November 19, 2012
Don't Make this Critical IVR Mistake
Last week, a key focus on this IVR channel was Plum Voice’s two customer scenarios that play a part in considering Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technology. The two scenarios – they either work for or against the company’s brand image and thus, the bottom line. The last place a company wants to be is in a position where the technology put in place to improve the customer experience is in actuality having the opposite effect.
In light of this, the most recent Plum blog stresses the importance of an effectively designed and executed IVR application, especially for those companies wanting to facilitate effective customer communications (who doesn’t?) To ensure the right IVR solution is in place, it’s important to look for one with capabilities that mirror those of the live operator.
Further, the effective IVR should ensure customers can easily dial in to a call center and quickly find the information they need through logical methods. When concise call flows are lacking in the IVR system, for example, end users can easily become frustrated, especially if they are stuck in recurring call patterns that fail to route them to the appropriate destination. Needless to say, it can take only one negative customer interaction to have significant repercussions for the brand image.
Most companies fail to view investments in applications as a method to effectively improve customer relations and the customer experience. In doing so, they tend to have more trouble creating the ideal experience for the customer, and thus, the right brand image. High-functioning customer retention applications, such as a robust IVR system, protects the bottom line by ensuring customers have the desired experience when using self-service options.
It isn’t enough to simply purchase a robust system; however, the system has to be monitored. The good news is that this also allows for the improvement of the system already in place. To do so, a company must measure by collecting performance data.
That data must then be analyzed, improving the experience by implementing processes that cater to the needs and wants of the customer. It’s vital to remember that the better a company understands the habits and interaction patterns of its customers, the more effectively they can design their IVR application to create the desired experience.
Those tasked with managing the IVR system typically rely on measurements and statistical data to evaluate the success of the platform. The problem with this is that it only provides information on elements such as containment rate and quantity of customers and not on the quality of the customer experience, or more importantly, customer impressions or perceptions – things that offer critical insight into brand perception from the customer’s point of view.
If a company can truly capture that information and put it to use, the opportunities for improvement, expansion and extension really are endless.
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Edited by Allison Boccamazzo
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