Universal Digital Productions

IVR Condescension

2010-08-08T20:40:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-30T22:30:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-27T09:18:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-09T20:15:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-04T17:02:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-30T08:48:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-04T09:51:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-04T06:32:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-29T06:30:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-27T06:32:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-26T06:12:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-22T18:16:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-19T18:08:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-08T19:05:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-05T11:51:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-30T21:03:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-23T07:33:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-21T08:30:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-04T19:39:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-26T10:17:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-19T11:31:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-13T12:38:00.001-08:00

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

2010-02-04T20:19:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-27T18:26:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-20T17:59:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-14T16:33:00.000-08:00

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.

IVR Year in Review

2009-12-30T17:37:00.000-08:00

Historians will remember 2009 for many different reasons although chief among them will likely be the worldwide economic downturn and its effects on business. The IVR industry suffered as much as any, but there were several bright spots throughout the year. Despite some people writing off IVR systems as a mature product on the decline, there were several innovative uses of the technology that will almost certainly sustain it for years to come. Some novel uses include business continuity management systems created and implemented for the H1N1 pandemic (1, 2, 3) and other unforseen catastrophes. There were also many novel implementations of IVR in health care management and delivery including virtual medical clinics, out-patient monitoring and followup/medication reminder services. In addition, academic researchers found potential benefits from the use of IVR by making it easier for test subjects to submit real-time data via mobile phones while outside of the laboratory environment.

Despite the advances and new uses of the technology and potential for future growth in more traditional applications, there are still many common mistakes being made during the design and implementation that need to be addressed in order for companies to fully capitalize on the power of IVR. Several individuals and companies in and outside of the industry have complied very good lists of common problems and other considerations that should be made before rolling out an IVR system (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7). By creating lists of best practices and learning from internal mistakes and customer feedback, IVR has potential uses for many years to come. It appears that 2010 will continue to be a difficult time for many companies, but those that work to improve their products and exceed customer expectations should weather the storm and flourish when the economic recovery begins in earnest.

Over the course of the year, this blog has been a work in progress and we want to thank everyone for spending a few minutes reading our posts each week. Please feel free to discuss any of our past or future articles in the comments section. Together we can make this blog and others like it forums for progress and improvement in the IVR industry. All of us at Universal Digital Productions would like to wish everyone a safe, happy and prosperous new year. See you in 2010!

A Voice Actor's Persepctive on IVR Mistakes

2009-12-16T13:45:00.000-08:00

IVR technology has improved so much since its first commercial use, it would seem that most common mistakes could be avoided these days. However, as cloud-computing technology has made it possible for much smaller companies to implement IVR and voice recognition systems, common mistakes are creeping back in to the systems. The Techistan blog features a very thorough list of common IVR mistakes that should be avoided during design and implementation of a new system. The list is unique in that it was compiled by Allison Smith, a voice actor with several years of experience recording voice prompts for good and bad IVR systems.

Among the common mistakes, there are several key highlights including the idea of listing the most important menu options first. It seems obvious but Mrs. Smith includes a startling example of poor menu option placement. Another very important concept is pronunciation help in the recording process. Even the best voice actor may have trouble pronouncing unfamiliar/unusual names or trade lingo that might appear in IVR prompts. The actor will do her best to record the correct pronunciations but there is no guarantee without phonetic spellings or pronunciation samples. Perhaps the most basic and important tip is brevity. Most peoples' attention spans are relatively short especially when they are looking for a help or a crucial piece of information through a customer service line. Always put the the most important information first and keep it short and to the point. Most people never realize that they have grown accustomed to doing tasks a certain way but a fresh and different perspective on IVR systems can really help shake out the mistakes that creep in over time.

IVR Usage in 2009 and Beyond

2009-12-08T17:06:00.000-08:00

In an effort to gauge the deployment of IVR in business, ContactBabel recently conducted a survey of call centers in the UK and found that an average of 64% of those surveyed use automated systems to initially greet callers. This is down a few percentage points from a peak of 67% in 2007 however it was a dramatic rise over a similar survey conducted in 2004. The many statistics of the survey show that IVR and speech recognition systems are deployed in greater percentages at large companies and those that conduct business in the telecommunications and utility sectors. Small companies and those in the retail and distributions sectors tend to be the least likely to employ automated operator systems. The author of the study extrapolates that although IVR usage is still widespread, it has peaked as a technological solution due in part to poor customer satisfaction scores and the rise of new customer communication tools.

Although it is true that SMS and web-based customer communication are seeing an increase in deployment and functionality for business, consumer access to these technologies is still much more limited than that of traditional touch-tone telephones. Estimates in December of last year approximate that only 54% of Americans are connected to the internet and 33% of those that are not connected have no desire to do change that. Although many Americans are doing away with traditional landlines, more than three-quarters have cell phones. As voice recognition technology improves, so does customer satisfaction for automated call center systems. There will come a time when wed-based support or some other methodology may dominate customer service, but as long as telephones are the most prevalent form of communication among consumers, there will be a place for IVR.

Customer Service Misteps

2009-12-02T22:05:00.000-08:00

IVR is a powerful tool in cutting costs for many companies but the systems do not automatically offer improved customer service. Of course, customer service can be improved with a well designed IVR system, but there are always numerous considerations that must be taken in order to implement such a system. Besides the basic and more advanced tips for IVR design, there are several principles of customer service that are just as important as the technical aspects of the system.

CIO Insight has a concise list of the main things for a business to avoid in order to achieve better customer satisfaction. None of the tips specifically address IVR systems, but all are directly related and should be considered in the IVR development process. If an IVR system cannot help a customer solve a problem, it is very important that the live operator the customer is directed to is fully qualified to help and that there are no language or cultural barriers as a result of call center outsourcing. It is also extremely important to not only collect appropriate customer satisfaction data but also to analyze it properly to help improve the automated and live customer service system. The most important consideration is to never take existing customers for granted. New customers are always a goal, but retention and appreciation of existing customers should take priority. Employing and continually improving an IVR system can go a long way to achieving high levels of customer satisfaction.

Skills-Based IVR Routing

2009-11-14T08:52:00.000-08:00

Everyone in the IVR industry is well aware of the ability for the technology to reduce costs in a call center by automating some functions while making others self-serviceable for customers. This frees up call center operators to handle more complicated tasks thus saving companies money and headcount in the call center. After implementing such a system, some companies go no further but oftentimes this results in a disconnect between the perception of satisfaction between company management and customers.

