Interactive Voice Response is a telephony menu system used for identifying, segmenting, and routing a call to the appropriate department. That means callers press buttons on their keypads or say words to an automated recording that identifies keywords, thus alleviating the need to speak to a human call handler during the initial stages of a call. In turn, that speeds up processes, which is beneficial to companies and customers. Sometimes an IVR system can handle every aspect of a caller’s needs. For example, if a customer wishes to pay a bill, the whole process could be automatic with IVR. At the end of the day, using an IVR system is an effective way to get customers directed to the right place and solve issues quickly and efficiently.
Call centers have seen high demand in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and IVR has been used in various ways to facilitate that high demand. Ultimately, that means IVR can be used to increase a company’s revenue.
An IVR Prompt Can Help to Increase Customer Trust
Now you know the answer to “what is IVR?” you can learn how to best utilize the system during a pandemic. You may be experiencing a higher call volume during this pandemic because customers want to know how you’re dealing with things related to COVID-19. For instance, if you own stores, people may want to know what measures the stores have taken to protect visitors, such as social distancing measures and regular deep cleaning. Alternatively, if you deliver heavy goods that need to be carried into a customer’s home, the person will want to know what precautions the people delivering your goods are taking, such as sanitization and wearing face masks. When you can provide such information to customers, their trust in your company will be increased, and having happy customers leads to more spending. In turn, that leads to higher revenue. IVR can help you attain that higher level of trust and generate a greater income. You should set up your IVR with a prompt that callers hear first of all to answer common questions that they have about your pandemic precautions and other things related to COVID-19.
IVR Can Enhance Marketing Promotions
When a potential customer is already on the phone line, you have the opportunity to market your products or goods. For instance, the automated voice on the IVR could direct callers to special marketing offers by giving them a special number or a website address to access. The more you include calls-to-action on your IVR systems, you can drive conversions and enhance your revenue.
IVR Is Ideal for Generating Appointment Reminders
If you run a business that involves people turning up for appointments, you can use IVR to ensure people do not miss those appointments. Industries like law, automotive maintenance, and insurance can greatly benefit from appointment reminders. How does it work? Well, an IVR system can make outgoing calls as well as accept incoming calls. Therefore, it’s simple to set up outgoing calls with automated messages to ensure people do not miss their appointments. In turn, that means more conversions, and ultimately more revenue. During pandemic times, you can also use the automated message to put people’s minds at rest concerning things like social distancing and sanitization for when they turn up to appointments.
IVRs Can Process Customer Payments Quicker
Finally, IVRs are excellent ways for customers to make automated payments without needing to wait on the phone line to get through to a human customer service agent. With most businesses experiencing high demands in calls during the pandemic, many smaller businesses that did not previously use IVRs are now utilizing them to ensure their customers can make payments immediately. The quicker people can make payments, the higher your revenue can be.