Why Interactive Voice Response Software Does Not Make Continuous Improvement Obsolete

When a call centre decides to invest in interactive voice response

, or ivr, software, it can be tempting for them to believe that their system improvement project is done and dusted. But in fact, even the most advanced ivr software may need to be tweaked or built on as the benefits of using the system itself begin to materialise.

In the telephony based services sector, improvements breed extra demand which, in turn, breeds further improvement. Once upon a time, all that was needed to serve the calling public was a crude answering system involving a basic tape recorder, while outbound services used a tape based auto dialer that called hundreds of random numbers with hope of making sales.

The development of modern automated phone software, however, has vastly improved on such services, while the creation of automatic speech recognition software now means that a wider market exists for call centres to tap into. The fact is that there is a pattern of continuous improvement in the call centre services sector, and it is only logical that even with the latest software this pattern is continued.

Here are three areas in which a call centre can further improve its ivr services, even if the latest software has just been purchased. Observing Call Flow Changes As with every service that undergoes an enhancement or begins to make use of new technology or software, the dynamics of everyday business activities can change. For a call centre, this can mean that the percentage number of calls being dealt with increases. This might be because greater efficiency levels encourage client customers to make use of their customer service number, or it could be a result of the call centre winning more clients.

However, with an increase in activity it is important to observe how an existing ivr system is performing, and to evaluate whether or not the efficiency of the system will be adversely affected by any further increase in calls. It may also be necessary to make projections about business levels in the future and whether the current system will need to be expanded, enhanced or in some way improved to effectively cope with any new situation.

Enhancing Quality of Messages

It is not unusual to discover that messages recorded for the system are not as accurate or helpful as might have been thought. It could be that information in separate messages is contradictory, or that some grammatical mistake is causing some irritation for callers. Because the message is the first interaction a caller has with the service, it is the bar by which they measure the competency of the service overall. Therefore, changes may need to be made requiring new messages to be recorded and uploaded.

Of course, changes in policy, in rates and other important information for customers will require existing messages to be replaced with updated information. This also means that some alterations need to be made, in order to ensure that the caller experience is the best it can be.

Adding Speech Recognition Software

Providing an efficient customer service to callers is fine, but callers who are blind or visually impaired have very specific needs. By constructing a system that can adequately cater to those needs, a call centre can gain a higher level of marketability and effectively place them ahead of the competition. After all, client companies are always happy to project an image of equality, and having a customer service that can facilitate the able bodied and disabled equally is a major image booster.

What this means is that, by adding automatic speech recognition technology, a whole new market is opened up which can be of major benefit to the overall profitability of a centre, though this will depend on the quality of the service also.

From a call centre point of view, that means careful attention to their services must always be paid. There are various improvements that can be made to an existing interactive voice response, or ivr system, and above is just three of them.

The old automated phone technology has advanced to include modern sophisticated automated phone software, allowing phone calls to be made on behalf of telemarketing firms, important memos to be sent to staff, and appointment reminders to outpatients. So clearly, even the most advanced ivr software is continuing to be developed too.

by: Sarah Shore

POST COMMENT

Creative Thinking Activity - Aerobics For The Brain Choosing Location For Movie Shooting Wisely Gift Cards Make The Heart Grow Fonder! Hiring Your Graphic Designer? Preserve These Types Of Innovations Practical Structure Graphics Design Tips To Pimp Your Own Travel Agency Office My Snake Survived Cancer Decide On Graphic Designing As Any Profession Alternative Striking Features Of A Promotional Product Why You Should Grab A Fitness Magazine Now Renting Koh Samui Luxury Beachfront Villas, Thailand Prevent Periodontal Disease With The Right Toothpaste When The Bottom Drops Out The History Of Chinese Tea