One method for updating an IVR system to improve customer satisfaction is the implementation of a skills-based routing procedure. Many companies already employ a simple version of this design which routes English or Spanish speaking customers to the appropriate IVR menus and, if necessary, live operators who speak their language. However, more advanced methodologies can be employed which perform specific customer and problem identification that can be used to route the call to the appropriate department and/or subject matter specialists. Customer satisfaction should be improved by such a design so long as the process involved to reach the appropriate operator is not overly long or complex. Another pitfall to avoid is to require the customer to repeat information to the operator that has already been collected by the IVR system. This results in customers feeling that their time up to that point in the call has been wasted. A skills-based IVR system will cost more to implement but it will also pay dividends in customer satisfaction and retention.

Voice-Based Identification

2009-11-11T17:47:00.000-08:00

In our current world of rapid globalization, more business is being conducted over the telephone and internet than ever before with key players often never meeting face-to-face. This allows small businesses to have a larger reach and market than they might have been able to achieve only a few years ago. Unfortunately, there are those in the world looking to fraudulently capitalize on these types of transactions. Companies have to be ever vigilant in the fight against identity theft and payment fraud. Most financial institutions rely on customer-defined PIN numbers, passwords and security questions to verify identity and complete electronic or telephone transactions. Other businesses are just as vulnerable yet they rarely require any kind of verification to complete an order or transaction.

Voice Commerce has developed a platform to provide voice identification, verification and payment services for businesses. The VoiceTransact Trust Center uses voice signature information to identify and verify a customer's identity before allowing a transaction to be completed. Not only can this technology be utilized to reduce payment fraud and identity theft perpetrated on a business, it could also help reduce call center costs by eliminating the time taken by an operator to verify a customer's identity. An IVR system could be implemented to verify the identity of a caller as part of the process of routing the caller to the correct call center operator. This would would allow the call center operator to immediately begin work on the customer's issue rather than having to spend time verifying the caller's identity through security questions and PIN numbers. Voice-based identification technology may not put an end to identity theft and fraud, but it will surely reduce the number of cases and could improve business processes along the way.

IVR Cheat Sheet

2009-11-09T18:17:00.000-08:00

Anyone who employs an IVR system in their business knows that customers can feel frustrated and taken for granted when not immediately connected to a live operator to resolve an issue they've called about. In an effort to help businesses make a more user friendly IVR system, angel.com has created the IVR Cheat Sheet for Business. The cheat sheet lists ten key concepts that can help a business create a pleasing and useful interactive environment that will encourage customers to utilize it for self-service and still be satisfied with the results.

The cheat sheet simplifies and summarizes lists created by other IVR specialists and focuses the tips on simplicity and communication. Studies have suggested that users respond better to IVR menus that are not overly complex and achieve results in a short time. It is best to keep the numbers of choices limited otherwise the user will become overwhelmed. Communication with the customer is key. As they are waiting on hold or for data retrieval, information about approximate wait time is important so that customers do not feel that they have been left in limbo. Audience perspective is key when writing an article or delivering a speech so it should also apply to IVR systems. Taking users perspective into account will ultimately help improve overall customer satisfaction.

IVR from Microsoft

2009-11-03T15:15:00.000-08:00

As speech recognition software continues to improve, its IVR technology is growing. The days of pressing number keys to navigate menus is coming to an end and voice response systems are becoming more common among companies and more acceptable to consumers. Complicated customer service procedures can now be carried out more easily with the voice response systems than with touch-tone systems, so much so that Microsoft has entered the market.

After the acquisition of the Tellme Networks in 2007, the Speech at Microsoft group was formed to utilize and market the technology. In addition to speech recognition applications in the works for use on home and office PCs, Microsoft recently introduced an outbound IVR system. Besides the standard function of calling customers with important account alerts, the IVR is capable of allowing customers to act upon the alerts through further voice response menus. The system is optimized to work on all common customer communication platforms: telephone, text messaging, email, instant messaging and web browsers. The end result is a highly personalized customer self-service experience. As companies continue to cut costs, they will likely employ more systems like Microsoft's to communicate and do business with their customers.

Real Estate IVR

2009-10-31T07:13:00.000-07:00

IVR has proven to have many resource saving applications over the years. Many businesses have learned that implementing IVR systems can allow them to handle and route more inbound calls than they could with only live operators thus maximizing their ability to assist more customers. One such industry that has had very positive results with IVR systems is real estate. A recent study by Baylor University indicates that after personal referrals, IVR systems are the best method for new lead generation in the real estate business.

AdTrakker technology uses an IVR system with a unique phone number assigned to each real estate property. When a prospective buyer calls about a particular property, they are presented with a recorded message about the property and then given the option to be connected to a live agent or leave a voicemail. The AdTrakker system also has the capability to capture a buyer's name, phone number and address. Knowing where a buyer called from allows agents to estimate the buyer's current property value and use that information to identify listings that would be in the price range of the buyer. This concept may seem simple but it illustrates how an IVR system can be used in an uncomplicated manner to achieve excellent results for a business.

IVR Overdose

2009-10-27T17:07:00.000-07:00

In light of the current economic situation, companies are learning how to do more with less in order to survive. This impacts customer service as much, if not more than other segments of a business. Even before economics pushed companies to cut costs, many businesses began utilizing IVR systems as a way to reduce overhead and ask their customers to handle common issues through a self-service solution. Although some research indicates that consumers have accepted telephone-based self-service, there is also resentment when companies put additional burdens on their IVR systems and force customers to resolve more complex issues with little help from live operators.

Research from 2007 indicates that 91 percent of American consumers already feel that companies expect customers to handle too much on their own with IVR systems. This has a directly negative impact on customer satisfaction and drives consumers away. However, the same research indicates that consumers are willing to utilize other technologies for self-service such as web-based or text message-based systems. It is important for businesses to consider the the complexity of the self-service solution before deciding to implement it on a specific platform.

The ability for a customer to see a list of options increases the ease of navigating a complex self-service menu. This can be achieved more easily in a web-based or visual IVR environment than in a standard IVR system. Similarly, the option to speak to a live operator should not be perceived by a company as a last resort for helping a customer. Some people want to use self-service, while others will always desire help from a human being. It is important to design IVR systems to take that fact into account as most callers are very frustrated when they finally reach the elusive operator. As the economy improves, certain cost control measures will likely remain in place as a means of improving profits. It is of the utmost importance for companies to maintain useful but not overwhelming IVR customer self-service systems.

