Exploring IVR

Feb.09, 2011 in IVR Scripting

Exploring IVR

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Home Page > Technology > Communication > Exploring IVR

Exploring IVR

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Posted: Oct 20, 2010 |Comments: 0
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Interactive Voice Response, or IVR, is an automated telephony system that interacts with callers, gathers information and routes calls to the appropriate recipient. The IVR technology allows a computer to detect voice and keypad inputs. It brings together automatic speech recognition (ASR) and text-to-speech (TTS) in a markup language so the IVR software can take direction from users’ spoken words or their telephone keypad tones, and respond to them via synthesized speech or audio files. The IVR script responds to this input by providing appropriate information in the form of voice answer. VoiceXML, pages determine which scripts and speech grammars are used. These responses are pre-recorded and are dynamically generated audio that further directs users on how to proceed. The response either routes the calls to the appropriate person or department based on speech inputs or collects and records the information needed.

IVR technology is widely considered to be the most prevalent technology in call centers next to Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) technology. The IVR service helps increase revenue, improves customer satisfaction, and lowers costs. IVR systems are typically used to service a high call volume which enables companies to spend less on paying people to tend to the calls. Depending on the business or company, callers’ queries can be resolved without the cost of a live agent who, in turn, can be directed to deal with specific areas of the service. This makes for a more efficient system in which agents have more time to deal with complex interactions, for example, customer retention, up selling, cross selling and issue resolution.

Some customers may be more likely to be satisfied with a personalized service. Some may think an interaction is likely to be more fulfilling and rewarding if it is with a live agent, as opposed to dealing with basic inquiries that require yes or no responses, to obtaining customer details. Current IVR companies are making advancements in speech technology to increase the customer friendliness of the underlying IVR system, thus increasing customer satisfaction and customer retention. One of the huge benefits of the IVR systems for callers is that it allows callers to give and obtain data relatively anonymously. This would be optimal in cases where information is collected by the IVR system to preserve privacy and avoid potential embarrassment of sensitive information or test results. For example, when you check your banking information via phone or participate in an automated poll or survey you are experiencing judgment free IVR technology in action.

IVR can also be just one component of many other phone functions including automatic call distribution, database access, voice message broadcasting and automatic dialing processes. This technology has also been introduced into automobile systems for hands-free operation.

Finding the right IVR hosting company can be a huge return on investment. An IVR hosting, company such as Message Technologies Inc., is an expert in An VoiceXML, hosting, Message Technologies handles every part of the speech-application and hosted IVR infrastructure including trunk and platform provisioning, business continuation planning, monitoring, web access, physical and logical security, co-location, and live agent services. This makes it easier for business owners to get an IVR system set up without exerting time, expertise and having to maintain the system.

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About the Author:

MTI’s hosted IVR service helps you increase revenue, improve customer satisfaction, and lower costs using VoiceXML compliant IVR solutions and best-of-breed IVR hosting solutions. With over 18 years of experience in the hosted IVR space, we’re a complete IVR service provider and can assist you with every facet of your IVR solution, from creating and hosting applications to co-location and business continuity planning.

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Article Tags:
ivr, voicexml, ivr hosting, interactive voice response, communication, telephone system