When customers need assistance, they dial your company number. The faster you serve them, the better experience they will have. Constant call routing or call holding is never a sign of professionalism or a customer-oriented approach, causing nothing more but frustration in your customers. Is this something that you want to avoid? Well, this is where an IVR technology might come in handy.
Modern IVR solutions can help you eliminate this annoyance and decrease hold times, especially if your live operators handle huge call volumes on a regular basis. With concise auto-attendant scripts, IVR will save your company valuable hours and money while directing callers on the right path. Does that sound interesting? You bet! Let us dig deeper so that you get an idea of what an interactive voice response technology can do for you and how to use it.
IVR — How Does It Work?
IVR is an automated tool that allows your callers to navigate around your company phone system. When someone dials the number, the auto attendant greets them and walks them through the IVR menu. As a result, customers can contact the selected agent by tapping the buttons on the IVR menu selections.
In the modern world, where every minute matters and people cannot wait too long to have their inquiries addressed, IVR is not just an optional business phone function that you may choose to disable. IVR is what distinguishes between poor and excellent customer service. It lets your customer feel that you take care of them and value their precious time.
If you don't currently have an IVR system, here are several compelling reasons to consider investing in one:
- To improve customer service and resolve issues more quickly;
- It acts as a 24-hour phone attendant who takes calls on your company phone;
- To eliminate potential human mistakes in call routing;
- To make a favorable first impression at the initial point of contact.
With properly configured multi-level IVR menus and well-thought-out scripts, you will be able to create a smooth customer journey.
Why Do You Need IVR?
As you could guess already, Interactive Voice Response is an automated phone system technology that allows incoming callers to access information via a voice response system of pre-recorded messages or touch-tone keypad selections. You may think that there is no need for you to invest in the IVR solution as it is not relevant to you. In fact, it is not so. Here are the key reasons why you need IVR.
Efficient Call Routing
IVR systems allow call centers to route calls based on customers' spoken responses or touch-tone input, which helps eliminate long wait times and queues that frustrate customers and businesses alike.
Improved Customer Experience
IVR systems can provide immediate answers to basic, common questions and free up more agents to handle urgent, complicated matters. This saves customers time and ensures they get a callback and don’t have to wait on hold for an extended period of time.
Increased First-Contact Resolution
IVR improves first-contact resolution greatly since calls are always routed to the person or department most suited to satisfy their needs. The agent who answers the phone is better competent to address the caller's inquiry and is less likely to transfer the call to another agent.
Cost Optimization
With IVR systems, you can help lower operational costs by reducing the number of calls agents must accept. With this in mind, it is no wonder that the IVR market will grow by 40% in North America.
Professional Image
These solutions enable you to greet clients in a professional manner while also giving the impression that you have more departments and workers than you actually have. This is especially relevant for startups and smaller companies.
Prioritization of Calls Based on Value
If you have IVR, you may quickly prioritize calls based on the value of the caller. When a high-value customer calls, the IVR connects them to the agent best suited to their needs.
Handling High Call Volumes
When there is a significant amount of calls, IVR technology comes to the rescue. Even the most well-staffed contact center can get overcrowded on occasion, and having an IVR system in place helps alleviate call congestion while preserving customer satisfaction.
Brand Connection
A company using an IVR can customize phone menus according to its own offerings and customer needs. That improves customer perception of the brand as a whole and lets the company build a good reputation.
Better Mobile Connection
The IVR efficiency gains allow mobile customers, who may have less time to talk, to proceed faster to a solution. That better accommodates mobile.
Faster Processing
Instead of having an employee try to figure out what it is a client is looking for, the customer can instead engage with the IVR to identify the type of assistance needed. Obviously, IVR is one of the AI generative technologies transforming the call center market.
IVR and Auto Attendant Scripts Examples
IVR scripts are pre-recorded messages that customers hear when they call a business phone. These are essential for creating a good impression at the very first point of contact and for routing calls to the appropriate person in charge (PIC) for better query resolution. Combined with simple voice instructions, IVR scripts make the resolution process convenient for both a company and customers.