Academic Research Through IVR

2009-10-23T12:38:00.000-07:00

IVR technology has been used widely for many purposes beyond customer service including automated opinion polling and market research questionnaires. Behavioral researchers at the University of Buffalo have taken it a step further and are currently applying the technology in two National Institute of Health funded studies. The research involves investigating the effects of alcohol, marijuana and the situational behaviors that are associated with their use. The IVR systems are configured to make random calls to subjects' cell phones and conduct surveys of their experiences with respect to their use of alcohol and marijuana.

In the past, these studies have relied on subjects taking surveys at scheduled times and giving their responses based on remembering what they were thinking and feeling at moments in the past. With the use of IVR technology, subjects can be inconspicuously surveyed over their cell phones while they are actually partaking in alcohol or marijuana and can give much more relevant responses. Not only does this give more pertinent data for the study, but it also increases the privacy of participants. The true test of this survey methodology and it's future will be to see how it compares with similar studies conducted in more traditional manners.

IVR and H1N1: Round Three

2009-10-20T18:46:00.000-07:00

As fall begins in North America, there is a heightened level of anxiety about the flu spurred by fears of an H1N1 pandemic. Earlier this year, the outbreak that began in Mexico and quickly spread around the world was a bit over-hyped by incessant media reports about growing numbers of cases and deaths caused by the virus. The initial outbreak occurred near the end of the flu season in the northern hemisphere so it's effects were likely less than if the outbreak had occurred at the beginning of the season. Now that North America is entering a new flu season, more precautions than usual are taking place in businesses and schools to avoid being dramatically impacted by the H1N1 virus.

Earlier this year, many technologies were employed in various ways around the world to disseminate information about the spread of the flu and where individuals could seek medical treatment if infected. The health ministry of India deployed an informational IVR system to offer advice for those infected while some colleges in Canada implemented proactive IVR systems to periodically monitor student health. SoundBite has recently joined the fray with the introduction of an IVR system that will not only keep employees informed about the latest H1N1 news but will also make outbound notification calls when on-site flu shots are to be administered. This proactive approach is an effort to minimize the number of employees that are affected by the virus causing them to miss work. In this rapidly shrinking world, the issue of a global pandemic is more real than ever and preparedness is key to avoiding a health disaster. Of course, a preemptive strategy is only part of a business continuity plan and organizations must be prepared if they are unable to contain an outbreak among employees.

IVR Implementation & Performance Considerations

2009-10-16T18:46:00.000-07:00

Development and implementation of IVR systems can be a complex projects requiring careful management of cost and resources, but more specifically there are several considerations within the design phase that can make a truly helpful and customer friendly system. The IVR Deconstructed blog from Plum Voice has a list of five important considerations in IVR implementation. Audience consideration is key but not just from the perspective of what a customer might want, but also looking at the most popular questions and/or issues arising from past call center data. It is also important for customers to be able to find their desired information quickly without having to navigate through numerous menus. Keeping it simple is usually the best course to take in developing IVR systems.

In addition to the considerations during the implementation of the IVR systems, choosing appropriate metrics to measure effectiveness is important in closing the loop on the development of a system. Without clear measures of success, there is no way of knowing if the desired outcome has been achieved by the implementation of the system. The always useful Call Centre Helper advises paying attention to the percentage of abandoned calls handled by the IVR system. Their data suggests that the recent increase in abandoned call percentage indicates that customers find systems too hard to navigate. Considering these tips for implementation can help customers to overcome their preconceptions and previous bad experiences with IVR. The goal is to implement a system that the customer can use.

Integrated Health Care IVR

2009-10-13T08:16:00.000-07:00

With the health care debate continuing in the United States, many companies have introduced innovative solutions to help in health care management through IVR technologies. From appointment notifications and followup care to maximizing doctors' appointment schedules, several specific programs have been unveiled in the past few months to help save both time and money. Now CallFire.com has unveiled an IVR solution that combines many of these concepts into one convenient package.

In addition to offering appointment reminders to patients, the CallFire system can be configured to quickly fill canceled appointments by making automated outbound calls to patients on a waiting list. Further customization options allow for the patient data to be integrated in such a way that outbound calls can be personalized. The IVR system is also capable of making followup calls after appointments and surgeries to ensure that patients adhere to post-visit instructions. Most importantly, the system collects patient feedback through voice response surveys that assist in improving services and overall medical care offered by the physician. Continued advances and integration of IVR technology into the medical profession will undoubtedly help save time and money for doctors and patients alike.

IVR Development Issues

2009-10-10T06:42:00.000-07:00

Development and implementation of IVR systems is crucial to achieving the end result of an efficient tool for managing customer service. An inefficient development process can result in delays in deployment and a substandard product. A recent survey conducted by the Customer Experience Foundation has found that delays in projects and poor budget estimates of IT solutions are costing call centers considerably, both monetarily and in the eye of the customer. The survey suggests that more that one quarter of projects is delayed and that more than half of project managers simply expect problems to arise during development that will slow and/or delay implementation. IVR systems are among the the types of IT projects with the highest-risk of delays.

The survey suggests that "bad practices" and "classic mistakes" contribute to delays. It appears that little to no cost-tracking and inadequate testing are common during development with the goal of quicker delivery driving poor project management. The results also suggest that the lack of post-project reviews and executive sponsorship contribute to the problem. Besides the monetary costs associated with delays, implementing a poorly tested IVR system costs money from a customer satisfaction perspective. The lessons learned from this survey are that developers must invest in adequate resources from both a financial and managerial perspective. Better budgeting and resource management is key to avoiding costly delays. Secondly, the culture of blame must be changed so that more effort is put into solving problems during development rather than assigning responsibility for the problems. Both of these suggestions are not easily achieved but with the proper leadership, the process of IVR system deployment can be improved.

Business Continutiy and IVR

2009-10-07T12:50:00.000-07:00

The future is always uncertain and major catastrophic events can occur at any time from natural disasters to pandemic outbreaks. In such cases, company offices may have to be closed for an extended period of time for the safety of the employees and the public as a whole. Thankfully, as long as telephone and Internet lines are functional, business can go on via telecommuting. But such an option is not available without a viable business continuity/disaster recovery plan. It is an integral part of companies both large and small.

Many tools can help achieve a plan, foremost of which is redundant off-site data storage locations where electronic business operations can be run if there is an issue with normal operations at headquarters. In addition to data management, communication with employees is crucial. Emergency notification and informational IVR systems should be created to maintain communication with employees who may be working from their homes. Read more about the other important considerations of business continuity/disaster recovery plans here.

