IVR Condescension

Anyone familiar with IVR knows that despite all of the positive attributes, there can be frustrating aspects to the technology.  Whether it's substandard speech recognition software or a menu option that creates an endless loop, there are many sources of frustration for users that are preventable with a good design.  One very important and often overlooked source of frustration can be derived from the IVR system's "tone of voice."  Despite the fact that the voices behind IVR systems are human beings, they are still disembodied recordings which cannot necessarily adjust to the mood or demeanor of the user. 

In a typical conversation, the parties can usually pick-up on each others mood and adjust the volume, inflection and tone their voices to empathize and/or convey emotions.  Common computer systems employed in IVR cannot efficiently detect and process such information.  Oftentimes, users find IVR instructions and prompts sterile at best and condescending at worst.  A recent story on CNN.com discussed what users perceive as condescending voices that give directions on most GPS devices.  This problem is identical to what can happen in IVR prompts.  In an ideal world, IVR systems would be capable of interacting with users in an appropriate tone at all times, but the systems are not equipped to detect the wide range of human emotion in voices let alone be prepared to respond appropriately.

Although it is unrealistic to record voice actors responding to every possible customer reaction, one way to avoid a condescending tone is to carefully review the script and attempt to predict user reactions.  Another possibility is to run focus groups and studies that simulate the IVR environment and use the feedback to improve the script's verbiage.  Avoiding concatenation of sentences is also recommended as such a practice only further de-humanizes the IVR prompts for the user.  Finally, although it is impractical to record prompts across the gamut of human emotion, several takes of each prompt could be recorded and tested in beta versions of the IVR systems to improve before general release.  Until computers are capable of seamless interactions with humans, script design and testing is key to avoid creating a "condescending" IVR system.

Choose Your Own IVR Adventure

Truly interactive programming has long been a goal of movie and television producers.  13th Street productions have effectively achieved the first step in reaching such a goal with the help of IVR technology.  In their first interactive feature film "Last Call," movie goers are asked to enter their cell phone numbers into a database which is used during the movie to direct the actions of characters.  In the horror film, the character calls a random viewer seeking help to escape the killer.  The IVR system registers the responses and the film proceeds according to those choices.  This can result in unique moviegoing experiences for each viewer.

Of course, this is only one step in the process of fully interactive movie entertainment.  The viewer does not have complete control over the action in the film but rather binary choices at several points in the action.  The ultimate goal is complete control over a virtual world, but this is a positive step which appears to be a hit among test audiences and well suited for the horror genre.  This application of IVR is another in a long line of uses of the technology above and beyond its initial concept.

In-Car IVR

IVR systems continue to be tested and utilized for applications outside the realm of telephone on-hold and customer service systems.  One such development is the use of IVR to communicate important auto related information to drivers.  In systems similar to OnStar, important information can be delivered to a driver through an IVR device located in the vehicle.  This information could include routine or immediate maintenance issues, recall notices or real-time traffic updates.  The driver would have the ability to activate and respond to such information using voice commands allowing for hands free operation and minimal distraction.  Although these systems are only beginning early stages of development, recent research suggests that drivers would find them more convenient that currently available systems.

An ATX Group survey revealed that a large majority of drivers would be receptive to in-car messages about recall notices, gas station locations, fuel prices and regular maintenance notifications.  Respondents also indicated a preference to in-vehicle messages as opposed to those delivered by direct mail, telephone, email or text message.  Pilot tests sending in-vehicle maintenance messages from dealerships have shown a high level of comfort among drivers as well as a very low number of opt-out requests.  An important factor in design and user acceptance is to ensure that the messages are delivered in a non-invasive manner but rather can be reviewed on-demand at the driver's leisure.  The ATX survey suggests that most drivers would be receptive to important and useful audio messages being sent to their vehicles allowing for yet another novel use of IVR technology to help improve daily life.

