IVR or most commonly known as Interactive Voice Response. Do you have any idea about it? NOOO! Well, let me give you a hint- You listen to them when making a call using your phone. I’m 100% sure that you know about it but are unable to connect the missing dots. Are you still confused?
Well, here are some examples:
“Thank You for calling ZZZ Company.”
“You Have Reached ZZZ Company. Your call is important to us. Please hold while we connect your call.”
“For English press 1. Para Español presione el número 2.”
Are you familiar with these messages? Well, most of you might have heard them when making a call to customer care or company.
WHAT IS IVR?
WARNING! Some Technical Stuff.
Interactive voice response is a technology that was invented way back in the era of ’60-’70s. All it does is allow a computer to give an automated to humans. OR you can say interact with them. The communication can be done in the form of both the voice & input from the DTMF tones.
Well, since its invention, several telecommunications have already set up their host system. They use IVR systems with pre-recorded or dynamically generated audio to respond to a query & giving a further response on how to proceed. These systems can handle both inbound & outbound calls.
IVR System Applications?
These systems are used in several places like when you do any mobile purchases, retail orders, utilities, travel activities, or bill payment. Well, at some point in time in your life, you might have already used all these services.
Main Purpose of an IVR
The primary purpose of an IVR is to get input from the user, then it does some processing & later return a result to the user using an automated attendant. Moreover, sometimes, the VRU or Virtual Response Unit is also used for the same purpose.
Top IVR Service Providers & their Costing
PROVIDER PLANS
Avoxi – 4.49 USD/Month
Twilio – 150 USD/Month
Callhippo – 10 USD/Month+Number Charges
Jive – 19.95 USD/Month
8*8 – 60 USD/Month
Voicent – 799 USD/One Time Fee
Note- If you want to know about TWILIO in detail then you can always read my previous article & find out how you can grow your business faster- Grow Your Business 5X Faster With Twilio API.
3 Key Benefits of Using IVR for Customer Benefits
Here are the 3 key benefits of Interactive Voice Response that will explain how it can help create a seamless self-service experience-
Rich Experience with Advanced Features
Interactive Voice Response Systems provides several advanced features that can help ensure the best experience to the users. Unable to Understand? Well, then let me give you an example-
VISUAL IVR provides visual menus that guide customers with the help they need immediately.
Save Customer’s Time
Most customers lose their patience when they have to listen to a long menu. Even I will get angry if any brand forces me to listen to long menu options. Before the introduction of IVR services, customers had only one option- Disconnect The Call.
However, fortunately, IVR is here & it allows customers to skip the part that they don’t want to listen. This way, you can save valuable time of your customers & make a positive image of your brand.
Enhanced Mobile Customer Experience
As technology is advancing, the total number of smartphone users are also increasing. So, if you want to grow your brand, you need to have mobile-optimised customer service. This is where IVR comes, as it is ideal for a situation like this.
So, with 100% surety, I can say that IVR can play a crucial role in boosting sales for your business. Besides, there’re more chances of conversion of a potential customer, if all of their questions are answered properly.
Frequently Asked Questions | IVR
Q- What is Inbound & Outbound IVR?
A- Inbound- When users call your company & Outbound- When you call the users.
Q-What is Cloud-Based IVR?
A- If you don’t want to use bulky telephony hardware & software as a traditional IVR system then it’s time for you to transit towards Cloud-Based Interactive Voice Response Service. Moreover, as compared to traditional IVR, you get more features at less cost.
Q- Can I Use Voicemail with Automated Attendants?
A- Yes! now, it is possible for you to connect Automated Attendants along with the Voicemail Systems. So, as a result, it possible to send messages to the caller when the service is unavailable.
Conclusion
A business reaches to new heights when both the customers & employees have the tools that they need for success. So, by using an optimised Interactive Voice Response system, you can create a brand image while empowering your employees. This way, you can provide the best support possible to your customers.
To sum up, I would say that if you have any other questions related to IVR system than do let me know via the comments section. I will try to answer all your queries as soon as possible.
