FEATURES OF IVR SYSTEM

 

Key IVR Features To Look For

The below features are the most critical aspects of IVR.

Understanding what these features do and how they benefit your business and customers helps you make an informed decision when choosing your IVR solution.

 

Drag-and-Drop Call Flow Design

Drag-and-drop call flow (call path) design allows admins to easily update and edit call paths within the IVR system.

This simplifies the call flow design process and strategy by allowing admins to make edits like adding new agents, new phone numbers, or new pre-recorded menu options easily and without having to write complicated code or create lengthy if-then scenarios.

 

Call Forwarding

Call forwarding sends inbound calls to the same agent across multiple phone numbers/devices without the caller having to hang up and dial different numbers separately.

For example, if the agent doesn’t answer their desk phone, the call is forwarded to their smartphone, then to their home phone, then to their voicemail box or another agent.

Call forwarding especially empowers remote teams, while offering greater flexibility and mobility to all agents.

 

Call Routing

Call routing strategies offer different ways to route calls based on predefined criteria.

Types of call routing your IVR system should offer include:

• Skills-Based Routing: Routes callers to the best available agent with expertise and training relating to the caller’s specific issue.
• Time-Based Routing: Routes calls according to agent/caller geographic location, current time, and agent schedule. Ensures the caller can speak to a live rep who is scheduled to work at the time of their call, even if the agent and caller are in different time zones.
• Relationship-Based Routing: Routes calls based on existing relationships between agents and callers/clients, and ensures VIPs are pushed to the front of the call queue/prioritized.
• Round Robin Routing: Agents A, B, and C all have a “fair shake” at handling calls and work is equally divided to prevent overburdening agents. The first call goes to Agent A, the next one to Agent B, and so forth until all agents have had their “turn.”

 

CRM Integrations

Third-party CRM solutions provide essential caller and customer information, as well as insight into the overall history of each customer and their relationship with your business.

By integrating existing CRM tools into your IVR software, agents can have instant access to caller information through automated CRM call pops, which “pop up” instantly when a customer contacts your business.

These call pops display key details like:

• Date of last contact
• Purchase history
• Notes from other agents
• Contact information
• Order information

 

Call Recording and Transcription

Call recording helps admins and supervisors to evaluate not only the quality of assistance individual agents provide customers, but also the quality and effectiveness of their current IVR menus and call paths.

Admins can automatically record calls, or do so on an on-demand basis.

Call transcriptions provide searchable, written transcriptions of these call recordings, so admins or automated analytic tools can look for common patterns, recurring words/phrases, and more.

This makes optimizing IVR systems easier than ever.

 

Call Scripting and Internal Wikis

Call scripting is the process of writing and recording preset IVR menu options.

You’ll need easy access to intuitive call scripting tools that make it easy to save, record, and replace existing menu options. As with call flow design, call scripting tools should offer drag-and-drop configuration.

Call scripts also refer to pre-written “scripts” individual agents can follow when interacting with customers according to specific issues or needs. Internal script databases let agents from other departments jump in and assist team members when call queues or call volume becomes especially high.

Internal wikis provide a searchable database of key company, product, and/or service information (sometimes, but not always, of a technical nature.) Agents can quickly search these wikis while on the phone with a customer to ensure they provide them with the best possible assistance quickly, without the need for a callback.

 

Call Queuing and Ring Groups

Call queues keep your business organized and better manage daily call volume by sending callers to specific groups of departments and agents.

These agents and departments are grouped together according to their skills, training, and roles within your business to ensure that customers will get the help they need without having to wait too long in the queue

Call queues should provide updates such as the caller’s current place in line and/or estimated caller wait time every few minutes.

Ring groups are groups of related agent phone numbers that simultaneously ring when a caller dials a single phone number or extension. The call goes to the first agent that picks up the phone.

These ring groups increase the chances that a caller will speak to a live agent.

 

Automated Queue Callbacks

If callers don’t want to wait on hold in lengthy call queues, they can use the automated callback feature to schedule a time of their choosing to receive a callback when an agent becomes available.

 

Inbound and Outbound Support

Contrary to popular belief,  today’s IVR systems offer not only inbound call management and routing, but also support for outbound calls.

For example, outbound IVR can dial out and play pre-recorded messages to callers, giving them the chance to interact with the IVR system proactively.

This is popular with things like appointment scheduling and confirmations, surveys, and political campaigns, to name a few.