-speaking billing agent Some IVRs may take more information than this including account number and specific details of the inquiry

Interactive Voice Response systems (IVR) are essential elements to all functioning contact centers While most people are familiar with the concept as a consumer there are nuances to the use of IVR from the business perspective

IVRs allow you to

Configure a personalized IVR message and promptsWith an IVR you can record customized greetings messages and prompts so that when your customers call your company they will have a more personalized experience ldquoPress 1 for Salesrdquo taken to a whole new level

6

Use pre-recorded IVR messages

Typical IVR Scenario

If you prefer to not use your own voice on the IVR you can use pre-recorded IVR messages Professionalism made easy

ldquoPress 1 for Sales2 for Supportrdquo

ldquoThank you for callingStarworksrdquo

Greeted by your IVR Asked to choose from prompts Directed to the most appropriate agent

Caller contacts your company

Based on IVR and skills-basedrouting

Collect information about your callersIVRs collect information about your customerrsquos needs and will transfer calls to the most appropriate agent or department depending on their IVR input When calls are directed to agents using technology the probability that the caller will be transferred to the wrong agent or department is significantly reduced

7

Automate customer support

Prioritize calls based on value

Route the caller to the right agent or department

IVRs allow your customers to solve their own problems and obtain the information they are searching for without speaking with an agent Automated customer service made simple

IVRs allow you to prioritize calls based on the callerrsquos value When a high-value customer calls the IVR will route them to the agent who is most qualified to meet their needs If all of your agents are busy they will be directed to the front of the waiting queue Your team will never lose a high-value customer due to poor customer service or a slow answer time

IVRs will route your callers to the most appropriate department or the agent that is most qualified to meet their needs

8

Thrive with high call volumes

Improve your companyrsquos image

IVR systems allow companies to easily handle high call volumes Callers will automatically be directed to the agent or department that is most capable of meeting their needs or will wait in a queue when all agents are busy Some IVR systems allow the caller the option of having an agent return their call rather than wait in a queue

Startups and smaller companies can use IVRs to make it appear that their company is larger than it actually is If you only have a few people in your company you can configure IVR prompts that allow callers to talk to sales support marketing or technical support etc Regardless of what department the caller choses they will be routed to the person on your team assigned to answer all of the calls With an IVR your customers will be impressed with your companyrsquos professionalism

In a typical scenario of a company that uses an IVR a caller is first greeted by the IVR After the greeting they are asked to choose from a series of prompts (eg ldquoPress 1 for Salesrdquo) Based on the button they pressed the caller is routed to the most appropriate agent or department If all agents are busy when the caller contacts the company the caller will wait in a queue

9

The benefits to using an IVR are clear and the associated costs are relatively low Some standard benefits from using an IVR for both new and established businesses include

Increase first contact resolution1

2

3

Increase customer service efficiency

Increase agent and company efficiency

IVRs significantly increases first contact resolution because callers are always directed to the agent who is most capable of meeting their needs or the most appropriate department The agent who receives the call will be more qualified to answer the callerrsquos question and will be less likely to transfer the call to another agent

Agents who work in a company that uses an IVR are more proficient at solving specific problems and meeting specific needs of the customers that they are assigned The result is an increase in customer service efficiency

Agents who work in a company with an IVR are more skilled at addressing specific issues are less likely to consult with colleagues or a manager and are also less likely to transfer the call to another agent This results in a significant increase in agent and company efficiency

10

Reduce operational costs

Increase customer satisfaction

4

6

5 Increase professionalism

IVR systems will replace a receptionist or a customer service agent who answers calls and directs calls to agents They are also very affordable will increase efficiency and will reduce operational costs so the ROI is huge

When your IVR is easy to use and reliable customers will never be routed to the wrong department or to an agent who cannot solve their problems

You can use an IVR system to greet your customers in a very professional manner and to make it appear that you have more departments and employees than you actually have

The core purpose of the IVR is to ensure that callers are routed correctly to increase efficiency and first call resolution Caller identification segmentation and routing to the most appropriate agent within your team will significantly reduce costs and increase efficiency within any company

11

II

What is a multi-level IVR

Beyond the IVR basics

A multi-level IVR allows numerous stages of input from callers For instance in the example above the caller went through two levels language selection topic of inquiry A simple IVR would only allow for one initial option A very complex IVR could have many levels so that the caller is routed more precisely A one-level IVR may be more simple for callers to navigate but it may not sort customers adequately This can lead to calls being answered by less-specialized agents which increases the likelihood of those calls being transferred or escalated due to heightened customer frustrations On the other hand a multi-level IVR may feel like a burden to callers Many customers reach out via phone so that they can speak with a human so the longer they are entering prompts the more frustrated they may become This is especially true if they find that they have difficulty remembering prompts or end up in menus that are not optimal and therefore have to hang up and call again to start all over