Disecting an IVR Failure

Recently, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) announced that they would be opening a live call center to handle and address water supply shortages plaguing it's customers around the south Indian city.  The call center is set to replace an IVR system that was so woefully inadequate, approximately 80% of registered complaints were not being addressed.  Officials at the BWSSB blamed the failures on incorrect account numbers and incomplete customer address information left as voice messages on the system.  The call center will put customers in direct contact with human operators who will verify specific account and address information with customers so that their issues can be resolved in a timely fashion.

This situation seems to be a clear failure of the IVR system design and not of IVR technology.  The main purpose for the implementation of an IVR system is to save money by employing fewer live operators.  A secondary feature is to empower customers to access company services and complete simple transactions without the help of a human call center agent at any time of the day.  The system that the BWSSB employed failed to adequately accomplish customer self-service thus forcing the utility company to spend more money on a staffed call center.  By adopting a few simple design strategies, the BWSSB IVR system could have been a sufficient method for reporting water outages.

Many IVR systems employed by utility companies will request that customers enter an account number or telephone number associated with an account in order to access associated information such as a customer name and address.  A good system will ask customers to verify that it has accessed the correct information by prompting the customer to enter a PIN or some other form of identification.  Upon completion of the verification, the system can then proceed to record the customer complaint or issue.  The BWSSB system simply recorded customers speaking their account numbers or address so that a technician could then follow-up on the complaint.  The lack of real-time verification resulted in most complaints being left unaddressed.  The troubles were avoidable if a properly designed IVR had been utilized saving the BWSSB time and money.  Now they are forced to spend more of both at the added expense of customer satisfaction.

IVR Design Tips

Most negative customer experience issues related to IVR systems are due to poor system design.  Despite multitudes of customer feedback data and industry best practices, many IVR systems lack basic design features that would make them more acceptable to customers.  The principles behind a good design are rather simple however a designer can often make what seems like a straightforward navigation menu to other designers, but is overly complex or daunting for the average consumer.  To this end, Acclaim Telecom Services recently released a list of common sense IVR design tips.

Like many lists of design tips that have come before, Acclaim recommends that first and foremost, the navigation menu should remain simple and concise.  Many systems try to offer too many options potentially resulting in customers forgetting choices and having to re-listen to a particular menu.  Another very important design tip is to only ask customers to enter information once.  Any duplicate request for information is indicative of an inefficient system and can cause frustration among customers.  Perhaps the most important tip is to make it easy for a user to exit the automated system and speak to a live operator.  Too many systems either bury the live operator option deep within the menu choices or worse, don't even give the customer the opportunity to speak to a human being.  On one hand, this is an excellent money saving strategy, but on the other, it is terribly alienating for a frustrated customer.  These tips are very simple however they are so often missing from the most basic IVR system.  Simply adjusting the design mindset can help drastically improve customer experience and satisfaction with an IVR system.

Empathetic IVR

Although numerous studies have indicated that customers have become more accepting of IVR systems, there are still instances that can cause frustration, especially systems that employ sub-par voice recognition software.  Frustrated and angry users will tend to emote their feelings in their speaking voice causing an already poor voice recognition system to have more trouble understanding the customer.  This leads to a vicious cycle in which the user tends to become more frustrated while the IVR system becomes less likely to recognize menu choices and/or voice commands.  Ultimately this can lead to a very negative customer experience which can effect a company's bottom line.

Yang Liu, a computer scientist at the University of Texas at Dallas, is conducting research that could change the face of voice recognition software as we know it.  She and her graduate students have received a three-year grant from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research to investigate emotion recognition and modeling in speech processing.  Liu's research will focus on voice pitch, intonation patterns and word choice and their associations with a variety of emotions such as anger, sadness, happiness, surprise and frustration.  If successful, her research could be applied to many applications including IVR systems that could quickly recognize a frustrated user and immediately transfer him or her to a human operator.  This would lead to a better overall customer experience and likely improve customer retention.