Call Center Metrics

2009-10-03T20:53:00.000-07:00

Measurement is key to determining efficiency and effectiveness but choosing the right metric can mean everything when it comes to accurate evaluation. A recent webinar at DataInfoCom examined the switch that Dell made from measuring average customer call times to measuring the rate at which issues were solved on the first call. Although call center cost is directly tied to the length of calls, there is certainly something to be said for tracking the number of calls by a single customer in order to resolve a single issue. The results of Dell's decision to track the new metric led to an increase in the average customer call time, but over the same period the number of issues solved on the first call improved by 20%. Although not specifically stated, this would almost certainly improve customer satisfaction since multiple calls to resolve issues were less frequent.

In an effort to further improve customer satisfaction, Dell also implemented an IVR survey at the conclusion of technical support. This allowed them to collect immediate feedback and pass the information on to the call center operators quickly so that they could modify their approach to achieve maximum effectiveness. The overall concept of this plan could easily be applied to any self-service IVR system. Customer satisfaction with self-service IVR systems is typically very low so it would logically follow that a system that could easily assist a customer in resolving an issue in one call, without the help of an operator, would improve overall customer satisfaction. This type of plan would simply require the IVR system to quickly and easily allow customers to resolve common issues themselves in as short a time as possible. There are some aspects of an IVR system that are harder to control than others, such as the speech recognition components, however the layout and menus can and should be designed for optimal customer use. It is not the "magic bullet" in the realm of customer satisfaction, but it could be a relatively easy method to achieve better results.

Customer Retention and IVR

2009-09-30T12:08:00.000-07:00

Despite the many improvements of IVR systems since their inception, they still score poorly on customer surveys. This is once again evident in a UK consumer survey conducted by Greenfield Online. The survey reports that 41% of users find voice self-service to be the "most annoying" customer service tool when compared with paper communications, email, text messages and live call center agents. Furthermore, only 1% of consumers have a positive impression of the technology. A main point of contention is the lack of integration between voice self-service and operator assisted service. This most likely refers to situations where customers are asked to repeat information to a live agent that they have already reported to an IVR system earlier in their call. The end result is that customers are left feeling less like an individual and valuable asset to the business and more like one of many identical clients.

Some would suggest that these results are an indication that IVR simply does not work and should be replaced by live customer service agents. However, this assertion assumes that live service agents are better equipped to handle the burden of customer support than an automated system or combination of the two. The fact is that while a human agent may be able to recognize speech better than a voice self-service system, the cost of doing business in such a way is unsustainable. It would be unprofitable for most companies to respond to every customer service issue with a live agent. The increased manpower requirement would likely lead to outsourcing to a foreign call center which introduces another set of customer satisfaction issues. Furthermore, call center agents would simply be overwhelmed by the volume of inbound customer service calls.

UK consumer data suggests that 73% of customers end a relationship with a business due to poor customer service and this costs the business £248 (approximately $400) per year. From this information, it is clear that there is a fine balancing act between running a cost effective business and maintaining customer satisfaction. It would appear that one of the best ways to retain customers while still employing an IVR system is to address the issue of perception. A customer wants to feel that his business is just as important as anyone else's and this can be achieved by creating a personalized voice self-service experience. There are redesign and implementation costs, but the long-term dividends gained by having satisfied customers can far exceed the short-term monetary investment.

28 Tips to Improve IVR

2009-09-25T21:10:00.000-07:00

The UK magazine Call Centre Helper has released a list of twenty-eight tips from industry experts to improve IVR systems. Some are intuitive while others are not quite as obvious. The highlights of the list include involving linguists to help develop a usable system that recognizes speech patterns, making engaging menus that don't bore the customer and allowing the customer the option of quickly reaching a live operator. The suggestions repeatedly emphasize the importance of speech recognition. Without good speech recognition algorithms, the system's effectiveness is greatly reduced.

The tips also include the need for audience analysis. Without a good understanding of the customers and their expectations, the system will not be an effective tool for dealing with common issues that may arise. They also advise against making overly complex menus that offer too may options at any particular level. Again this goes back to understanding the user of the system and a barrage of information and/or options can be overwhelming to the customer. Perhaps the best bit of advice is not to expect perfection from the initial system implementation. A good IVR system must be viewed as an evolving tool that can be changed to best fit the intended users. It is important to remember that the system is flexible and can be modified multiple times and continually improved based on user feedback.

Rise of the Hosted Contact Center

2009-09-23T15:02:00.000-07:00

IVR systems have long been utilized by companies in an effort to reduce costs and burden on their customer support personnel. Further monetary savings have been achieved by outsourcing some or all of the infrastructure required to operate an IVR system to a hosted contact center. It should come as no surprise that in this recent economic downturn, while many companies have tried to find ways to remain profitable, companies specializing in hosted contact services have seen tremendous growth.

A recent study by DMG Consultants indicates that growth in the hosted contact center infrastructure market has exceeded expectations through the first half of 2009. Forecasts suggest that the market will grow by 30 percent in 2009 and again by 35 percent in 2010 before settling to 20 percent growth in 2011. The reasoning behind the massive growth arises from the fact that many companies see the benefit of IVR technology but don't have the capital to invest in the costly equipment. The downstream effects of this growth bodes well for the future of the IVR industry as whole through these tough economic times.

IVR for the Hearing and Speech Impaired

2009-09-17T12:48:00.000-07:00

Although web-based customer service utilities are growing in popularity, telephone-based IVR systems are still the standard for a vast majority of companies. In the UK, more than 75% of customer service interactions are handled over the phone by automated systems. Although the systems operate relatively efficiently and effectively, an estimated nine million hearing and/or speech impaired customers are excluded from this type of services. The convenience of checking balances, paying bills or scheduling service visits simply isn't an option for speech and hearing impaired customers through traditional IVR systems.

Thanks to advances in mobile telephones and their networks, video IVR systems are finally a reality. Not only do they improve customer service experience in general, they allow hearing and speech impaired customers to enjoy the same self-service options that are available to non-impaired customers. Adoption of these types of systems will surely take time, but with the explosive growth of smartphones and the accompanying downloadable customer service applications, there is sure to be an exponential demand for telephone-based visual customer service interfaces. Traditional IVR systems are by no means a thing of the past however. Visual service is simply an augmentation of the existing service options for some customers while for others, it's an option that they can finally utilize.

