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Incredible benefits of IVR technology: II

1. It encourages automated customer service:

Automated customer service means that customers are enabled to solve their own problems and obtain the required information without speaking with an agent. Therefore, IVR systems simplify the customer service by automating it.

Automated customer support
Automated customer support

2. It enables handling of large call volumes:

Companies are allowed to easily handle high call volumes with the help of IVR systems.  By employing this technology, callers are automatically directed to the most appropriate agent or department or they have to wait in a queue when all agents are busy. Another solution for such instances is that the systems allow the caller the option of having an agent return their call rather than wait in a queue.

Large call volume
Large call volume

3. It helps keep customers happy:

Different customers have different preferences. For example, some would prefer to get the answers they need by interacting with a recording rather than speaking to a live person while others may insist on it. IVR systems let the customers have whatever they require, thus, keeping them happy.

Happy customers
Happy customers

4. It helps create a sense of professionalism:

In case of startups and smaller companies IVR technology can be used to make the company appear larger than it actually is. Moreover, IVR prompts can be configured so as to allow callers to talk to sales, support, marketing or technical support, etc. They will be routed to the person on your team assigned to answer all of the calls, regardless of the department they choose. In other words it helps create a sense of professionalism that can help impress the customers.

Improve company's image
Improve company’s image

5. It reduces operational expenses:

IVR systems are very affordable as they replace a receptionist or a customer service agent who answers calls and directs calls to agents. This in return increases efficiency and reduces operational costs which further results in a huge ROI.

Low operational cost
Low operational cost

 

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Incredible benefits of IVR technology: I

As mentioned earlier IVR technology refers to an automated telephony system that interacts with callers, gathers information and routes calls to the appropriate recipient. IVR is a simple and efficacious system that will significantly reduce costs and increase efficiency within any company. It has to offer a number of benefits to the organizations employing it. Some of those benefits have been listed below:

1. It helps attain valuable information about your customers:

IVR technology helps collect information about customer’s needs and transfer calls to the most appropriate agent or department depending on their IVR input. Making use of technology to direct calls, reduces the probability of the caller being transferred to the wrong agent or department, hence, increasing the efficacy of the entire system.

Gathering valuable information
Gathering valuable information

2. It aids in an increased productivity:

Directing callers to the perfect department or agent to address their issues exempts the wastage of time. It also means that there won’t be any sort of confusion in finding the right answer or transferring the caller around for a query resolution. Thus, it would lead to more problems being solved in lesser time.
Increased productivity
Increased productivity

3. It has a provision for personalized greetings:

IVR technology allows you to record any sort of personalized greeting you want, and include the appropriate prompts to transfer callers to the corresponding department.

Personalized messages
Personalized messages

4. It exempts any sort of errors:

Since an IVR system does not require a receptionist for answering your calls, so, there is no chance that in the hundreds of calls received daily, a couple of them will wind up in the wrong place. Error exemption is yet another benefit provided by an IVR auto attendant.

Error exemption
Error exemption

5. It allows the usage of pre- recorded messages:

Its not always preferable to use your own voice on the IVR. In such cases, you can use pre-recorded IVR messages to make your task easier.

Pre- recorded messages
Pre- recorded messages

 

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Essentials and applications of IVR technology

IVR stands for Interactive Voice Response. It refers to a technology that allows a computer to interact with humans through the use of voice and DTMF ( dual- tone multi frequency) tones input via keypad. IVR technology is also employed in telecommunication systems where it allows customers to interact with a company’s host system through a telephone keypad or by speech recognition, after which services can be inquired about through the IVR dialogue. IVR systems can respond with prerecorded or dynamically generated audio. This directs the users on how to proceed further. A single large IVR system has the ability to handle calls for thousands of applications, each with its own phone numbers and script.

IVR technology
IVR technology

IVR and voice automation allows callers’ queries to be resolved without the need for queuing and incurring the cost of a live agent. IVR systems are employed for the following reasons:

i) to service high call volumes

ii) reduce cost

iii) improve the customer experience

Improved customer experience
Improved customer experience

In situations where callers do not find the information they require or need further assistance, the calls are often transferred to an agent. This allows agents have more time to deal with complex interactions, hence, improving the system’s efficiency. Dialled number identification service (DNIS) ensures the execution of correct application and language when an IVR system answers multiple phone numbers.

IVR system
IVR system

There are a number of fields where IVR systems find their applications. Some of them are as follows:

i) IVR systems are used in call centers to identify and segment callers. This allows the services to be tailored according to the customer profile.

ii) IVR systems are employed by banking institutions for customer engagement and to extend business hours to a 24/7 operation.

iii) Pharmaceutical companies leverage these systems to conduct clinical trials and manage the large volumes of data generated. In addition to this, they are also used for patient randomization, drug supply management and for recording patient diaries and questionnaires

IVR for banking institutions
IVR for banking institutions

 

 

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Lead nurturing tactics: II

1. Build a retargeting audience:

Retargeting is a paid medium.  A retargeting audience may be built in any of the 4 following ways

i) Select marketing content – this is what will be displayed to your audience.

ii) Pixel based interactions – this audience is built by placing a pixel on your website that uses cookies to track online visitors, helping you remarket to them.

iii) Contact list segments – this audience is defined by a segmented contact list you already have in your database

iv) “look alike” contacts –  these are outside contacts who are similar to those who have engaged with you, offering a way to exponentially increase the numbers of impressions made.

 

Building retargeting audience
Building retargeting audience

2. Make timely, well-researched calls:

The best way to convert inbound leads into qualified sales opportunities is a timely followup email or a phone call. When you make a timely, well-researched call to an inbound lead, you know exactly what the prospect is researching based on his/her recent browsing behaviour and you also have enough information about the prospect to initialize a research about the organization they work for and their specific role within the company.

Timely follow ups
Timely follow ups

3. Personalized email marketing:

You can further improve your lead nurturing strategy by personalizing your emails. You can send triggered emails when someone downloads your gated content, clicks on links in your emails, visits certain pages on your website, or when they demonstrate a high level of engagement in order to be in touch.

Personalized emails
Personalized emails

4. Offline marketing:

Offline marketing refers to strategies that utilize offline media channels to create awareness of a company’s products and services. These campaigns may include radio and print advertising – including billboards, signs and pamphlets,telemarketing, and television ads.

Offline marketing
Offline marketing

5. Lead scoring:

Lead scoring is a methodology used to rank prospects against a scale that represents the perceived value each lead represents to the organization. The resulting score is utilized to determine which leads a receiving function (e.g. sales, partners, tele-prospecting) will engage, as per the set priority. Lead Scoring allows a business to customize a prospect’s experience based on his or her buying stage and interest level

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