12

1 Automatic call distributor (ACD)

2 Skills-based routing

ACDs are the backbone of contact center software systems They work with IVRs and CTIs to facilitate smooth routing

Skills-based routing enables contact center managers to essentially create the ldquobucketsrdquo into which customers are placed Based on the selections made by callers they are routed to the agent or group with the most appropriate skills

Are IVR systems ever referredto using different terminology

What contact center software features are associated with IVR

You may occasionally come across IVR systems referred to as Auto-Attendants or Voice Response Units (VRU)

IVR systems are integral to contact center software solutions As such they touch on many contact center software features Below is a list of a few instances

13

4 Call queues

6 Intelligent reconnect

5 Queue callback

Call queues are the lines that callers are placed in after they have been routed through the IVR A call queue lines up to a specific ring group The ldquoBillingrdquo queue consists of all customers who have been routed to ldquoBillingrdquo but have not yet been helped by a live agent

Intelligent reconnect is an industry-first feature that automatically routes customers who have been accidentally disconnected directly to the agent who fielded their initial call allowing callers to skip the IVR and have a more seamless experience

Queue callback is an IVR option that allows callers to hang up the phone while retaining their place in the call queue This is particularly useful when the call queue is long The caller then receives a callback when it is their turn to speak with a representative

14

First call resolution1

2 Average time in queue

If your IVR does not route callers effectively first call resolution will take a nosedive The IVR must put callers in contact with the most appropriate agent or else risk customer dissatisfaction and the need to be transferred escalated or to call in again These activities can lead directly to churn

The IVR feeds callers either directly to agents or into a queue If the IVR is not optimized callers may all end up in the same queue shifting the workload to only a few agents and elongating wait times

What are IVR greetings and messages

What contact center KPIs are impacted by IVR performance

IVR greetings and messages are customizable recordings that callers hear as they interact with your IVR This includes the initial IVR greeting that feeds them into the system the various prompts and general responses to errors or unusual inputsThese greetings and messages should be regularly checked and updated to make sure that your callersrsquo IVR experience is as streamlined as possible You can accomplish this by mystery shopping your IVR

IVR systems can have a profound impact on contact center key performance indicators (KPIs) Here are three contact center KPIs that are influenced by IVR

15

Average abandonment rate3It is not unusual for customers to abandon their calls while they are in the IVR This often indicates that the IVR is frustrating in some way Careful analysis of where callers abandon should lead to direct changes in IVR system configuration

What are the advantages of an IVRThe use of IVR systems is standard practice for a reason IVRs can be tremendously useful to companies Here are a few examples

1 Collect caller information

2 Self-service

IVR systems record caller responses and add them to the callerrsquos contact history This enables callers to receive personalized service from the agent who answers their call

IVRs can be used to help route callers to appropriate resources rather than just agents This might include information like company hours or location This function of IVR streamlines the information-gathering process for callers

16

4 Increase first-call resolution

5 Reduce operational costs


An effective IVR routes callers to the most appropriate agent making it easy for their inquiry to be handled efficiently and without transfers or escalations

IVRs act as a type of silent employee routing callers without the need to hire an operator to do so

IVRs are a hallmark of enterprise businesses Call centers that lack IVRs may appear to be less organized and professional than those that do have an IVR solution

3 Prioritize callersIVRs help companies flag VIP customers and prioritize them in the queue This allows the most high-value customers to receive the best service possible

17

Why do IVR systems get a bad rapMany callers view IVRs as a ldquonecessary evilrdquo of reaching out to a company via telephone Very often customers have called companies in order to speak with a human The longer they have to deal with the IVR the more they feel that their goal of speaking to someone directly has been hindered IVR systems that require voice input can be particularly frustrating This is usually due to the IVRrsquos difficulty to understand speech especially from someone with an accent or a speech impediment Most significantly IVRs may seem annoying to callers because it is unclear what purpose the IVRs serve From a business perspective it is obvious that IVR systems increase efficiency in the contact center but this may not be apparent to callers Ultimately it is the role of contact center managers and employees to make the IVR experience as easy as possible and if necessary communicate the reasoning behind implementing an IVR system

18

IIIHow to Customize Your IVR

Providing a top notch customer experience should start even before a prospect interacts with a member of your team How do you accomplish this By configuring your contact centerrsquos IVR system to provide a tailored experience to callers before they are routed to an agent on your team This increases customer satisfaction sales and the efficiency of your team Thus taking a bit of extra time to ensure that the callerrsquos experience in your IVR is customized according to their referral source could pay huge dividends down the road

This chapter will walk you through five steps to optimizing your phone number settings and IVR configuration based on the referral source of the caller

