Nowadays there are an increasing amount of channels your customers are able to contact you through. For each channel there is a lot you can do to perfect the customer experience. For example, you may be working on improving the UI/UX of your mobile app you to improve its functionality. Or you may be investing in training your agents in your contact center or the staff at your store.
But there is one channel that repeatedly gets neglected and is often the most frustrating channel customers encounter – the IVR.
Why IVR?
IVR, or Interactive Voice Response, is the technology which allows your customers to speak to a computer rather than a Customer Service Representative.
Sounds pretty cool right?
Actually, 60% of customers would rather bypass the IVR and speak directly to an agent. So when you consider that IVR accounts for over 70% of contact center traffic, the importance of making the IVR as painless a process as possible should be very clear.
With that in mind I present to you The Do’s and Don’ts of IVR:
The Do’s and Don’ts of IVR
The Do’s
- Ensure that the options provided are relevant to the need of the specific customer.
Try and make as few options as possible and tailor them to the needs of the customer. Delight your customers with a simple menu of relevant options which can get them to their destination as quickly and simply as possible. - Make it clear the customer has called the right place.
Starting a call with a list of options is never a pleasant way to begin a conversation. By letting the customer know they have reached the right place, you can start the interaction on a positive note. - Keep the Number of stages of an IVR to a minimum.
Keeping the IVR short and to the point will ensure good IVR containment rate, reduce IVR repeat calls, drop-offs and deflections and will dramatically improve call center efficiency.
The Don’ts
- Use voice recognition which doesn’t understand the customer.
Nothing is more frustrating than trying to keep calm whilst trying to correct an IVR system which doesn’t understand your voice. Make sure your system is fit for voice recognition every time. - Provide endless options so it’s impossible to remember the first ones.
Give too many options and your customers will get lost and either drop off the call or choose a random number – wasting their time and yours. Keep the options short and sweet to ensure a faster call resolution and a more satisfied customer. - Force customers to repeat the same information again and again.
Customers expect to provide information once. Continue to ask them the same questions and you will frustrate them. Ensure that once you’ve captured their information it remains captured throughout their customer journey.
Find out how to delight your customers by offering them the effortless personalized service they’re looking for.