IVR Condescension

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

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

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

In-Car IVR

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

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

Disecting an IVR Failure

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

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

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