Nashville Flooding and Tennessee 511

As most of America knows by now, the South was pounded by strong storms over the weekend causing a swath of tornadoes and flooding across the state of Tennessee.  A record amount of rainfall created flash floods that have claimed lives, washed out portions of roads and left Nashville under several feet of water in some areas.  As Music City and it's people wait for the waters to recede so that rebuilding and recovery can begin, everyone at the Universal Digital family would like to remind residents, and anyone travelling to state, to consult the Department of Transportation's Tennessee 511 system.  To access the Interactive Voice Response system recorded at the Universal Digital Production studios on Music Row, simply dial 511 on any cell or landline telephone.  The system provides travellers with specific information about road conditions and closures throughout the state.  In times of disaster, information is key to a quick and safe recovery and IVR is a powerful tool to disseminate such information.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

To help with the relief efforts, visit http://www.redcross.org/ or text the word "Redcross" to 90999 on your cell phone to add a $10 donation to your next bill.

Improving IVR Through Analytics

Customer feedback is certainly the most useful data in determining where process improvement can be made in any system including IVR.  Customer surveys are a good method for data collection, however since such data is merely a snapshot of customer experience they can be deceiving.  In addition, customer surveys are completed on a voluntary basis potentially skewing the data towards users who are biased against using an IVR system.  The bottom line is that in today's fast paced world, most people have very little time or motivation to complete a brief customer experience survey for the many IVR systems they encounter on a daily basis.  Angel.com has recently released the Caller First Analytics service which is designed to gather more specific data about customer experience in the background during customer interactions.

The Caller First Analytics software gathers data about call volumes, voice interactions and most importantly, specific IVR pathways that lead users to dial out to a live operator.  Visual reports can be generated that display graphical illustrations of various call center metrics.  More importantly, the software can also show pathways that customers have taken through the IVR system and where they broke off the path.  Knowledge of this kind of information is key to analyzing potential issues with trouble areas along the pathway and how the system can be improved to prevent such break-offs from occurring.  Break-offs result in higher call volumes for live operators in a call center thus costing a company more money for customer service.  Rapid identification of trouble areas could potentially result in large savings when appropriate improvements are implemented.  Applications like Caller First Analytics could be an excellent tool for analyzing customer data and suggesting improvements for IVR systems.

Story Time Through IVR

While the most common use of IVR is for customer service and call routing, some companies are utilizing the technology for entertainment purposes.  Indian cellular provider Reliance Mobile has introduced a children's story telling IVR system.  Through the system, a user can select from many of India's most famous folk tales narrated in one of ten common languages for a small per minute fee.  In addition, a subscriber can select one of the stories as a caller tune for their phone.  Caller tunes play a specific song or track rather than a ringer when someone is trying to connect with a user by phone.  This serves as a form of entertainment for the caller, like on-hold music, while the connection is being established.

Although it may seem like a rather unimportant product, this and others like it are examples of non-traditional uses of IVR systems and their ability to generate revenue.  In the United States, IVR has been employed for some entertainment purposes but not to the extent that it has been applied in European and Asian countries.  This specific type of product might not work in the US, but a variation of it could be a hit with certain customers and/or demographics.  It's hard to gauge the market for IVR-as-entertainment in the US but for now it appears to be a potential opportunity for development in India.  Development of these types of IVR applications will help diversify the industry and allow it to live longer in a world where disruptive technology can change the world overnight.

Smart Grid IVR

In a world where population and resource demands are rising, utilities providers are experimenting with new technologies to help reduce energy usage and costs for consumers.  One such method in development is the smart grid.  The smart grid creates a method of remote monitoring and control of utilities allowing usage of high energy consuming devices to occur when utility prices are at their lowest rates during a given day.  Likewise, it would remotely turn off selected appliances at peak times to reduce energy demands and save the consumer money.  As smart grid systems are tested and implemented, there will be an unavoidable increase in the communication between consumers and utility companies.  IVR is poised to be the primary tool for such communications.

Jon Arnold of Intelligent Communications Partners recently wrote about Nuance Communications' efforts to deal with what will undoubtedly be an influx of inquiries by consumers.  Of course utilities have relied on IVR in their call centers as a means to reduce the load on human operators.  However, changes to utility grids will, at least initially, elicit more calls and issues from consumers.  Nuance has been hard at work on an outbound IVR service called Proactive Notifications designed to inform customers about the many topics related to the smart grid.  For example, informational alerts would be sent explaining downtime for certain appliances during peak energy periods.  However, there is a fine line between too little and too much information.  As a result, much work is being put into determining what and how much consumers will want to know about the smart grid.  This way, inbound calls will not increase so much that the call center is unable to handle the influx.  Implementation of smart grids are in early development stages in most parts of the world, but as they become more of a reality, IVR will surely play a significant role.

