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Provider
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Features
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Reviews
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More Details
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Five9
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IVR Speech Recognition - Provides Touch-tone (DTMF) or Speech Input
Easy-to-Configure Confirmations and Error Prompts Provide Options for Bill Payment, Locations, Debt Collections and More Smoothly Transition from the IVR System to an ACD System Increase Efficiency with Real-time Analytics & Dashboards | 38 Reviews | |
Twilio
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Modern and Scalable IVR That is Easy to Build, Deploy, and Iterate
Integrate Your Data Sources and Business Processes to the IVR using APIs Optimize Your IVR in Real-time with AI to Tailor The Caller Experience Autopilot Platform to Build Voice Assistant Guides for Self-service Omni-channel, Contextual Conversations in a Single Interface. | 14 Reviews | |
Talkdesk
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IVR Studio Provides a Clear Data Visual of the Customer Journey
Interactive Flow Designer Lets You Visualize IVR Flow Structure & Outcome Out-of-the-box Components that Trigger Call Flow Actions such as Callbacks Real-time Error Flagging, Advanced IVR Metrics and AI-driven Insights | 218 Reviews | |
Genesys
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Self-Service Conversational IVR with Natural Language Understanding
Verify Caller's Identity Automatically Reducing Customer Frustration Secured Self-service Touch Tone Payment Transactions to Enhance Privacy Visual IVR Touchscreen Navigation Available for Customer Convenience | 53 Reviews | |
Nextiva
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Build Complex Call Handling and Messaging Solutions
Conversational AI automated call routing Machine Learning improves your system with every call Natural Language call steering, queue callback, and more | 1797 Reviews | |
NICE CXone
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Single Platform: Centralized IVR System with CXone ACD
Automatic Callbacks Across Multiple Contact Centers & Departments Out-of-the-box CRM Integrations with Existing Customer Data Simplified Menu-driven Interface for Easy Updates | 57 Reviews | |
Plum Voice
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IVR Platform + Development Tools Power a Range of Voice Applications
Latest Text-to-Speech and Advanced Speech Recognition Technology Purpose-built For Voice Using Tier 1 Telecom and End-to-end Redundancy 100% Uptime Guarantee in Service Level Agreements (SLAs) | 1 Reviews | |
8×8 Inc.
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Self-Service Options That Use the Latest Conversational AI technology
Built in reporting and analytics tools to analyze the customer journey Build or edit any IVR path using a graphical, intuitive drag-and-drop Intelligently route calls to the most qualified agent | 329 Reviews |
What is IVR and How Does it Work?
Interactive Voice Response phone systems are software tools that interact with callers by collecting information and caller intent. The system then directs callers to the best agent or department to suit their needs.
IVR systems utilize either keypad presses or voice responses from callers to help connect them with their specific needs. These systems collect information such as who the caller is, the issue they are having, the product they have purchased, or the department they wish to speak to.
Just about everyone has dealt with IVR whether or not they realize it. Older systems would rely specifically on touch-tone keypresses, but cloud solutions have added intelligent voice recognition and even artificial intelligence.
The overall idea of an IVR is to make calls as easy, efficient and simple as possible for clients and agents alike. With a system like this one collecting information and directing calls, callers are directed to the specific department they need in a shorter amount of time, thus improving the customer experience.
These systems allow agents to handle the same issues from the same department, as opposed to forcing agents to master every single department and subject. Agents will provide better support and callers will receive the help they need with less hassle. Some of these solutions collect verification information or context, providing agents with crucial details to help solve inquiries faster.
An IVR essentially acts as a switchboard or a virtual receptionist for your business.
The Top 5 Benefits of Hosted IVR
An IVR system can revolutionize the way your business handles incoming business phone calls.
Whether your business is receiving sales inquiries or support requests, this type of system equips your business with the necessary tools to answer inbound calls efficiently and to leave customers satisfied.
1. Information and Context Collection
IVR allows your business to collect caller’s intents and motivations for calling before connecting them to an agent.
This allows for a high level of organization and works towards increases your organization’s first contact resolution. Callers will quickly be directed to the appropriate agent or department via your VoIP system, saving time and improving the efficiency of your contact center and helping with call logging.
2. Automated Customer Support
Automation is quickly becoming a major customer experience trend. Providing callers with the tools they need to solve their issues enables faster resolution time and improves customer satisfaction. IVR systems specifically can offer self-help options for simple inquiries, such as shipment tracking or order information.
Call recording features can automatically document interactions so that teams can learn as they solve customer issues.
3. Prioritize Calls
Through the use of IVR, you will gain more information on exactly why a caller is contacting you.
This enables your contact center to better prioritize calls based on urgency or complexity, and direct them to the proper agent or department on the first try, improving the overall efficiency of your organization.
4. Better Customer Experience
A properly designed IVR should work with callers, not against them. The goal of these systems is to collect critical information and context.
With a system of this kind always directing callers to the department they need, callers get the help they need with much less time spent on hold or juggling between different departments.
