IVR for the Hearing and Speech Impaired

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.

Video IVR

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.