Country Music Marthon Runs by UniDig Offices of Music Row

Literally!

With a threat of severe weather and tornadoes on our tails 30,000+ turned out for the 2010 Rock n' Roll Country Music Marathon and 1/2 Marathon.

The course takes the runners, including moi, by some of Nashville's must see sites including a full scale Parthenon, the honky tonks on Broadway, the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, the Country Music Hall of Fame and somewhere around mile marker 9 the offices of Universal Digital Productions!

I can't tell you how amazing it is to be out there with so many other runners and being supported by all the spectators. Check out this great video I found that showcases that very thing!





Executive Producer
Universal Digital Productions Inc.

Golden Rules of Self-Service

There is, and perhaps always will be, an ongoing debate about the effectiveness of customer self-service through IVR systems.  A simple web search will return countless anecdotal accounts of frustration and trouble with IVR self-service solutions.  However, most consumer research indicates the opposite.  In addition, customer satisfaction data collected by companies further indicate a general acceptance of the technology by a majority of consumers.  These results raise the question: what is it about IVR systems that elicit such varied user perceptions?

ClickFox recently conducted a survey asking participants about their preferred method of interactions with their banks, cable/wireless providers, utilities and insurance providers.  The results indicate that most customers prefer to use self-service to resolve simple tasks like paying bills or checking account status, but would rather human interaction for more complex tasks such as filing claims or seeking technical assistance.  Of course these results also show that there will always be a place for human customer service operators but there is room to increase self-service and customer satisfaction at the same time. To implement an effective system, developers must take consumer demographics into account and consider how their range of customers will respond to certain types of self-service interactions.  By avoiding common mistakes in development, companies can also avoid negative attention on the web and social media sites.  1to1 Media suggests that there are five golden rules that will help increase self-service interactions while concurrently improving customer satisfaction.  Using best practices, knowledge bases and end-user analysis in IVR development can result in cost-savings and customer retention.

Proper Pronunciation of Nguyen

I'm convinced that one of the reason's people hate cold calling isn't because of rejection. I think we're really afraid of getting caught pronouncing the name wrong.



At Unidig we frequently record proper nouns for IVR applications. And whether we're recording a person's name, location or business - technology certainly gives us an edge we didn't have a few years ago. A partner recently said to me; "what did we do before You Tube?"

At UniDig we use You Tube and other online searches to find the proper pronunciation of a lot of local words and terms we may not be familiar with. Recently we recorded a project with the name Nguyen. It is a very common name in the states of California and Washington. As language enthusiasts, it is interesting to hear how different the name can sound depending on the Vietnamese or American accent used in the recording.

Here is the one we went with:





Executive Producer
Universal Digital Productions Inc.

Build a Better IVR Script

Without a doubt, IVR systems have become part of standard operating procedure for most businesses.  Improvements in technology and lower costs have made their implementation easy and affordable for any size business from multimillion dollar companies to at-home businesses of only one employee.  But an IVR system is only as good as its script.  Careful crafting and testing of scripts is essential for an effective and user-friendly IVR system.  Without an easy to understand script, an IVR system can be hard to navigate and/or cause a customer to become frustrated.  A good IVR system starts with a good script.

Craig Borysowich of Toolbox for IT has written an excellent summary of the method for creating, testing and implementing an IVR script.  A good script starts with clear objectives.  Without specific goals, implementing an IVR system is a waste of time and money.  It's also important to clearly identify the type of application(s) that will be employed in the system (e.g. data-capture, transaction processing, etc.).  The work flow of the system is critical.  Borysowich recommends applying Human Factors Analysis techniques to make the system logical, efficient and user-friendly.  The text of the script should be clear and concise when spoken so that it can be easily understood by customers.  Perhaps the most important step that is also probably often overlooked is usability testing.  Pilot programs should be run with actual customers to test the systems and their feedback must be used to revise the script.  Several cycles of testing should be performed where feasible to have a very refined script before it is rolled out for general use.  Using this type methodology will catch customer satisfaction issues before they happen on a large scale and the end result will be an efficient and useful IVR system.

