Scan this QR code to connect
with Servetel

Hello Servetel,

I need the service team’s assistance

Hello!

We are here! How can we help you?

 

Top 9 Reasons Why IVR Is A Must Have For Businesses

ivr system for businesses

In the present times, small businesses have a long way to go ahead in the competitive landscape, considering the daunting competition they face and the budget constraints they have to deal with. Seamless communication with the customers is the single most important factor that can help them gain the winning advantage. Being always connected and available wins you their trust and earns long-term relationships as well. This is the reason why going the extra mile with an IVR system in place makes perfect sense. Let us explain this in detail.

Why should every small business invest in an IVR system?

If you operate a business, you probably know the value of being connected with the existing and potential customers. They may want to get in touch for a variety of reasons, from inquiring about product availability to checking for deals and offers, comparing product prices, scheduling appointments or getting resolution to their problems. You can expect them to call frequently and they will expect you to be available every time they call. Having a team of representatives to answer their calls is one way to handle things but you can go wrong in terms of operational efficiency and availability with a human-dependent system.

Implementing an IVR system is the smartest thing to do if you don’t want to miss on this opportunity of connecting and communicating with every single customer who tries to get in touch. Before delving deeper into how an IVR can render immense value for small enterprises, let us explain how it works.

How does an IVR system work?

An acronym for interactive voice response, IVR works as an automated system for answering inbound calls, routing them to the appropriate line within the organisation or retrieving information from a database. This automated telephony system enables the customers to access requisite information or avail assistance by selecting an option from a set of pre-defined interactive alternatives. Based on the selection, the system generates an automated response or transfers the customer’s call to a live agent.

Small businesses can use this technology to create a seamless blend of agent-based customer support and customer self-service for taking customer service to the next level without increasing the upfront infrastructural cost. Additionally, cloud-based IVR solutions offer unified and intuitive dashboards that ease monitoring, management and reporting of inbound marketing campaigns for small businesses.

Now this is just the tip of the iceberg as the advantages that an IVR system can serve are immense. Undoubtedly, small business owners should not think twice before implementing an IVR despite their budget constraints.

Why is investment in an IVR system must for small businesses?

Small organisations have budget constraints, which is often the reason why they must validate every investment.  For this reason, it becomes important to list out the benefits of having an IVR system in place for your business.

Seamless customer support:

An IVR number enables you to render seamless customer support without having to depend on the availability of live agents and representatives. In fact, you can empower your customers to access requisite information and even perform routine tasks with self-service options. Obviously, this is a smart approach in the current era when instant gratification matters the most for driving loyalty and satisfaction.

Personalised customer service:

In addition to ensuring 24/7 availability for your customers, an IVR system boosts customer experience by facilitating personalised service. By integrating the system with your existing customer relationship management (CRM) system, it becomes possible to get updated information about the customers while handling incoming calls. Obviously, your agents will be able to understand their expectations and tailor the interactions with a personalised approach.

Enhanced first-contact quality:

Personalised interactions enhance the first-contact quality for your customers because they deliver to the expectations of the callers. An IVR system serves as a reliable tool for increasing the first-contact resolution of issues because it directs the caller to the relevant department and representative. Since the agent will be qualified to solve the issue, there is hardly any chance of wastage of time and caller satisfaction is assured as well.

Elimination of human error:

Small companies with minimal resources usually employ a single customer service representative, who may not be capable of handling hundreds of calls every day. An IVR system automates the entire process and makes it less prone to human error, while facilitating the response to a high call volume without burdening the agent. Further, the system enables segmentation and filtering of calls to ensure that each one ends up in the right department and in the hands of the right representative.

Greater productivity of representatives: 

Beyond just curtailing the risk of errors by representatives, an IVR system can boost their productivity levels as well. Since the system enables skill-based routing, the representatives are more productive when it comes to addressing the queries and concerns of the callers. Additionally, they are able to manage things with greater agility, which translates into customer appreciation and stronger brand image.

Reduction in operational costs: 

Obviously, IVR solutions serve as a smart investment for any small organisation because they can significantly cut down operational costs. Automation of call handling means that you can manage with a smaller customer service team. Additionally, the resources on board will have plenty of free time to focus on more critical tasks like resolving issues that really matter. As IVR number routes calls to the concerned representative, it optimizes the cost of delivering effective services to the customers while ensuring satisfaction as well.

Effective monitoring and analysis of inbound calls:

As omnichannel customer experience becomes the need of the hours, no small business compromise with the quality of customer service they deliver. Monitoring and analyzing incoming calls effectively becomes imperative to maintaining high-quality standards. An IVR solution can record the incoming calls so that managers can review them to assess the service quality and identify the issues therein. At the same time, they can also understand customer behaviour and expectations using important call metrics such as response time and first call resolution.

Improved reputation and credibility:

Any business that goes the extra mile to provide excellent customer services definitely secures a winning advantage in terms of reputation and credibility. This is exactly what the implementation of an IVR system can do for your enterprise. It actually creates an illusion that you are operating a large company. Additionally, it shows your good intentions for providing a personalized response to the calls of your customers.

Decrease in customer abandonment rate:

An advanced IVR system acts as an effective tool for customers to get information and complete simpler transactions easily and quickly. If they are not able to do so, callers are most likely to abandon the call, probably never to come back again. This can translate into lost revenues and customers, which is the last thing that a small business would want to encounter. Implementing an intuitive IVR, therefore, is the key to preventing customer frustration and reducing the abandonment rate.

Now is the time to get started with IVR!!

The customer experience that a small business delivers is a powerful value proposition when it comes to standing apart in the industry landscape. It comes as no surprise that almost every company is investing in digital customer experience to support customers across diverse channels. Ensuring seamless support on calls is the first step in this direction because this is likely to be the first point of contact of customers with your business.

An IVR number is just what you need to get started. And if you haven’t implemented it yet, better do it sooner rather than later. The best approach would be to collaborate with an IVR service provider you can rely on for providing a solution that keeps you always available and connected.

Servetel is a name you can trust for offering best-in-class IVR solutions for businesses of all types and sizes. Connect with us at 1800-120-4132 and take your small business on the growth route.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.