Whatever your business is all about, marketing is likely to be a crucial part of its success. However, effective marketing techniques can be difficult to pinpoint, and even harder to actually execute. This is where automated tools, such as Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems, can come in handy.
An interactive voice response system is an automated technology that enables people to interact with a computer when they first call in to your business. It’s most often used to collect basic information and direct callers to the right branch of your phone system for live help.
There are many benefits to using an IVR system in your business. These include improved call center efficiency and agent productivity, increased customer satisfaction, faster problem resolutions and reduced waiting times and lower call abandon rates.
Essentially any business can benefit from an IVR, although there are certain types that will see the best results. For example, these systems are perfect for companies that process payments and/or collections, have a separate customer support center or offer 24/7 live support.
In short, an IVR system is a perfect way to automate large parts of your phone transactions, while still providing your customers with the support they require. Let’s take a closer look at how you can use them not just to improve your customer service, but to supplement your marketing as well.
You Can Reduce the Overall Cost of Phone Transactions
The support you offer to customers is critical. After all, it enables them to use your products and services more effectively, and improves their overall satisfaction. However, providing quality support can also be quite costly. This is especially true if your current support setup is inefficient.
Here’s how you can save money while still providing stellar support with the help of an IVR system:
- Incorporate a detailed routing system. The more detailed your routing system is, the easier it will be to get customers to the right agent the first time. This reduces customer wait periods, while also wasting less of your agents’ time.
- Add a call-back option. This will improve the overall customer experience, but also makes it possible for agents to prioritize phone calls and reach out in a more efficient manner.
While you want to save your business money, you don’t want to do so at the expense of customer satisfaction. With an IVR system in place, you can save money and provide top-notch support.
You’ll Be Able to Automate the Process of Contacting Leads
A steady stream of business leads is an asset to your company, but can also be hard work to keep up with. This is why we recommend implementing an automated process of contacting leads. When your system works efficiently, you’ll free up more time that can be spent doing other important tasks. These include collecting and vetting your leads, as well as offering support.
With the use of IVR systems, you can automate the process of contacting leads easily. For example, you can:
- Set your system to contact leads within five minutes of a form submission. After five minutes, you’ll experience a tenfold decrease in your odds of making contact with a lead. These odds continue to decrease the longer you wait, so getting in touch promptly is vital.
- Enable an agent callback option, or automatic agent connections. You can enable contacts to set up a live callback. Even better, you might add an option that enables callers to immediately transfer to a live agent (such as by pressing “0”).
These two simple techniques show leads that you care about their needs. In turn, that’s the best way to increase your odds of success.
You Can Easily Streamline the Customer Feedback Process
With an IVR system in use, you can make it simple to collect feedback. For best results, we recommend that you:
- Include an optional survey at the end of each phone call. While callback surveys can help you collect information, they aren’t always well received. Instead, you can make the survey a quick part of each phone call, to streamline the process even further.
- Offer a reward for customers who complete the survey. This can be a discount on a future purchase, or a cashback voucher for newer customers.
You can even add survey questions that address the use of your IVR system, and ask about ways your customers would like to see it changed or improved. This is a smart way to improve customer satisfaction.
Automated tools such as Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems are the wave of the future. By implementing them within your business now, you can immediately improve customer experience, improve your marketing efforts, and drive the success of your business. That way, you’ll be able to get ahead of the competition.
Do you have any questions about IVR systems, or how to use them effectively within your business? Let us know in the comments section below!