UniDig Launches New Partnership Driven Website

We are thrilled with our new website still located at www.unidig.com

I approached Gwen Canfield, owner of Creative Instinct to design a website for us that promoted and enhanced the partnership we have with each of our clients. It's this partnership that ensures we return the best quality product and is the secret of our success.

Creative Instinct offers full service visual branding and web design services enhanced by top notch customer service! With a focus on the medical industry Gwen allowed her incredible listening skills to really hear our needs and not only met them but exceeded them... not to mention learn about a new industry. If you're in the search for an updated or new design, Gwen Canfield and Creative Instinct come highly recommend from us!



Executive Producer
Universal Digital Productions Inc.

IVR Dos and Don'ts

After years of growing pains and mixed reviews by users, IVR systems are ubiquitous in large and small companies, yet many are still poorly designed or ineffective. Despite volumes of customer feedback and frequently publicized best practices, there is still often a disconnect between design and functionality/effectiveness of some IVR systems. DestinationCRM.com has put together a concise list of Dos and Don'ts for IVR systems that should serve as a starting point for companies that are new to IVR implementation as well as those who are considering changes and upgrades. These key ideas will not only improve customer satisfaction but it should also decrease overall call volumes to live operators in call centers.

One of the keys to good IVR systems is a clear road map specifying the call center processes that are most troublesome and time consuming. Identifying those key areas are an excellent starting point for planning an IVR system. However, many companies fall into the trap of expecting the IVR to be a replacement for human operators while it should instead be used to free call centers of easy tasks so that they can focus on more complex problems requiring one-on-one customer support. It is also very important to implement IVR systems around existing processes. Attempts to update processes and implement IVRs concurrently typically overwhelms an already overtaxed system. Simply learning from what others have done both correctly and incorrectly can lead to a smooth implementation and a benefit to all parties including the end user.

Customer Service Call Back

Although recent surveys indicate that customers have grown to accept performing common self-service tasks through automated IVR systems, when the need arises to speak to a live agent, long on-hold times still lead to frustration. Now some companies like Scottish Power give customers the option of being called back when an agent is available. The Virtual Hold system is triggered when call volumes are high and wait times are expected to be long. The customer can choose to stay on-hold or enter a call back number where they can be reached when their virtual placeholder in the queue reaches the front of the line.

Ideally, of course, customers would choose to experience no wait time, either on or off the phone, and prefer to be immediately connected with a live customer service agent. However, due to the downsizing of call center staffs to save money, waiting on-hold is simply unavoidable at times of high call volumes. The Virtual Hold solution is the next best thing to being immediately connected to a live customer service agent. The customer is free to do other things while waiting rather than listen to on-hold music and/or advertisements for other services. Although not a perfect system, Virtual Hold could result in improved customer satisfaction and retention.

Visual Self-Service

Video capability has long been a goal for telecommunications providers. From seamless video teleconferencing for business to more personal video chats between geographically distant family members, bandwidth has been the limiting factor. Those factors have since been overcome through the proliferation of T1 and fiber lines and with the introduction of low-cost and/or free applications such as Skype and Google Video. Now, we are seeing similar increases in transmission speeds and bandwidth associated with cellular data networks. An obvious application for this functionality is to offer visual customer-service in place of more traditional IVR self-service options.

This is not an entirely new concept as 2009 saw examples of the adoption of this technology for cellular video chats with customer service agents and for visual IVR menus designed for the hearing impaired. Australian cellular service provider Ovum recently announced a major increase in development in visual self-service solutions on their mobile devices. The reason for the development goes beyond the concept of simply improving customer service. According to estimates, the average cost for a customer self-service transaction through a mobile self-service application is 15 cents versus 50 cents spent on the same transaction conducted through a more traditional IVR system. As is usually the case, the development of this new technology will be a win for both the customer and service provider in the form of improved service for the customer and lower operational cost for the business.