Another Medical Application of IVR

2009-09-15T11:18:00.000-07:00

In an ongoing effort to use technology to improve medical care, many forms of IVR systems have been implemented in many stages of the treatment process. From simply finding an available physician to complex follow-up after a hospital stay, IVR systems are helping doctors provide better care for patients at decreased costs. Houston, TX based HealthHelp has found a way to further improve their management of radiology benefits to allow for twenty-four hour service through an IVR system.

HealthHelp manages a clinical database to assist physicians in choosing the best radiology solution for a particular diagnosis. Under the previous system, doctors were limited to using a call center and/or online form to interface with the service. The system was further limited by the fact that it was only staffed during certain hours of the day. Qwest recently developed an IVR system for HealthHelp that collects the pertinent insurance information, American Medical Association (AMA) codes and specific clinical queries that allow the automation to quickly process and approve the necessary medical tests. As a result, the correct medical test can be determined and conducted at any hour of the day thus allowing for more responsive medical care. A widespread development and adoption of this type of application could conceivably save many lives and health care dollars around the country and the world.

Integrated IVR

2009-09-04T15:53:00.000-07:00

Recent research suggests that more customized and customer focused IVR systems result in improved service and experience for users. Integration of customer profile information into the IVR system can make for a much more personalized customer experience. InVox has integrated this concept into their recently announced cloud telephony offering. In addition to creating an online user interface for the IVR workflow design, the system is capable of using customer specific data to customize and enhance the IVR menus and on-hold messages.

The inbound call system is capable of identifying incoming callers and cross-referencing them with their in-house records. For example, the system can look up future appointment schedules and supply the customer with a reminder or even an offer to reschedule. It is also capable of transcribing voicemails which it can then deliver to the proper recipient in text form. The system can also solicit spoken responses from customers to handle common transactions like a traditional speech self-service IVR system. These types of increased integration of value added services are likely to be the future of telephone-based customer service systems.

Automated Medical Followup

2009-09-02T18:45:00.000-07:00

The ongoing healthcare debate in the United States has been spurred by many things, chief among them are the rising costs of medical care. Regardless of the outcome of the debate and future legislation, improved care and reduced costs should always be a goal to strive for in the medical field. Audiopoint has recently released a product that aims to do just that. NotifierRx is a telephone based application that can be used to communicate and follow-up with discharged patients to monitor their recovery and address any problems in a timely manner.

The recovery period following a hospital stay is fraught with opportunities for relapse or infection that can result in a costly readmission for care. NotifierRx communicates important recovery and medication reminders to patients but also allows for medical staff to acquire specific follow-up information. The patient can be asked a series of questions through an IVR system and his or her spoken answers are recorded for the physician to review. Based on the questions, appropriate actions can be taken quickly that could result in outpatient or even in-home care saving both time and money that would otherwise be spent during the readmission to the hospital. Time is of the essence in medical care and using automated systems to help with patient monitoring can shorten the response times and achieve cost savings and improved customer care.

Speech Self-Service Lessons

2009-08-28T12:13:00.000-07:00

Although speech-based self-service IVRs are becoming more popular among most companies, popularity among customers is decreasing at an alarming rate. Recent survey data suggests that as many as 40% of customers avoid using speech self-service IVR systems and 42% prefer using web-based self-service utilities rather than telephone-based systems. Furthermore, only one-quarter of respondents reported that they would use a speech-based option again. As companies continue to implement speech-based systems as a cost savings measure, many considerations can and should be taken as a means of improving customer satisfaction and experience.

One third of customers complain that they often have to repeat information to a human operator after already providing the same to the IVR system earlier in the service call. More than 20% of customers complain that the systems do not understand or recognize spoken commands. Finally, 16% of customers are annoyed by systems that do not allow them to skip directly to menus that they want. Integrating the IVR and human operator databases could cut down on the need for customers to repeat information during a call. Since most customers feel that they must over-enunciate when dealing with speech recognition systems, the software could be improved to accommodate both conversational and more precise speech patterns. Finally, creating shortcuts and/or keywords for frequent callers would assuage some of the frustration associated with listening to long lists of multiple menu options. It is important to take these and other customer complaints into consideration when designing and implementing an IVR system, otherwise the money that is saved in the call center will not make up for unsatisfied or lost customers.

Intelligent IVR

2009-08-26T06:43:00.000-07:00

Improvements in IVR systems often come in the form of better work flows and more accurate menus for customers, but the new intelligent IVR system from Convergys looks to put a new spin on progress. The inbound IVR system offers intelligent self-service meaning that the system not only routes a caller to the proper menu item, but also creates a profile of the items he or she chooses along the way in order to better assist in resolving the issue at that time and, if necessary, in the future. Furthermore, the system uses saved profile information to better identify a caller and therefore offer more personalized and customized assistance. The result of the improved system is a projected 20% reduction in call handling times while giving a 20% increase in call containment all translating into a cost savings for the business.

The intelligent system also offers improvements to outbound IVR through intelligent notification. The system can leverage customer information and common inquiries to proactively contact customers immediately when a problem arises rather than having to wait for the customer to initiate contact regarding a service issue. This strategy can result in cost savings through a 20% reduction in the number of inbound customer calls. Furthermore, the system can be used to better acquire new customers while using customer profiles to retain current customers or even win-back lost customers. All told, the intelligent IVR system promises improvement in the two most vital aspects of IVR evolution: cost savings and improved customer service.

The Science of On-Hold Music

2009-08-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

Since IVR systems are utilized as a means of employing fewer operators in a call center, customers will inevitably spend some amount of time on-hold while waiting to speak to a service representative. In a world of increasingly available information, even the shortest wait can not only feel like an eternity, but it can actually frustrate and alienate the customer. Most IVR systems that put a customer on-hold employ neutral or pleasing music to ease the frustration of the wait time. Some companies add periodic messages to the on-hold music that can work to further ease or exacerbate the situation.

A series of studies has shed some light on how customers respond to on-hold music and messages. In one experiment, researchers found that messages announcing the customer's place in the queue lead to more positive on-hold experiences. Even without knowing how long the wait would be, customers responded positively if they knew how many or how few people were ahead of them in line. However, periodic recorded apologies about the wait time with no other valuable information resulted in more negative customer experiences. The messages only served to remind the customers that they were waiting on-hold. This study suggests that customers on-hold would rather be told that they are making progress towards an operator than get a recorded apology every thirty seconds.

