Is it possible to improve the work of the call center with the help of IVR?
A common problem for business is that there are not enough operators in the call center. The management does not want to increase the budget and hire new specialists, and therefore installs IVR ( Interactive Voice-Response ), an interactive system of pre-recorded operator responses.
From a business point of view, it seems that such a system will seriously unload operators. She works 24/7, and does not ask for a salary, and can easily give herself the necessary information to the client, without employing a specialist. Well, as customers should be satisfied! They no longer need to listen to ten-minute midi-melodies and outdated hits while waiting for the operator, and every specialist will not have to repeat his problem again and again along the chain. The system will remember itself. Say the good thing is your IVR? We must take.
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Problems begin later, after a few months. It turns out that no one is interested in communicating with Siri , who is “not finished”, when the problem needs to be solved urgently. And if this is a systemic problem, customers refuse the product. Do not call the same soulless machine every time.
So what is wrong with this IVR? Maybe customers are too spoiled and they need time to get used to the new service? Or are there such problems in every call center? Perhaps it is worthwhile to install the most advanced voice IVR and problems will be solved by themselves? Or is it better to hire more operators?
To understand how and what IVR will help your business, you need to first understand what they can do.
DTMF (Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency) is an IVR with tone dialing.
Friendliness is not really different. To answer the system, you need to listen and remember all the answers, and then click on the specified phone key. Previously, it was easier, but try now from your smartphone, when you first have to unlock the screen (it is blocked during a call so that you don’t accidentally drop your call on your ear or cheek) and only then tap on the number. You can, of course, switch to the operator by pressing the “0” key, but this function is also hidden not at the first menu level.
This is the first generation IVR that has learned to understand voice commands. Thanks technology ASR (Automatic Speech Recognition). Learned to understand, but to communicate - not yet. The entire dialogue system builds on the principle of DTMF:
Skip the steps and voice the question completely impossible. In fact, innovation is reduced to the fact that you do not need to press a button. If you want, for example, to find out the balance - just say “Balance” in the phone.
It turns out a kind of interrogation. Of the benefits - if you call the call center many times with the same request, you can learn the voice commands and quickly solve the problem. But still not very convenient. Not every customer likes that.
The shortcomings of DTMF and ASR realized quickly. The IVR Mixed-Initiative Dialog weakened the leash, allowing the client to actively participate in the dialogue and immediately voice their problem - thanks to the Natural Language Understanding technology.
It can be said that IVR Mixed-Initiative Dialog is the first system “with a human face”. It does not lead the client through the menu items, understands the offers entirely and can immediately answer the necessary question.
True, the freedom of some users is scary - sometimes there is not enough knowledge to give a clear request. The question "How can I help you?" Plunges into a stupor.
Despite all the advantages of the IVR Mixed-Initiative Dialog, it also has a disadvantage - it does not remember the client. Not so significant, but the quality of service is reflected.
The next generation IVR has learned to work in conjunction with CRM. As soon as the client dials to the call-center, the system immediately asks him questions on the topic, based on past experience of “communication”.
But problems with navigation remained - they also depend on the technology of interaction.
Business likes IVR. Loves very much. IVR DTMF can handle 10–20% of calls to the call center, and IVR with speech recognition - 50–80% of calls. Savings on operators is very substantial. Speech Technology Center recommends.
In Russia, 81% of call-centers have IVR, and 19% have voice self-service. The situation in the world is about the same: 68% and 17%, respectively. The National Association of Contact Centers shows that in 2014–2015, IVR was most actively implemented in call-centers of companies:
Selecting an IVR provider is easy. In Russia, the most actively used are the solutions of the following companies ( data from Tadviser.ru for 2014):
And if we talk about products, it is most often used:
With the love of business for IVR everything is clear. And users asked? After all, they live with it. It turns out they asked.
In 2015, Spoken Communications interviewed Americans and found out that 77% said that communication with a poor IVR was the main reason for the negative experience of contacting the call center. What did they not like? It turned out that people do not like to repeat requests after each system error. And the second reason (53%) is the repetition of the same requests, but already to the operator. Indeed, who would like this?
A study of Kelly Services , conducted back in 2002, showed that 63% of customers would refuse the goods / services of the company, where there was a negative experience with the call-center. And, on the contrary, the experience “exceeding expectations” will be an incentive to continue communication with the company for 75% of users.
The way the user interacts with the system is important. But if resources do not allow, then you can work with DTMF. The main thing is to make her friendly. The recipe is simple: no more than three menu levels and four choice options (Delude, 2002). You can, of course, go against the rules and make forty options for banking IVR. But most customers will use only eight of the most simple functions (Carmeli, 2014), and the rest - to curse the company, wade through the wilds of the menu. Do not do it this way.