Nashville Is Music City

Nashville has a unique brand that draws visitors and conventions alike year after year. With that in mind the construction of a new convention center got underway this month. The website describes the new facility as having approximately 1.2 million square feet which will feature a 350,000 square foot exhibit hall which will double as a concert hall, more than 50 meetings rooms, two ballrooms and approximately 36 loading docks.

The construction is not without it's controversy, many buildings including the Musician's Hall of Fame had to be demolished to make way for the new center. Since the beginning, UniDig has met with various clients in Nashville as they attending company conventions here. We look forward to continuing that tradition with the new Music City Center.

For more information on the Music City Center please click here.

Tami Ross
Executive Producer
Universal Digital Productions Inc.

IVR Reminders

The idea of employing IVR systems for purposes other than answering and routing telephone calls is not new. Over the past several years IVR has been used in outbound information dissemination as well as for reminders from businesses, like doctors offices, about upcoming appointments. IVR Technology Group has taken this concept a step further to create iConfirm, an automated appointment reminder service. Nowadays, most people rely on appointment books or calendars on their computers or smart phones to manage their increasingly busy schedules. iConfirm builds on this model and integrates it with old fashioned telephone reminder services.

iConfirm is an online service that allows the user to input the times and dates of appointments and then receive an automated telephone reminder from an IVR system. Since the messages are delivered by a virtual operator, they are always done so pleasantly, consistently and in a timely fashion. Also, since the system is automated, human error will not result in delayed or missed appointment reminder phone calls. Although the idea in and of itself is not new or entirely original, it could be a very useful and convenient service in our increasingly busy lives. This is only one in a long line of uses for IVR above and beyond its original intent.

IVR in Recession

Don't be fooled by the title of this post...it should not imply that IVR systems will see a decline in use as a result of the global recession experienced over the past year. In fact, trends indicate that if anything, IVR usage is on the rise because of the need for companies to continue to cut costs. Historically, IVR systems have been implemented by companies as a way to handle normal or increased call volumes with a smaller call center staff. However, saving money is only one of the driving forces in the boost in IVR system utilization. Recent technological advances in speech recognition and innovative applications for IVR systems in general have done as much to spur growth in the industry as companies' bottom lines.

DMG Research recently reported an expected average compounded growth rate of approximately 13% for hosted inbound IVR solutions over the next four years while outbound IVR solutions growth could reach nearly 19%. This is not to say that the market will not see any contractions. The same study indicates that sales of on-site IVR systems will likely see a decrease as hardware and start-up costs outweigh the convenience for maintaining on-premises systems. On the forefront of increased IVR deployment are self-service solutions for all types of companies, both public and private. As users continue to accept IVR as a normal way of doing business, self-service will become more common at companies large and small. The IVR system market is not recession-proof but it certainly seems to be well poised to weather the financial storm and grow in the process.

Political IVR

Outbound IVR systems have long been used as a means of calling potential voters to conduct polling, tele-campaigning or to remind voters of election dates and locations. In recent years, the internet and technology have become more ingrained in organizing grassroots efforts in support of a cause or a candidate. Prompted by these developments, Guide by Cell recently announced a new division called Win by Cell that utilizes the pervasiveness of cell phones in modern life as a means to mobilize political activists and supporters. Win by Cell specifically targets cell phones as a means to raise money, distribute information and integrate with online communities and social media networks to increase overall awareness of a campaign.

In addition to simply receiving SMS/MMS messages about a campaign and upcoming events, an integrated IVR menu allows users to hear audio messages from candidates and campaign spokespersons. The IVR system also allows users to call-in to pledge donations. This is specifically useful in campaign rally situations where supporters want to make a pledge on the spot but would normally be limited to doing so with a campaign worker. As with all advancements in IVR technology and their uses, Win by Cell is another in a long line of services designed to encourage automation and self-service while increasing customer participation.