Avalanche Calling

2009-08-18T15:55:00.000-07:00

Standard IVR technologies coupled with minimally staffed call centers are usually capable of handling most day-to-day business of utility companies. However, large scale service interruptions can result in sudden spikes in call volumes by as much as 40 times typical levels. A traditional call center would be completely overwhelmed by such an event and customers eager for information would be left on-hold and frustrated. Avalanche Calling can be activated in these types of situations to help cover the increased load on the call center while still providing valuable information to customers.

Avalanche Calling uses cloud technology to virtually increase the IVR capability through off-site servers that are paid for on an as-used basis. This allows for more capacity when necessary without the need to actually invest in new hardware. In self-service mode, customers can enter a postal code to acquire information specific to outages in their service areas. Practical testing has indicated that 95% of customers will be satisfied with information provided by the Avalanche Calling IVR freeing customer service operators to address issues of the remaining 5% of callers. Such virtual outsourcing of IVR technologies could prove to save companies capital expenses while allowing for increased capacity and the ability to assist customers in times of increased need.

Visual IVR Effectiveness

2009-08-13T10:18:00.000-07:00

Video IVR continues to show promise as customer research conducted by Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories shows that visual IVRs used on mobile phones can reduce automated transaction times by as much as 56%. This not only translates to call-center resource savings, but also into increased customer satisfaction. Although most customers want to speak to a live operator when they have problems with a service, many people might prefer a self-service approach that includes both audio and visual components. Ultimately, customers hope to complete their transactions quickly and easily and research data suggests that this is more achievable with a user friendly visual menu.

As people become more familiar with using web-based utilities to report and resolve service issues, IVR appears to be following suit and progressing away from the standard audio interface that has been the norm in the industry. As discussed earlier this week, some companies have already begun to employ the video systems in place of more traditional IVR. Although the new element of the IVR system requires more time for development and implementation, the end benefits certainly outweigh the cost. As the use of video capable smart phones grows, there is undoubtedly a market for companies to improve their customer self-service menus to accommodate this emerging technology. The end result is most certainly reduced costs for staffed call-centers together with increased overall customer satisfaction.

Video IVR

2009-08-11T11:21:00.000-07:00

Business communication around the world is evolving constantly due in no small part to rapid developments in technology. Although IVR systems for customer support have evolved in that time as well, a key feature that is missing in most service applications is a visual interface. Almost no home telephones are equipped with video capabilities so there has been no practical method for integrating video into IVR systems for most users. However, as mobile devices become more ubiquitous and increasingly capable of many applications besides DTMF dialing, there are many emerging opportunities to integrate video into IVR systems for customer service.

With the development of more powerful mobile networks and video equipped wireless hand-held devices, there will likely be an increase in the development of video IVR systems over time. Video IVR adds a new dimension to self-service menus by allowing customers to see all available menus in addition to hearing the standard recited list of options. A system recently implemented by Egypt's Etisalat even allows customers to connect face-to-face with a service agent through a video chat. These types of video enabled service products could increase overall usability and customer satisfaction of IVR systems in general. Consequently, video IVR could prove to be a major segment of the IVR production business in the future.

IVR Lessons

2009-08-07T16:56:00.000-07:00

E Source has completed and published rankings of the best IVR systems for utility companies in the United States and Canada and found some conflicting, but useful results that can be applied across the board for makers of IVR systems. The leading statistic is that utilities only offer 54% of what customers want leaving almost half unsatisfied. Previous research indicates that 70% of users were successful in completing self-service transactions on the first try but the same users reported that they were unsatisfied with the automated experience. These type of results confirm that there are still opportunities for improvements in IVR systems and that focusing on the customer experience could be the key to achieving better satisfaction ratings.

The overwhelming data suggests that customers still prefer to complete transactions with a live phone operator or a web based utility rather than an IVR system. The common thread among those utility companies with the highest rated systems is that they consistently focused on the customer experience. Those that scored poorly employ systems that are technically capable of guiding the user through the automated transactions, but still left the customers unsatisfied or frustrated in the process. There are certainly strong preconceptions about IVR systems among most users, however this study shows that there is a need to continually improve and develop IVR systems from the perspective of the user as opposed to simply design them to complete the task at hand.

IVR on Smartphones

2009-08-05T15:33:00.000-07:00

A recent survey suggests that 75% of smartphone users would rather a device that allows them to speak most of their commands as opposed to pressing a series of buttons to complete the same task. The reasoning behind the result is that most smartphone users are more inclined to be multi-taskers and voice activated commands easily allow for a user to complete tasks without diverting much of their attention. This type of interface relies on IVR systems to achieve such hands free operations.

The survey also indicates a shift in cell phone etiquette. In the past, people were less inclined to use their phones in public places, but this survey reports that 71% of smartphone users said that they would be fine using their phones at a restaurant. Despite the mixed customer reaction to IVR systems in customer service, it appears that IVR continues to have a future in many applications. Capitalizing on the public desire for voice activated services shows that there is still a large market for IVR systems.

IVR Karaoke

2009-07-31T06:50:00.000-07:00

On the lighter side of the IVR business, cellular company Loop Mobile has launched a new service called Karaoke Messaging. The service allows users to record karaoke versions of popular Bollywood songs, save them or even then send them to their friends. The service uses IVR systems to provide instructions and other options to the user including listening to the original song to review the lyrics.

The service is only currently available in India, however this type of application could become very popular in other countries including the United States. In our "American Idol" and "Rock Band" culture, karaoke has changed from novelty product into a growing industry. The process could be easily implemented by US cellular providers and could prove to be a lucrative service especially among younger customers. As the cell phone continues to develop from a simple utility device into an entertainment gateway, there will be more innovative ways that IVR can be used to deliver content to the customer.

IVR in NHS

2009-07-28T13:38:00.000-07:00

Throughout the debate over government involvement in health care in the United States, many on both sides have pointed to the successes and failings of the national services offered by Canada and the United Kingdom. Efficiency is always a popular topic of discussion and while inefficiencies are inherent in almost any system, recent initiatives by hospitals in the UK's National Health Service (NHS) are making efforts to save money and time for both doctors and patients.

According to internal statistics, almost fifteen percent of patients miss scheduled hospital appointments. This results in fewer patients being treated by doctors as well as puts a financial strain on the NHS system. Using a combination of text-to-speech and IVR technologies, NHS hospitals are automatically calling patients seven days prior to appointments to confirm the date and time of scheduled visits. Since implementation, the hospitals have seen a "significant improvement" in appointment attendance as well as shorter waiting lists for other patients to see doctors. It is unclear if recent research published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal influenced this project, but it appears to produce similar benefits for both patients and doctors alike.

