The IVR is the front door to your business and should be welcoming and easy to use.
Imagine having the capability to anticipate your customers’ needs and have the right people available at the right time to consistently provide the level of customer service that consumers crave. Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technology can help remove the guesswork, simplify processes and improve first call resolution by routing customers to the most appropriate agent faster. However, the true benefits of an IVR can only be realized if it’s designed and optimized properly.
Our Approach to IVR Redesign and Implementation
At The Northridge Group, our IVR Redesign and Optimization engagements typically include an assessment and recommendations for the effective design, tuning, and measurement of call routing and self-service capabilities. They may also include an assessment of current technology and, if appropriate, the identification of new technologies.
Proper design and optimization are crucial to the success of IVR technology. When appropriately optimized, an IVR will accurately reflect the brand, use clear, customer-friendly language, provide easy-to-use self-service and concise messaging, demonstrate respect for the customer’s time and leverage data to assess Customer Experience and effectiveness.
Anticipated benefits of IVR Optimization:
- A focus on your customers’ needs and providing a customer experience that meets those needs often leads to improved customer satisfaction and retention, increased revenue, and positive customer reviews.
- Organizations with well-defined processes that are implemented effectively find efficiencies that translate directly to improved operational costs and increased customer and employee satisfaction.
- Effective systems and tools that provide staff and customers with consistent and timely information drive opportunities for increased revenue and cost-saving efficiencies.
- Developing and implementing key operational metrics allows for effective execution, monitoring, and decision-making for improved performance.
By implementing best-in-class approaches and streamlined processes when interfacing with customers and leveraging technology, organizations have the opportunity to drive efficiencies and to improve the customer experience, which can translate to increased revenue and operational savings.
Natural Language Processing
When optimizing IVR, the end-goal is often an evolution to Natural Language Processing. A Natural Language IVR allows callers to phrase the purpose of their call in a wide variety of ways as opposed to being prompted by specific phrases. Steps toward achieving this goal may include the following:
- Optimize customer experience in the IVR into a more natural, user-friendly design
- Plan for transformation to full speech recognition
- Initial focus to streamline toll-free numbers (TFNs) and align IVR flows to unified Contact Center structure
- Improve access to existing self-service options and implement new capabilities
- Integrate callback and multi-channel capabilities into IVR call flow
IVR Design Best Practices
IVR design standards drive increased effectiveness and improve customer satisfaction. To achieve optimal results, we follow a set of Best Practices which include:
IVR Customer Experience
Clear, simple, consistent messaging within and across applications.
Call Flow Design
Modular design to partition updates for flexibility, reduced testing time and reduced errors.
Standards
Well-defined defaults and repeats; queue delay and emergency messages, as well as time of day routing tables.
Routing and Reporting
Routing scripts designed to quickly implement planned changes.
Testing and Implementation
Conduct usability studies on IVR for success factors prior to implementation. Create a pilot test system before it goes live and fine tune prior to full implementation.
Documentation
Complete and detailed.
Results
IVR Optimization Drives Cost Savings and Improved Customer Experience
Improved Call Flow | Reduced Transfers | Increased Self-Service
Featured Case study
Optimization of Fortune 50 Enterprise Voice Response Menu Drives Improved Customer Experience and Cost Savings
Northridge was engaged to optimize the client’s Voice Response Menu, where the services provided were complex and required unique, highly skilled agents to support their customers.
Northridge developed a set of specific recommendations relative to their routing, scripting, and menu options that allowed the client to improve customer satisfaction, lower misdirects/transfers, and optimize the call queues.
Northridge’s Contact Center Management Solutions
In today’s highly competitive marketplace, customer satisfaction is the ultimate measure of your company’s success. Our Contact Center Management consulting services deliver improved operational performance and increased revenue by optimizing the customer experience, leveraging contact center interactions to build lifelong brand advocates and marketplace differentiation.
Talk To Us About Your Organization
With experience across nearly every industry, non-profit, and governmental agency, we have the team to help you achieve your goals.