19

Assign a unique phone number to each marketing campaign

Add the assigned phone number to the text of the marketing materials

Step 1

Step 2

First purchase a separate phone number for each unique marketing initiative Make sure you keep track of all phone numbers by assigning a ldquoFriendly Namerdquo to them in your contact center software Depending on how many phone numbers you purchased you may also want to keep track of them in a spreadsheet so that you can add any relevant notes about this process This will be helpful in the subsequent steps when you customize the phone number settings according to the needs of the unique prospect population you expect to call the phone number

Next use the assigned phone number on all marketing materials associated with that campaign For example add a unique phone number to your pay-per-click ads conference flyers TV commercial and banner ads This will ensure that when callers reach out to your company after seeing that particular marketing campaign their experience interacting with your company is optimal

20

Customize each phone numberrsquos settings according to referral source

Step 3

Before configuring your IVR according to your callerrsquos needs you should make sure that the phone numberrsquos settings are customized according to the referral source Make sure the timezone business hours call forwarding call queues call recording preferences greetings and messages have been optimized according to the cohort of callers you expect to reach out to your company from that marketing campaign Doing so will help to customize the callerrsquos experience and to ensure that they are able to get in touch with your team when they are most interested in purchasing your product or service

21

Optimize your IVR configuration according to referral source

Step 4

Now that you have your phone number settings optimized it is time to do the same to your IVR for each phone number that is associated with a marketing campaign When doing so keep in mind the following key characteristics of this caller group

bull Are they likely to be in a hurry If so make sure your greetings are short and your top three choices in your IVR prompts will direct them to the right agent or department

bull Are they a specific gender from a specific geographic location a specific profession or within a specific age range Play music in the waiting queue that might appeal most to this demographic

bull Are they seeking more information If so make sure you play messages in your waiting queue that contain information relevant to the campaign they called in about For example inform them of terms of the promotion return policy and any other related promotions that they might be interested in as well

bull Do they need to be routed to a subset of agents with specialized knowledge about the marketing campaign from which they were referred Make sure you configure your IVR and Skills-based Routing in such a way that callers are routed to the agents who are trained to meet their needs

Customizing your IVR configuration according to referral source will help to ensure that each caller receives a tailored experience This will increase the likelihood that they will purchase or demo the product they are calling about increases

22

Analyze metrics associated with assigned phone numbers

Step 5

Once you customize your phone number settings and IVR configuration you should keep track of metrics associated with each phone number assigned to a marketing campaign If you notice an unacceptable number of calls abandoned in the IVR or too many transferred calls you might want to take a look at your phone number settings IVR configuration and recorded messages to see if you can optimize these a bit more Doing so may help to significantly reduce the number of missed opportunities to connect with a prospect

Providing prospects with an optimal experience starts before they even talk with an agent Make sure that your companyrsquos first impression is perfect by optimizing your IVR configuration according the callerrsquos referral source It could mean the difference between losing a potential customer for life and winning over their lifetime loyalty

23

ConclusionDoes an IVR improve the efficiency and effectiveness of a contact center Resoundingly YES Is an IVR system a ldquonecessary evilrdquo for customers to tolerate in order to speak with a representative Also YES although a strong argument can be made that there is nothing evil about utilizing a tool to route callers to the best agent for their particular issue An IVR is the backbone of any contact center as it supports the entire organization and allows for additional functions to create a holistic and high quality customer experience

CX Manager helps companies continuously improve customer experience and operational efficiency by leveraging data to route the right calls to the right agents Designed with Talkdeskrsquos enterprise power consumer simplicity philosophy its self-service visual flow designer enables users to create call flows simply and without any coding expertise CX Manager provides anyone with the building blocks needed to shape and deliver an amazing customer experience

If you want your contact center team to take control of the customer experience contact Talkdesk for more information on how the combination of an agile IVR backbone built with CX Manager can optimize your customer service operations

+1 (888) 743-3044 wwwtalkdeskcom

Talkdesk Enterprise Contact Center Platform empowers companies to continuously improve customer experience With enterprise class performance and consumer-like ease of use Talkdesk easily adapts to the evolving needs of sales and support teams and their end-customers resulting in increased customer satisfaction productivity and cost savings Over 1400 innovative enterprises around the world including IBM Acxiom and The Scotts Company rely on Talkdesk to power their customer interactions Learn more and request a demo at wwwtalkdeskcom

Table of Contents

Introduction

I IVR Basics A Guide to Interactive Voice Response Systems

III How to Customize Your IVR

II Beyond the IVR basics

Conclusion

03

04

18

11

23

3




4

I





5



IVRs allow you to


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II




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2 Self-service



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IVRs allow you to


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IVRs allow you to


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IVRs allow you to


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4 Call queues


5 Queue callback




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Step 1

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OO How to Optimize Your IVR Configuration...How to Optimize Your IVR Configuration able o Contents...

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Transcript of OO How to Optimize Your IVR Configuration...How to Optimize Your IVR Configuration able o Contents...