5. Increase Agent Efficiency
Because an IVR is directing callers to the appropriate department every time, your agents can become experts on one specific facet of your business.
This enables agents to deliver the best service possible. Your live agents will become familiar with common issues and will be able to resolve inquiries much quicker. Outbound systems can increase efficiency by utilizing automatic call systems that scan for voicemail and route calls quickly to free agents when a live person answers.
What To Look For in IVR Providers
Not all hosted IVR solutions are created equally, and not every single solution will contain the same features. Take a look below at some of the most critical aspects of an IVR system to better understand what your business should keep an eye out for when searching for a provider.
Natural Language Capabilities
Old school interactive voice response systems relied specifically on keypad presses, requesting callers to hit a specific button for the department they need or issue they are trying to resolve. Modern IVR technology now comes with Natural Language capabilities, enabling your system to listen to callers as they speak directly to the system. This helps provide a more natural experience for callers and even lets your IVR system ask for more complex information that could not be represented by a keypress.
Inbound or Outbound Support
Hosted systems may seem like they lend themselves to inbound calling specifically, but that isn’t necessarily the case. Some hosted IVR tech can work with outbound calls as well, providing personalized messages to callers and providing them the opportunity to interact with the system.
IVR systems integrate with dialers and ACD systems to optimize wait times and customer calls for omnichannel call centers. Finding the right tool only requires understanding the needs of your cloud contact center.
Self-Service IVR Options
Self-service goes hand in hand with automation. It’s critical that your IVR supports self-service options to enable automated customer support. These self-service options will enable customers to interact with your system to solve issues without the need for agent intervention, allowing agents to focus on more complex issues and enabling callers to receive the help they need on their own accord.
Integrations with CRM
Call Centers and CRM solutions go hand in hand, and so do IVR systems. When this solution integrates with a CRM application, critical customer information can be automatically injected into the CRM, enabling much better organization and saving agents time, allowing them to handle calls instead of inputting data.
These systems are as secure as modern CRMs to safely store personal data, credit card information, or other vital material.
Drag and Drop Configuration
IVR solutions can be rather complex, and it may seem like they could be impossible to set up. Try looking for a provider that offers drag and drop configuration. Instead of learning specific code or if-then statements, your IVR communications center can set up a call flow and menu options for the system by simply dragging and dropping and linking together different aspects, visually.
The top IVR technology should provide drag and drop for auto attendant customization and IVR menus.
Furthermore, you should take into account the size of your business. For example, if you need an IVR system for small business, you will need to consider one that is lower in price but still offers the features that you need.
The Top 5 Interactive Voice Response Features to Consider
Depending on the specific needs of your business, your software will have to emphasize different features. However, there are a few key functionalities that are critical to all IVRs. Be sure that you invest in a system that offers these five features.
1. Built-in Automatic Speech Recognition
Automatic speech recognition is a powerful technology.
ASR enables you to identify words spoken by callers, in real-time. Spoken words can even be translated into text to create a full transcript of the conversation that can be provided to the agent when they answer a call. ASR enables your IVR to expand beyond simple keypress functions, allowing clients to have conversations with the system.
2. Intuitive Script Designer
These systems must be given a script so that they know what to say and how to interact with callers. Some script designers can be clunky, confusing, and complex.
You need an IVR software provider that offers an intuitive script designer that is easy to grasp and puts the user experience at the forefront. Drag and drop configuration is one of the best solutions in script designers, enabling your business to set up scripts in a matter of minutes.
3. Queue Callback
No one wants to have to sit with a phone next to their ear, waiting on hold for what feels like forever. Queue callback is a great feature that provides your callers with the option to have an agent call them back when their place in the queue is finally reached.
This is a great quality of life improvement that can help lead to improved caller satisfaction, letting them know that you value their time.
4. Call Queues and Ring Groups
A critical aspect of IVR systems is how your agents and departments will be grouped together. Call queues help your business stay organized, by grouping callers into different queues for different departments or agents.
Ring groups allow you to have multiple phones ring at once when one single phone number or extension is dialed, which enables your business to distribute incoming calls among different agents.
5. Skills-based Routing
Going even further beyond call queues and ring groups, skills-based routing enables your business to direct callers to the best agent for the inquiry. Call routing is based specifically on that agent’s skill level or their specialty.
This way, expert agents can handle more complex issues while callers are directed to the best agent for their issue.
Final Thoughts on IVR Software Solutions
IVR technology has quickly become a must-have for any small to medium business looking to optimize their operations. Generally, it will be offered as a feature of contact center solutions, but not all solutions are created equally.
Seek out a system that integrates directly with your existing software. This ensures setup is a breeze and that you avoid any major issues down the road. CRM integrations also ensure that every step of the customer journey is recorded and documented.
If your business is searching for a new communications platform, always ensure that an IVR is included within that solution. As callers adjust to them, IVR systems are becoming a critical aspect of maintaining an organized, efficient, and productive communications center.
While the lowest price and longest feature list might be attractive, it’s most important to find exactly what your business needs and a provider that can deliver.
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