Hosted IVR

January 10, 2013

Payment Calling on Line One

By Robbie Pleasant
TMCnet Contributor

Let’s face it, there’s a certain bit of pleasure to sending in an invoice, secure in the knowledge that you’ll soon be seeing a check as a result. E-invoicing has made it easier, by sending online bills instead of paper. Yet if you run a business, you might find that not all customers want to put their credit card information online.

Fortunately, if that’s the case, there are other options. If your customers prefer talking to a person to pay, don’t have Internet access, or just don’t want to use it, there’s always the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) option.

With IVR, interactions with callers can be automated for ease and convenience. It can take them to their accounts through any phone, so that they can access their information and pay bills over the phone. However, the IVR must be aligned with the billing and payment processes and software solutions before being put into use, otherwise there will be some very confused and frustrated customers.

Once it gets set up, though, there are many benefits to IVR. You can get your payments quicker, and as it’s automated, that’s less employee time spent dealing with customer callers. There’s even money to be saved by avoiding traditional billing methods.

A good example would be Ivrnet E-Invoice, which combines Ivrnet’s technical solutions with the needs of an organization to provide electronic invoicing and advanced workflow approval and payment processing. It’s easy to use, and provides many advantages over traditional paper invoices.

In the end, IVR invoicing isn’t a necessity, but it’s still a good idea. Customers want convenience and ease, and if there are some who prefer paying their bills over the phone, more power to them. We have the technology to make it possible, there’s nothing to lose and everything to gain by putting it to use.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO Miami 2013, Jan 29- Feb. 1 in Miami, Florida.  Stay in touch with everything happening at ITEXPO (News - Alert). Follow us on Twitter.

Edited by Rich Steeves