The ivr systems were already designed in the 1980s, although it was not until the year 2000 that they made the definitive leap in the companies. Nowadays it is very rare to find a company that does not use this system in its business. However, when it comes to an ivr there are a number of issues that are important to know and deal with and these are the ones that we are going to make known in this article.

Interactive Voice Response or IVR is a system of options menus from which a virtual secretary, which in reality is a locution, directs the caller through a panel of options consisting of pressing numeric keys on the phone, in order to finally connect the caller to the corresponding department or agent.

How to ensure that people do not hate your ivr experience

When creating an ivr menu it is imperative (if not advisable) to follow the guidelines below.

When someone calls, what they are definitely looking for is a solution. They don’t want to get lost in a maze of options.

The new ivr systems allow the inclusion of nested menus. However we must be careful when configuring multiple levels. If we fall into the error of creating too many options within too many levels and sub-levels we risk making the person calling us dizzy and abandoning the communication by hanging up the phone.

Waiting music

 

1. Think of the music that best represents your company. When a person is relaxed their heart beats at approximately 80 beats per minute so a well-chosen music will take that same calming effect on the person on the other side of the line.
2. Start with a welcome message that guides the caller, for example: «Your call is on hold and will be answered…» with background music.
3. It has been proven that waiting music can make the person waiting more patient. Choosing the right waiting music helps the person on the other side of the line make their experience more enjoyable.

Flow of ivr

For the caller, you may need to contact an agent as soon as possible. It is important that within our ivr we give customers the option of being able to leave it to be transferred to a real person as soon as possible:

1. Maintain existing commands. If you return to the previous menu, it should be the same for all levels.
2. If the caller is entering an invalid entry, make a couple of attempts before putting him or her with a live person.
3. For the first level use 4 or fewer options. For the second and third levels use 3 or less. Less time at each level followed by an intuitive menu indicates to the caller that the company cares about them and their problem.

A greeting message

1. Avoid the use of jargon.
2. Try to avoid too long greetings. They do not help the person waiting. Don’t forget that at the end of the day they call with the intention of talking to a real person and not a machine.
3. Short, clear messages.

The menus of ivr systems generally reproduce a sweeper along with a menu of options. The idea is basically, through the options dialed by the caller, to route you to the appropriate department or person to solve your problem or address your situation.