Have you ever had a query about a business’ product or service? 

Did you then have to deal with agents who just couldn’t understand your issue? Or maybe even just had to wait on customer service for so long, you just eventually gave up?

Well IVR systems may just put an end to that frustrating issue. 

In this article, you will learn all about what IVR is, how the IVR system works, and what an IVR number is. You will also learn of the many reasons why you should consider investing in an IVR system for your business.

What is IVR and how does it work?

Interactive Voice Response, or simply IVR systems, refer to an automated phone system with call routing capabilities. Your IVR system interacts with callers and then gathers information by giving them choices through a menu. 

Based on the answers  of callers, via their phone keypad or voice response, your IVR system then performs specific actions. 

The choices made by the caller are responsible for the actions carried out by the IVR system. IVR systems are capable of providing information or even routing and redirecting calls to a human agent if the issue proves too complex.

Think about when you call certain business numbers and are greeted by an automated greeting. Normally, in this situation, you will interact via a pre-recorded message and be told to take certain steps. This is all done with the use of an IVR system and an IVR phone number.

What is an IVR number?

An IVR number is a tool that acts as a medium for business communication. Through self-service technology, your IVR phone number enables callers to navigate your business’ phone system. 

Furthermore, this IVR phone number can redirect and connect you with a human operator. Thus, your IVR system enables you to better handle your query, whenever necessary. 

How does IVR number work?

The automated IVR system is responsible for routing the caller to the right department. This is carried out based on the input given by your caller via their device’s keypad. This happens after the caller connects with the IVR phone number. 

In addition to this, an IVR system is also able to provide answers to the frequent questions customers have via pre-recorded messages.

Initially, the traditional IVR system mainly functioned with the use of dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) tones. Since then, there have been many new changes and developments in IVR systems over the years. 

Alongside DTMF tones, came speech recognition in IVR systems. It acts as a great companion and allows for callers to talk and respond to given prompts. 

Another recent introduction is the incorporation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in IVR systems in call centers. This allows for your users to talk freely without the constraint of a menu. Using AI, IVR systems can directly route callers to where they need to be, or directly to the information needed.

IVR numbers can really have a big impact on the enhancement of the customer service experience. This makes IVR phone numbers quite a worthy investment for any business.

Top 5 Features of IVR You Must Know

Generally, IVR systems come equipped with a variety of features along with the integration of IVR with a CRM system. These can empower your business in several ways.

Here are some of the main features of IVR systems:

1) Inbound calling

The inbound calling feature allows the system to automatically handle all incoming calls on the IVR number. There is no manual intervention in the entirety of the process. 

Instead, your IVR system asks callers to choose an option in the IVR menu. Then, the IVR system routes them to the relevant department or agent. In case an agent is unavailable to address their concern, the caller can leave a voicemail.

2) Outbound calling

With the outbound calling feature, IVR systems can automatically place calls to any phone number specifically. Furthermore, your IVR system can also connect a live agent to the call. This happens when the caller selects the option to connect to an agent on the menu. 

Additionally, the same feature can be used to gather feedback from customers and conduct surveys.

3) Ability to set custom voice messages

Custom voice messages are used to greet callers whenever they dial your business’ IVR number. The greeting can even be customized in different languages based on the selections of the caller.

You can even use the text-to-speech feature on the IVR system if you don’t wish to record the message yourself.

4) Automatic call routing

Incoming calls can be redirected to the agent or department that can best handle specific customer queries. This greatly reduces customer frustration, enables faster call resolution, and increases efficiency of the IVR system.

5) Live call monitoring

Another feature that proves extremely useful to call center managers is a dashboard for live call monitoring. This enables them to keep track of individual agents and also access details of their active, on-hold as well as past calls.

In addition to these 5 features, some systems offer unique custom features that enhance the IVR experience. 

For example, if you want to automate your inbound calls, you can avail NeoDove’s IVR system. NeoDove’s IVR system allows for direct lead consolidation as well as campaign segregation on the basis of the nature of the said leads. In other words, NeoDove automatically puts incoming calls into either “picked” or “missed” call campaigns, based on the outcome of a call.

This allows for a distinct categorization of your leads and can help you prioritize your next actions accordingly.

Conclusion

As you can see, an IVR system has many benefits for any business. Integrating it into your business communication system can take your caller experience to new heights. 

Overall, it truly improves your brand’s reputation as well as customer satisfaction. For all these reasons, you should consider investing in an IVR number for your business and not miss out on all the opportunities that come with it.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)