Integrating IVR and Public Transit

2009-07-23T05:48:00.000-07:00

As the use of public transit increases around the United States, the need for reliable service also increases. This includes implementing systems that allow customers to get up-to-the-minute information about wait times and route changes for buses, trams and trains. The city of Santa Monica is doing just that for the Big Blue Bus lines with the installation of real-time updated signs, a web-based ride planner and an information IVR phone line.

The current information system includes a hotline to a call center only available during specific customer service hours. The new IVR system is projected to be in place by February 2010 and will feature a twenty-four hour, fully-automated message center that will offer real-time information about delays and route changes. Not only will the new service require fewer call center staffers, but it will also ideally result in no customers waiting on hold to get valuable information. Public transit is not perfect, but making real-time information available to customers greatly improves use and satisfaction in this important energy saving service.

IVR and H1N1: Round Two

2009-07-21T07:15:00.000-07:00

Last month the spread of the H1N1 virus had slowed considerably in North America but cases were beginning to erupt in other parts of the world. As a result, the health ministry of India created an IVR help line for residents to access updates about the outbreak as well as get help in locating medical assistance. Although it is still summer in North America, many local and state governments are preparing for the upcoming flu season that in some places could begin as early September.

Several colleges around Ottawa, Canada are developing IVR systems to monitor and contain any outbreak that might occur in their on-campus residence halls. Algonquin College is using a system that will periodically call all students to poll them on any flu-related symptoms they might be feeling. The college administrators will then be able to use this "snapshot" as a means for making decisions about canceling classes to minimize student contact. As the threat of the H1N1 virus returns this fall, there will likely be more localized IVR systems implemented to deal with dissemination of information about the flu.

IVR Psychology

2009-07-16T11:27:00.000-07:00

A new report by T3i Group suggests that the global IVR market will grow almost 20% by 2013. The growth will likely come in the three largest IVR applications: incoming call handling for call centers, inbound self-service calls and outbound calls such as customer reminders and notifications. The self-service sector appears to be a key area of growth as the cost savings and return on investment from IVR systems greatly outweighs the effectiveness of largely staffed call centers.

With market growth comes the need to continually improve customer experiences and satisfaction with IVR systems. In an effort to achieve improvement, some companies are studying the psychology of IVR messages. Many customers have a preconceived idea about IVR that is immediately triggered when they are greeted by an on-hold message. Some customers feel neglected and unappreciated when they hear standard messages, but customers who are greeted with empathetic messages are more willing to accept wait times before speaking to a service representative. Furthermore, exposing waiting customers to advertising while on hold may have unintended effects due to the negative associations of being kept on hold. Changes to IVR messages need not be dramatic. Simply employing new and different ways to show empathy to customers could pay dividends in future sales and service.

IVR Evolution

2009-07-14T08:02:00.000-07:00

IVR has been a major force is cost savings for most companies as they require fewer call center agents to handle customer interactions. However, they sometimes leave customers feeling frustrated especially with particularly complicated IVR systems. Since the advent of the Internet, some people have gone so far as to create websites to disseminate the code numbers and back doors to bypass many major companies' IVR systems so that customers can immediately connect to a call center employee. Fonolo has taken this concept a step further and created a web based system that works with companies to make IVR navigation easier and less painful for customers and customer service representatives alike.

Fonolo works with businesses to create maps of their IVR systems and then create web based portals for customers to use allowing them to pinpoint exactly where they want to go in the IVR menus. From the Fonolo website, a customer can search for participating companies, decide their particular destination and begin their call. Before the call begins, the customer enters a call-back number where they can be reached. The customer takes no part in the call as the Fonolo "Deep Dialing" technology navigates to the desired point in the menu. When the intended party is reached, Fonolo calls the previously entered customer contact number and connects the customer to the intended party. This should result in a much better calling experience for both the customer and the customer service representative.

Fonolo's service is free for customers with the cost being supported by participating companies. After an initial setup cost to map the IVR menus, companies only pay for phone minutes used during customer calls. This does not signal the end of IVR systems but rather a potential evolutionary step to more widespread use and improved customer experiences with the systems. This could even result in further cost savings as this technology could decrease customer service agents' time per call and lead to more situations where customers can resolve issues without ever needing to speak to live agents.

Cloud Telephony and IVR

2009-07-09T12:27:00.000-07:00

Small businesses are created every day and most strive to increase their sizes to become medium or even large business. In the process of growing, both in size and in customer base, more resources are required by a business to stay connected to its customer base. The realm of customer service is no small part of a business. The advent of IVR systems served as a way for a businesses to avoid the need to invest time and money in a staffed call center to handle the daily volume of phone inquiries from customers and clients. Instead, calls could be interactively routed to the appropriate responder by a computer system rather than a human operator.

Cloud telephony could be the next evolutionary step forward in the realm of small business customer service. A drawback to a traditional IVR system is that the installation and start-up costs associated with implementing the technology can be prohibitively large. Cloud telephony offers the benefits of the IVR systems without the capital investments typically required. Rather than purchasing and physically locating the equipment on-site, the small business instead outsources the ownership to a dedicated service provider who assumes all installation and maintenance costs of the systems. Meanwhile, the small business "rents" the equipment for IVR and other uses and connects via Internet-based protocols. This would allow small businesses to be more competitive with larger firms in the same markets by cutting the costs associated with creating complex IVR systems for customer service. There are still issues to be resolved with basing such a concept on Internet protocols, but the approach could allow for better customer service for businesses of any and all sizes.

IVR in Training

2009-07-07T06:52:00.000-07:00

Train by Cell has created a unique solution to the company training that has in the past been handled by in-class instruction or web-based utilities. Both in-class and web-based training have their benefits, but they require employees to generally take time out of their workdays and be available at a certain location or in front of their computers. Train by Cell has introduced a training scheme that is accessible on any smart phone including the ubiquitous Blackberry and iPhone. Employees are able to listen to training over their phones and then respond to questions through an IVR system or text message to test their comprehension of the material.

This system would not necessarily be ideal or optimal for all types of employees, however it could be extremely efficient for sales associates who conduct much of their daily work outside of the office. Mandatory training requirements could conceivably be met while waiting in an airport or during train commutes. This novel approach to corporate communication could save money for employers who would otherwise have to pay instructors to conduct one or more training class while taking employees away from their work. Furthermore, employees would be more free to complete training when their schedules allowed thus improving their overall productivity.