Here are some examples of IVR and auto-attendant scripts for different situations:
- Basic auto-attendant greeting;
- Service-based script;
- Customer support script;
- After-hours script;
- Holiday season script;
- Emergency message script;
- Payment reminder script;
- Order placement script.
When writing an IVR script, it is important to keep in mind the tone and structure that align with your brand and to make it clear and easy to navigate. A well-written IVR call script can boost brand perception. On the other hand, ineffective IVR scripts may confuse and frustrate callers, resulting in a lasting negative impression of the business. Therefore, it is essential to follow best IVR practices and use common phrases for creating custom IVR scripts.
Welcome Message Script
The welcome message is the first message that customers hear when they call a business phone. It sets the tone for the entire interaction with the caller, so it’s essential to implement it well and write it appropriately for your business.
Let’s look at some IVR script examples for the welcome message:
- “Thank you for calling [Company Name]. We appreciate your calling. Please listen carefully to the following options so we can direct your call to the right department.”
- “Welcome to [Company Name]. Please dial your party's extension right now. Press 1 for sales and 2 for customer support. Press 3 for technical assistance. Press 4 for all other requests.”
- “Hello, and thank you for reaching out to [Company Name]. We are now experiencing high volumes of calls, but your call is important to us. Please hold, and the next available representative will be with you shortly.”
- “Welcome to [Company Name]. If you are calling to make an order, press 1. If you are calling for billing information, press 3. Press 2 for technical assistance. Press 0 for any other queries.”
When writing a welcome message, it is important to keep in mind the tone and structure that align with your brand and to make it clear and easy to navigate. A well-written welcome message can boost brand perception and create smooth and delightful customer experiences for every caller.
After Business Hours Message
When a customer calls a business after business hours, it is important to have an after-hours message in place to inform them of the non-operational hours. The message should inform the caller that the office is closed, state the business's operating hours, and provide options to avoid losing a customer or a new business opportunity. This can sound the following way:
“We appreciate your calling [Company Name]. We are currently closed. Our office is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please leave a message with your phone number, and we will get back to you within our next business hours. You may also contact us by email at [Company Email]. Thank you for your call, and have a wonderful day.”
Customer On-Hold Message
On-hold messages are aimed at keeping your customers engaged and informed as they are put on hold. They can be used to promote your business, company, products, or services, and provide generic tips and content that will catch the interest of your callers. Here are some examples for your inspiration:
- “Thank you for holding. We appreciate your patience and will be with you shortly.”
- “Did you know that we offer a 10% discount on all orders over $100? Visit our website for more information.”
- “We are currently experiencing high call volumes. Please press 1 if you would like to leave a message. Otherwise, please stay online, and we will be with you shortly.”
- “Thank you for holding. Did you know that we offer free shipping on all orders over $50? Visit our website for more information.”
- “We are currently experiencing longer than usual wait times. If you would like to schedule a callback, please press 1. Otherwise, please continue to hold, and we will be with you shortly.”
There is no single win-win On-hold message. We recommend following the golden rules of IVR lead gen, testing out a couple of different variations, and checking which one performs better for your business.
Order Placement Message
When customers call to place an order, it is important to have an IVR script in place to provide step-by-step guidance to first-time customers and to ensure that the order is placed correctly. You can use the following script for this purpose:
“Hello, and thank you for reaching out to [Company Name]. If you would like to place an order, please press 1. If you have any questions about an existing order, please press 2. If you would like to talk to a customer service representative, please press 3. To repeat the options again, please press 4.”
Bring Customer Experience to a New Level
When your live operators are handling a high volume of incoming calls, the timing and service flow are critical for your customers. That is precisely what IVR can boost significantly. Your business would be unable to run without an IVR system, especially during high calling hours. IVR adds an important layer of efficiency to your existing customer service architecture. The telephone voice menu system checks all the boxes for faster service, shorter wait times, and increased employee efficiency.