IVR Intervention

Besides its typical use in customer service interactions, IVR systems have recently been deployed for more experimental purposes. Last year, two National Institute of Health studies were utilizing the technology as a way of conducting real-time in situ phone interviews with research subjects who were battling substance abuse. A new paper appears to demonstrate a similar application for primary care preventive service providers. The paper published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine describes a pilot study using an IVR system in alcohol screening and brief intervention for patients who were heavy drinkers.

After an office screening by a physician, the subjects interacted with a mixture of human-operated and IVR systems outside of the office as a means to dissuade them from drinking to excess. Interactions only lasted from three to seven minutes, but helped reduce alcohol use by an average of 25% among subjects two weeks after the initial office visit. Approximately 40% of subjects who utilized the IVR system reported that it helped motivate them to change their drinking behavior. Furthermore, subjects who experienced both human-operated and IVR systems indicated that they were more at ease with the automated intervention technology. This study only represents a small sample and was conducted to test feasibility of larger scale studies in the future but the results do indicate that an IVR system could be very useful in helping heavy drinkers change their behavior.

IVR in 2010 and Beyond

Aspect recently sponsored a benchmarking survey to study IVR and voice self-service usage as well as future implementations of the technology and it's good news for the industry. The survey suggests that both large and small companies see the benefit and need for voice self-service applications. Of the more than one hundred global contact centers surveyed, more than three-quarters already employ IVR systems as part of their business. Among the companies that do not yet use the technology, almost 40% plan to adopt it in the next year and nearly one-quarter more are planning to do so in the next two years.

The survey also indicates that the top three goals for 2010 are to improve customer experience, improve productivity while controlling expenses and preserve existing revenue streams. As IVR has become accepted by companies and consumers alike, there have been moves to improve overall customer experience and functionality of the systems. Awareness of this and other important goals should help drive the industry forward over the course of the next year and beyond. Self-service appears to be the future of the industry and continued customer acceptance will help the industry continue to grow in 2010.

IVR Popularity

Since IVR was first introduced as a customer service tool, there have been many detractors. However, a recent survey indicates that the tide has turned and customers have accepted IVR and, in some cases, even prefer it to live operators. Speech-enabled self-service IVRs have become so commonplace that many consumers report that they prefer to use such systems for simple tasks such as checking account balances, flight statuses or shipment tracking. The survey results show that more than 50% of participants reported a preference for speech-enabled IVR for most simple transactions.

The survey also suggests a positive consumer response to proactive IVR systems. Such systems are being used to place courtesy calls to customers as reminders of appointments or other important upcoming activities. Of course there is nothing new about the practice of proactive calling, but customer acceptance of the technology is improving along with the general trends in IVR acceptability. Despite all the positive marks for IVR systems, there is room for improvement. Although customers appreciate the ability to handle simple tasks themselves, they still want the option to easily bypass the IVR to speak to a live operator. Respondents also said that improving speech recognition and accuracy would greatly improve their calling experiences. Overall the results of this survey are very positive but continual improvement and meeting customer expectations will result in increased business for everyone involved in the IVR industry.

Monitoring the Situation with IVR

For many years IVR has been used as a tool by businesses to route calls from customers to appropriate departments and employees. Recently, IVR has been been utilized to disseminate information from businesses to customers and employees alike. With the advent of the text messaging, email and the internet, IVR has lost some of its uniqueness as a large scale communication tool. However a mere 25% of the world is connected to the internet severely limiting its reach. Cellular phones, on the other hand, are used by more than half of the world's population. This fact alone will keep IVR an important technology for years to come.

High in the Himalayan Mountains of Asia sits the Kingdom of Bhutan. The economy of the mostly rural country is dominated by farming. Every farmer's livelihood is dependent on his ability to find the best market price for his harvests. At one time, finding the best market prices was difficult, but thanks to the integration of cellular phones and IVR into their lives, tracking prices is easier for farmers than ever before. A farmer need only call the hotline and select his language to get up to date information on where he can sell his produce in order to maximize his profits. Although such a system seems commonplace here in the United States, there are emerging markets like Bhutan all over the world where IVR is only now being implemented.