The benefits of using voice-based IVR system software

If your business deals with a high volume of inbound calls or outbound calls, then implementing a voice-based interactive voice response (IVR) system can...

If your business deals with a high volume of inbound calls or outbound calls, then implementing a voice-based interactive voice response (IVR) system can be an effective way to streamline call management and provide customers with a more efficient and personalized experience. In this article, we will explore the benefits of using voice-based IVR technology and delve into its many applications. We will also discuss how to choose the right voice-based IVR system software to meet your specific business needs.

Understanding voice-based IVR systems

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems are automated business phone systems designed to interact with callers, gather information and route calls to the appropriate agents or departments. These systems are widely used by businesses and organizations to enhance customer service and streamline their operations.

What is an IVR system?

Traditionally, IVR systems have used touch-tone keypad inputs to guide callers through a series of prompts and menus. However, with advances in technology, voice-based IVR systems have become more prevalent. Voice-based IVR systems use natural language processing (NLP) to allow callers to speak their responses, making the interaction more intuitive and efficient.

IVR systems can be customized to meet the specific needs of a business or organization. They can be used for a variety of purposes, such as providing customer support, processing orders, and gathering feedback.

How voice-based IVR systems work

Voice-based IVR apps work by recognizing spoken words and phrases and matching them with predefined keywords and actions. The system prompts callers to state their purpose for calling, and based on their input, it can route calls to specific agents or departments, provide information or take actions such as scheduling appointments or making reservations.

The system can also be programmed to provide customized responses based on the caller's history with the company or organization. For example, if a caller has previously made a purchase, the system can recognize their phone number and provide personalized service. Keep in mind, however, that you’ll need a VoIP telephony service provider that provides an IVR system in order to get started with IVR.

Key components of voice-based IVR systems

The key components of a voice-based IVR system include a speech recognition engine, a natural language processing engine, a text-to-speech engine, a database, and an application server. Together, these components enable the system to receive and interpret phone call inputs, process requests and provide responses in real-time.

The speech recognition engine is responsible for recognizing and interpreting spoken words and phrases. The natural language processing engine analyzes the caller's input to determine the intent behind their request. The cloud-based text-to-speech engine converts the system's responses into spoken words that the caller can understand. The database stores information about the caller and their history with the company or organization. The application server manages the overall operation of the IVR system.

Overall, voice-based IVR systems are a powerful tool for businesses and organizations looking to improve their customer service and streamline their operations. By providing a more intuitive and efficient way for callers to interact with the system, these systems can help to enhance the overall customer experience.

Advantages of voice-based IVR systems

With the evolution of conversational AI, voice-based Interactive Voice Response systems are becoming increasingly popular among businesses as they offer several benefits and improved functionality over traditional touch-tone systems. All of them have advantages despite having various pricing ranges and features, such as voicemail, call recording, callback, and more. In this section, we will discuss some of the advantages of using voice-based IVR software.

Improved customer experience

One of the primary advantages of a voice-based IVR system for your call center software is that it can enhance the overall customer experience. By providing a user-friendly interface that recognizes spoken language and offers personalized options, customers can get the information or assistance they need quickly and easily. This can help reduce frustration and improve customer satisfaction. The IVR can also access more data and enhance client classification using a customer relationship management system, or CRM integration.

For example, when a customer calls a bank's customer service line, they can use the voice-based IVR system to check their account balance, transfer funds, or report a lost or stolen card. The system can recognize the customer's voice and provide personalized options based on their account information. This can save the customer time and effort and make their experience more enjoyable.

When a caller's requests can't be addressed, an IVR system works in conjunction with an automated call distribution (ACD) system for omnichannel routing to help direct them to the appropriate support representative.

Increased efficiency and productivity

You no longer have to waste your team's precious call time doing something an IVR menu can handle better, even outside of business hours. Voice-based IVR systems can significantly improve call handling efficiency by optimizing call flows and automating routine tasks such as call routing, queues, and data collection. This can help businesses reduce wait times and handle a higher volume of calls with existing staff.

By freeing up agents from repetitive tasks, voice-based IVR systems can also boost agent productivity and allow them to focus on more complex customer needs. An IVR system also facilitates automatic call distribution, ensuring incoming calls get to the right agent as quickly as possible.

For instance, a travel agency can use a voice-based IVR system to handle customer inquiries about flight schedules, hotel reservations, and tour packages. The system can route calls to the appropriate department based on the customer's input and collect relevant information such as travel dates and destinations. This can save the agency time and resources and enable them to serve more customers in a shorter time.

Cost savings for businesses

Implementing a voice-based IVR system can lead to significant cost savings for businesses by lowering labor costs and reducing the need for additional staff, especially if you have high call volumes. By automating routine tasks, businesses can also reduce the risk of errors and improve the overall accuracy of customer data. Additionally, voice-based IVR systems can help businesses scale their customer service operations without incurring additional costs for hiring and training new agents.

For example, a retail company can use a voice-based IVR system to handle customer inquiries about product availability, shipping status, and returns. The system can provide automated responses based on the customer's input and direct them to a live agent if necessary. This can save the company money on staffing and training costs and enable them to handle a higher volume of customer requests.

Enhanced security and privacy

Voice-based IVR systems can help businesses improve their data security and privacy by reducing the risk of data breaches and fraud. By handling sensitive information such as credit card numbers and social security numbers through an automated system, businesses can minimize the risk of human error and data mishandling.

For instance, a healthcare provider can use a voice-based IVR system to handle patient inquiries about medical records, prescription refills, and appointment scheduling. The system can verify the patient's identity through voice recognition and provide secure access to their information. This can ensure that patient data is protected and comply with regulations such as HIPAA.

