Interactive Voice Response
Interactive Voice Response systems give callers an opportunity to interact with their communications system through the use of a telephone. Interactive Voice Response enables the caller to recover information or data from a database, enter this data into the database or even both. These systems give an individual an opportunity to exchange information effectively, lessening clerical processing. This system converses with callers following a script that is recorded (Sands, 2009). It accelerates a response for the caller to either respond through pressing a key or orally and it also gives the caller the data that is based on the responses which are made.
This Interactive Voice Response system is lengthily used telecommunication but now its being established into the automobile schemes for hands-free function. The present operation in the automobiles rotates around the navigation of satellite, mobile-phone and audio systems (Sands, 2009). Interactive Voice Response in telecommunications allows clients to access the database of a particular company through the keypad of the telephone or through speech recognition and afterwards they can service their explorations or inquiries through following the given instructions. These systems can possibly respond with animatedly generated audio or with pre-recorded audio to direct consumers further on how to carry on.
Interactive Voice Response systems can be utilized in controlling nearly any function and even in cases where interface can be reduced into series of plain choices of menu. These interactive voice response systems have reputations and in many cases they are well merited for inclining consumers to take their commerce somewhere else (Sands, 2009). To achieve the best out of this system and evade the drawbacks that lead to dissatisfied consumers, one ought to know the functions which can be automated effectively and also how to design successful applications. The management ought to take advantage of the highly developed technologies of IVR. As a manager, one should also employ the best and the proven IVR practices regardless of the technology one uses.
Body
Enhanced telephone application opportunities can give greater functionality at a cheaper price to the small businesses, enterprises and to the governments compared to the conventional telephone solutions, giving organizations a chance to focus on the budget and the personnel on major business activities other than supporting a system of telephone (Sands, 2009). These opportunities have the ability to link telephone stations in any place anywhere in the universe. They are so many companies which are dragging behind in their telecommunications system and ought to upgrade their infrastructures.
Minnesota Computer Consulting Group has the ability to assist companies in technological evaluations, market and business planning and IT education to expand their telecommunications’ infrastructures. In order to improve a companies’ Interactive Voice Response system, the company should go out of its way to come up with updated technologies which can fit the needs of its companies’ business. The company can introduce VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), in their telecommunications technology. This technology enables voice transmission over an information network (Sands, 2009).
It includes the adaptation of electronic analog signals of the voice into a digital set-up, digital data transmission over a type of network and also altering the data of digital voice back into an analog voice set-up that is electronic. Hence a VoIP solution successfully executes the function of a conventional system of analog telephone. This can be in particular very important in the technological infrastructure of an organization’s telecommunications (Goncalves, 20007).. This can perfectly fit in the business of this company. Recently there have been so many negative presses regarding the disappointingly designed touchstone and IVR systems which re speech-enabled. The business managers should think carefully on the interactions they would love to automate, normally a call should never suppress six minutes and without too much amalgamation with other different systems. Applications of IVR are mainly reviled unless they are too simple (Sands, 2009). The business should develop a vocal image that is clear for consumer interactions that holds up the business’s brand principles and values. Numerous services of IVR do not perform as expected and this is due to broken logic that remains to be imperceptible to the centre of the call.
This mostly takes place as options are adjusted and the testing of the real-world is intricate. There are however very many successful solutions to ensure routing uprightness. Speech analytics is an example that can be used to realize this so as glitches which are encountered by the client can be spotted hastily. Natural Language speech recognition brings about IVR that is based on the touchstone, it is however not at all times essential or needed but in cases where it is relevant, it has a confirmed higher uptake by clients given its particular instinctive interface (Sands, 2009).
IVR systems can also be upgraded through simplicity. Among the main issues that clients have with this system is the host of alternatives it creates, with various major menus running to 7 or 8 dissimilar points. Using the present voice technologies can greatly simplify the intricate menus into one simple spoken response. The business should reflect on integrating their IVR into their CRM system and an astuteness engine to realize more tailored communication (Sands, 2009). Even though, it is flying in the investing money in technology, it is not acceptable to stop a caller from getting to an agent if they prefer to. This frustrates and makes the interface more complex when they are reached by the agent.
Private Branch Exchange should for instance be upgraded. Through the use of PBX, it is effortless to administer users because all these clients or users are all conditioned as PC. They have the ability to support user mobility of telephone with wireless technologies of LAN. They can also provide amalgamated messaging services (Goncalves, 20007). Through PBX there is also cheaper total cost of voice systems’ ownership. The company should upgrade their PBX since their benefits are convivial to the customers and it’s a good way of maintaining ones customers.
Conclusion
At times IVR is greatly criticized as being obstructive and intricate to utilize because of the poor design and also lack of interest when it comes to the caller’s needs. Many callers object to the provision of voice reply to a system that is automated and they mainly prefer talking to a human respondent. Several companies have also been criticized due to their IVR usage so as they can lessen their operational costs but at the same time not providing these same services with the use of agents. These methods mostly frustrate clients who think that they should be given an opportunity to talk to agent without these restrictions. Upgraded ways of using IVR can lessen these complaints from customers thus giving in to their demands and interests.
References
Flavio E. Goncalves. (20007). Configuration Guide for Asterisk PBX: How to Build and Configure a PBX With Open Source Software Featuring Relas 1.4, New York:Booksurge, 2007
Lam, MY, Lee H, Bright R, Korzenik JR, Sands,BE. (2009). “Validation of interactive voice response system administration of the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire“. Inflamm.Bowel.Dis 15 (4): 599-607.