Outbound IVR vs. Predictive Dialers

2009-07-02T12:40:00.000-07:00

For years, predictive dialers have been employed by telemarketers so that one operator can call several phone numbers simultaneously and make a sales pitch to the first person that answers his or her phone. Predictive dialers are also used by some companies to communicate with their customers and clients. The systems are popular because of their cost effectiveness since they allow operators to connect to a customer almost every time they dial a group of numbers. As efficient as the systems are for operators, they can be equally frustrating for the customer who is the second or third to answer the call in the few seconds after the operator has already connected with the first customer. Those later customers are greeted with silence and usually assume it to be a wrong number. Those same customers may be called several more times in the following minutes before finally being connected to the operator, at which time the customer is usually not interested in the information or the sales pitch.

Recent data suggests that outbound IVRs are rapidly taking the place of predictive dialers as speech recognition and dual-tone multi-frequency technology improves. Some companies are even employing them as a means to conduct standard business transactions in lieu of operator assisted calls thanks to the ability to verify customer identity and record user submitted information through the IVR system. There are several advantages, the greatest of which is cost. Live operators are still employed to assist if problems should arise during a call, but far fewer are required than in a call center using predictive dialers. Furthermore, customer satisfaction is greatly improved as calls are received by the customer on the first attempt rather than multiple attempts. Current trends suggest that outbound IVR will continue to excel as the technology improves resulting in greater cost savings through efficiency and improved customer satisfaction.

Virtual Walk-In Clinic

2009-06-30T11:58:00.000-07:00

A new service based in California offers a creative approach to dealing with the rising costs and decreased productivity for doctor's office visits. Doctors on Demand Health Networks provides a virtual walk-in clinic for patients seeking quick, non-emergency related health care. The network consists of a pool of licensed physicians who are seeking additional work hours without the need to hire more staff to assist in scheduling and record keeping. A doctor in the network simply notifies the system when he or she has had a patient cancellation and the network will attempt to match someone in need to that doctor at that open appointment time.

Patients enroll in the service by phone through an IVR system that collects their contact information, medical histories and current health issues. Doctors who are available for an appointment can listen to the patient medical histories as well as voice notes left by other doctors in the system. The system then notifies the patient of the appointment with the best available doctor for the particular health issue. After the appointment, the doctor can then use the IVR system to record notes on the visit. Additionally, the system handles billing and electronic record keeping for the visit.

This is, of course, not a replacement for traditional family practitioners nor is it legally allowed as primary care. Rather, it is a way for doctors who have spare time and desire for extra work to help more people. Furthermore, this approach could potentially be employed by other appointment-based businesses in an effort to cut costs and improve efficiency.

Improved Self-Service Through IVR

2009-06-26T13:11:00.000-07:00

One of the drawbacks of IVR systems is that customers sometimes feel that the available options do not specifically address their particular question or need sending them into a loop of menus in search of the proper path to resolve their issue. A newly announced system from eGain promises better self-service capability by using case-based reasoning technology to simulate intelligent dialogs between clients and the most qualified customer service agents. The end result of the improvement is that more customers would be capable of completing their calls without ever needing to speak to a live agent.

Such a system would naturally offer cost savings by requiring fewer human agents to handle issues that the system is unable to resolve. Furthermore, the developers claim that there is no additional implementation cost as the system uses the same knowledge base, customer interaction records, and reports as a traditional IVR system. Additionally, the system is designed to be implemented in concert with web-based self-service portals which are fast becoming a major part of customer service departments. While there will always be a need for human interaction between customers and live service agents, advances like these will certainly increase consumer confidence and, more importantly, comfort levels with IVR systems.

A Novel Use of IVR

2009-06-23T10:39:00.000-07:00

Medical science has made tremendous strides in developing treatments to chronic illnesses that, in the past, were usually terminal. Many treatments to such illnesses require vigilant monitoring of a patient's blood chemistry. These can range from routine home monitoring of blood sugar levels for diabetics to regularly scheduled blood tests for patients suffering from blood clotting disorders.

A study published in the April 28th issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal tested the use of IVR in communicating with patients undergoing anticoagulation therapy. The rigorous treatment involves periodic blood testing and medication to maintain normalized levels of clotting factors in the blood. For the study, an IVR system was implemented that contacted the patients to communicate medication reminders, blood testing appointment times and notifications when appointments were missed. At the conclusion of the study, the authors found that the workload on the staff was reduced by 33% and some patients asked to continue the service as a way to manage their treatments. More research is certainly required, but this study indicates the potential of IVR as a part of medical therapy.

IVR and Voice Biometrics

2009-06-18T13:21:00.000-07:00

In an effort to ensure security in these times of increasing identity theft, businesses that deal in sensitive customer information must be extremely vigilant as the gatekeeper of such information. Under current conditions, most credit card users, for example, are prompted to answer a number of standard questions supplied by an IVR system with the goal being verification of the customer's identity before giving sensitive account access. Often times, customers will find that after they have suitably identified themselves through their unique answers to the IVR system's security protocols, they are connected to a customer service representative who will ask some of the same and/or additional questions to further verify their identities. This can not only be frustrating, but also a tremendous waste of resources.

One area of research aimed to improve the process is the technology of voice biometrics. Employing the concept that every person has a unique "voice print," the system aims to verify a customer's identity by comparing his voice to a stored sample. Of course this idea does not come without issues to consider, chief among them is extraneous noise introduced during the recognition process by a poor telephone connection or from external sources in the customer's calling environment. Opus Research recently released a report on the state of the technology which is concisely summarized by it's author, Dan Miller, at TCMnet.com. As voice biometric systems improve through more pilot projects and widespread implementation, the technology is sure to offer resource savings for businesses that employ them as well as improved experiences for customers that use them.

IVR and H1N1

2009-06-17T10:41:00.000-07:00

Although the threat of the H1N1 swine flu virus appears to be less severe than first predicted, some nations are choosing novel approaches for dealing with the potential pandemic. Yesterday, the health minister if India unveiled an IVR system that will be used to disseminate information about the flu including symptoms, spread of the flu and where to seek treatment. The IVR messages are available in English, Telugu and Hindi and are also accessible through SMS text messages on cellular phones.

The concept of using IVR systems in a disaster scenario could be especially useful in the event that such a disaster affects emergency information staffing centers but not telephonic infrastructure. A highly populated nation in crisis needs a proven method of dissemination of information to its citizens. Many people, especially in lower income areas, would rely entirely on the telephone for information and updates on the situation. An IVR system could potentially save lives and ultimately valuable resources during disaster recovery periods.

Wes Raine
http://thirteenthgeneration.blogspot.com/