In conclusion, voice-based IVR systems offer several advantages over touch-tone systems and can help businesses improve their customer experience, efficiency, cost savings, and security. By adopting a voice-based IVR system, businesses can stay competitive and meet the evolving needs of their customers.

Applications of voice-based IVR systems

Voice-based Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems are becoming increasingly popular in various industries due to their ability to provide personalized and efficient support to customers without the need for an agent. In this article, we will explore some of the common applications of voice-based IVR systems.

Customer support and contact centers

Customer support, call centers, and help desks often receive a high volume of calls from customers seeking assistance. Voice-based IVR systems can help manage this volume by providing automated support to customers. By leveraging speech recognition and natural language processing, voice-based IVR systems can understand and respond to customer queries, providing quick and efficient service. This not only reduces the workload on customer service staff but also improves the overall customer experience.

For instance, a customer calling a telecom company's customer support center can use a voice-based IVR system to check their account balance, activate or deactivate a service, or report a network issue. The IVR system can understand the customer's query and provide the appropriate response, without the need for an agent.

Banking and financial services

Voice-based IVR systems are commonly used in the banking and financial services industry to provide customers with a wide range of services such as account balances, transaction history, and bill payments. By automating routine tasks, voice-based IVR systems can help financial institutions reduce labor costs and improve the overall customer experience.

For example, a customer calling their bank's customer support center can use a voice-based IVR system to check their account balance, transfer funds, or report a lost or stolen card. The IVR system can authenticate the customer's identity and provide the requested information or service, without the need for an agent.

Healthcare industry

Voice-based IVR systems are increasingly being used in the healthcare industry to help patients schedule appointments, refill prescriptions, and get basic medical information. By automating routine tasks and reducing wait times, voice-based IVR systems can improve patient satisfaction and outcomes while also reducing administrative costs.

For instance, a patient can call their healthcare provider's IVR system to schedule an appointment with their doctor, check their test results, or get information about their medication. The IVR system can understand the patient's query and provide the appropriate response, without the need for a receptionist or nurse.

Retail and e-commerce

Voice-based IVR systems can be used in retail and e-commerce to provide customers with product information, order tracking, and status updates. By providing a self-service option for customers, voice-based IVR systems can help businesses reduce the workload on customer service staff while still providing a high level of service to customers.

For example, a customer can call an e-commerce company's IVR system to track their order status, return a product, or get information about a product's features. The IVR system can understand the customer's query and provide the appropriate response, without the need for a customer service representative.

In conclusion, voice-based IVR systems are becoming increasingly popular in various industries due to their ability to provide personalized and efficient support to customers. By automating routine tasks and reducing wait times, voice-based IVR systems can improve customer satisfaction while also reducing labor costs for businesses.

Choosing the right voice-based IVR system software

With so many IVR systems like Aircall, Zendesk, and Twilio, choosing the right one for you may be difficult. Additionally, confusing prompts, an excessive number of menu options, or poor interactive speech recognition in your IVR system can all greatly aggravate customers. So here are some IVR features you should look out for when purchasing contact center software:

Key features to look for

When choosing a voice-based IVR system software, it is important to look for features such as natural language processing, text-to-speech conversion, and integration with existing systems. Additionally, you should look for a system that is scalable and customizable to meet your specific business needs.

Integration with existing systems

The ability to integrate with existing systems is crucial for businesses looking to implement voice-based IVR systems. The system should be compatible with your existing phone system, database, and customer relationship management (CRM) system to ensure a seamless transition and improve overall efficiency.

Scalability and customization options

The system you choose should be scalable and allow for customization to meet your specific business needs. It should be able to handle a growing volume of calls and offer different options for callers based on the nature of their request. Additionally, it should be easy to configure and modify as your business needs change.

Get a scalable TTS IVR solution with Speechify’s top-rated natural-sounding TTS technology

When it comes to running a successful business, communication is key. And what better way to streamline communication than with Speechify’s top-rated natural sounding TTS API? This innovative solution provides a scalable IVR system that can be customized to your specific business needs.

With the ability to produce lifelike speech, your customers will feel like they’re talking to a real person on the other end of the line. Plus, with the EN-US output language code, your messages will be delivered in a way that is easily understood by a wide range of customers. Say goodbye to clunky, robotic voiceovers and hello to a more natural and engaging customer experience. Try Speechify’s TTS IVR solution today and watch your business thrive.

In conclusion, a voice-based IVR system can offer businesses, especially cloud contact centers, numerous advantages such as improved customer experience, increased efficiency, and productivity, cost savings for businesses, and improved security and privacy. It can be used in various industries such as customer support and call centers, banking and financial services, healthcare industry, retail and e-commerce. When selecting voice-based IVR system software as your contact center solution, it’s important to consider key features that enable integration with existing systems and scalability and customization options. Choose a phone system that offers SMS and group messaging, video conferencing, call whispering, call recording, and great connectivity among more features.

FAQs

Q1: What is voice-based IVR system software?

Voice-based IVR system software is a technology that allows callers to interact with a system using voice commands rather than touch-tone inputs. This can include both speech recognition (to understand the caller's voice commands) and text-to-speech (to verbalize system responses).

Q2: What are the advantages of using voice-based IVR system software?

Voice-based IVR systems can provide a more user-friendly and accessible experience for callers, as they can simply speak their requests instead of navigating a series of touch-tone prompts. It can also handle more complex interactions and provide more personalized service.

Q3: Can voice-based IVR system software handle multiple languages?

Yes, many voice-based IVR systems can understand and respond in multiple languages, making them suitable for businesses with diverse customer bases.