Stay in the Game with an IVR System
August 10, 2011
By Juliana Kenny, TMCnet Managing Editor
The benefits of having an interactive voice response system in your office are well known, but some businesses have yet to be convinced. IVR systems are integral parts of a business’ customer relationship management strategies, and as such, every decision maker should be aware of the advantages IVR systems can give where customer communication and retention is concerned.
TMC’s (News - Alert) Susan Campbell recently wrote about how beneficial voice recognition software can be for a business, especially when talking about self-service and customer navigation. “The first step in the process in selecting an IVR system is to determine whether or not it will be used in the long term or the short term. A program that is only needed for a few weeks may not require a robust development platform or the associated hefty price. If the program will instead drive all customer communications, it is important that it represents your brand well and delivers the expected level of service,” wrote Campbell.
Customization is key for any organization looking to implement an IVR system, and luckily Interact, Inc. is an industry leader providing IVR for businesses of any size. Depending on the type of customer support a business needs, Interact provides the top voice solutions, having installed thousands of voice ports in telephone networks across the world.
Campbell continued, “IVR systems can vary widely in the industry and if this program serves as the gatekeeper for your company’s phone line, it is important that it is operational and functioning at its best during work hours. Support offered by the vendor should enable you minimal downtime and failover systems should you have bigger problems.”
With 24/7 support, Interact is also aware of the necessity to be attentive to each customer’s need– a quality standard that cannot waver as IVR systems perform at the crux of company-to-customer communications.
While it can be a daunting task to select an IVR system for your business, the need for such communications technology has progressed beyond an option into a requirement. For any business trying to stay ahead in our frequently changing technological world, a customizable IVR system is a vital component.
Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO West 2011, taking place Sept. 13-15, 2011, in Austin, Texas. ITEXPO (News - Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It's also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. To register, click here.
Juliana Kenny graduated from the University of Connecticut with a double degree in English and French. After managing a small company for two years, she joined TMC as a Web Editor for TMCnet. Juliana currently focuses on the call center and CRM industries, but she also writes about cloud telephony and network gear including softswitches.
Edited by Chris DiMarco