When managing a call center, efficiency is key. One of the tools that contributes most to this is Interactive Voice Response technology, better known as IVR. This simple but effective tool helps business phone systems manage customer calls in an easier way than using only live agents. Read on to find out why IVR is an automated service you must have in your call center.
Managing incoming calls in a contact center can be a tough job, and even more so when call volume is high. That’s where IVR comes into play; Customers are welcomed by a virtual receptionist service that provides a series of options depending on what their inquiry is. Each option has a number assigned, so customers choose where they wish to be redirected. The system then reroutes the call to the appropriate department. This answering system lowers the amount of queued calls and allows agents to focus on the cases that concern them, instead of making customers give them the info and having to reroute them themselves. Back in the day, IVRs had to be set up and monitored by an IT department; now there are mobile apps that help you create IVR workflows for small companies.
Nowadays, a more elaborate automated phone answering system is capable of pulling information from your business’ cloud, and can also be used to give customers certain information without the need of a live agent. If, for instance, the customer wants to know about the status of a package, the IVR will ask them to type the order number of said package and will give them the information on the spot; the system could even refer to them by name using the phone number, making the experience a fully personalized one. It is an entirely customizable service, so each business can add its own options onto the decision tree. Professionally recorded lines can also be added, so the feature feels more human-like. This feature is also useful when aiming to promote things like special offers or reminders.
Automated phone systems like IVR also allow customers to leave a message, in case the department they wish to be redirected to doesn’t have a support line; not only does it use cloud-based information and recall it, but it also stores provided information, and creates reports of the caller’s journey through the decision tree. This is an excellent way to get feedback on how useful the phone answering system is, and makes it easier to make changes to the flow to make it more efficient.
In Nearshore Call Centers, every phone answered is an opportunity to improve your processes. Adding a phone answering service allows you to provide full-time customer care without spending more on live agents. Whether it is for rerouting calls, answering FAQs, or simply promoting other services offered, auto attendants are a great way of complementing call center business hours and act as the professional voice of your company when live agents are not available.
Implementing a live answering service such as IVR into your customer service department allows your customers to have more freedom and makes your agents more efficient in their work. Follow this link to contact us, and start working with Callzilla, one of the best outsourcers in the world.