But still, what to do when there are many options and all of them are important? We'll have to install IVR with speech recognition technology.
A comparative study showed that DTMF and NLU perform clients' tasks equally accurately (70–75% for DTMF versus 78% for NLU). However, in NLU, 89% of users immediately explained the problem and waited for its solution, while in DTMF, 25% switched to the operator, not wanting to communicate with artificial intelligence. Yes, and at the speed it was reflected: it is possible to get an answer from the system that understands the voice in 16.5 seconds, and through tone dialing - in 35.9 seconds. Plus, there were false transitions in IVR DTMF (Suhm, Bers, 2002).
Another comparative study showed that there are differences in the effectiveness of IVR NLU and IVR DTMF. 82% of young users completed five or six tasks out of six, and among older ones there were only 32%. However, if in IVR NLU with a large number of menu items it was possible to solve the problem with a voice, then in DTMF tone mode, the call to the call-center turned into torture.
Voice IVR allows you to enable more options in the menu, but it has its limitations:
The effectiveness of such systems also depends on a person’s technical competencies and socio-demographic characteristics (Suhm, 2008). A comparative study of IVR Directed Dialog and IVR Mixed-Initiative Dialog showed that freedom of communication is not always convenient for the client. The more complex the question for the client, the more likely he will prefer a system with a guided dialogue, where you need to step by step answer each menu item (Witt, Williams, 2003).
The question of the effectiveness of IVR systems remains open.
According to TeleTech (2014), 57% of users prefer to use tone mode instead of voice interface due to voice recognition problems.
An analysis of 50 Fortune 500 customer service companies showed that 28% of call-centers use voice IVR, 42% use IVR DTMF and only 30% provide a choice (Software Advice, 2014). In Russia, similar data could not be found.
But if the proposed tools are imperfect, then it may be worth giving users a choice. Good?
From a business point of view, it seems that such a system will seriously unload operators. She works 24/7, and does not ask for a salary, and can easily give herself the necessary information to the client, without employing a specialist. Well, as customers should be satisfied! They no longer need to listen to ten-minute midi-melodies and outdated hits while waiting for the operator, and every specialist will not have to repeat his problem again and again along the chain. The system will remember itself. Say the good thing is your IVR? We must take.
')
Problems begin later, after a few months. It turns out that no one is interested in communicating with Siri , who is “not finished”, when the problem needs to be solved urgently. And if this is a systemic problem, customers refuse the product. Do not call the same soulless machine every time.
So what is wrong with this IVR? Maybe customers are too spoiled and they need time to get used to the new service? Or are there such problems in every call center? Perhaps it is worthwhile to install the most advanced voice IVR and problems will be solved by themselves? Or is it better to hire more operators?
To understand how and what IVR will help your business, you need to first understand what they can do.
Types of IVR
IVR DTMF
DTMF (Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency) is an IVR with tone dialing.
Friendliness is not really different. To answer the system, you need to listen and remember all the answers, and then click on the specified phone key. Previously, it was easier, but try now from your smartphone, when you first have to unlock the screen (it is blocked during a call so that you don’t accidentally drop your call on your ear or cheek) and only then tap on the number. You can, of course, switch to the operator by pressing the “0” key, but this function is also hidden not at the first menu level.
IVR Directed Dialog
This is the first generation IVR that has learned to understand voice commands. Thanks technology ASR (Automatic Speech Recognition). Learned to understand, but to communicate - not yet. The entire dialogue system builds on the principle of DTMF:
- car voiced menu items;
- you pronounce the necessary command with your voice;
- the machine goes to the next menu level and lists the items again;
- you again call the team that will lead you to the solution of the problem;
- the car goes to the third level of the menu ...
Skip the steps and voice the question completely impossible. In fact, innovation is reduced to the fact that you do not need to press a button. If you want, for example, to find out the balance - just say “Balance” in the phone.
It turns out a kind of interrogation. Of the benefits - if you call the call center many times with the same request, you can learn the voice commands and quickly solve the problem. But still not very convenient. Not every customer likes that.
IVR Mixed-Initiative Dialog
The shortcomings of DTMF and ASR realized quickly. The IVR Mixed-Initiative Dialog weakened the leash, allowing the client to actively participate in the dialogue and immediately voice their problem - thanks to the Natural Language Understanding technology.
It can be said that IVR Mixed-Initiative Dialog is the first system “with a human face”. It does not lead the client through the menu items, understands the offers entirely and can immediately answer the necessary question.
- Good day. You are welcomed by the cinema network "...". How can I help you?
- What movies can I watch on Saturday night?
True, the freedom of some users is scary - sometimes there is not enough knowledge to give a clear request. The question "How can I help you?" Plunges into a stupor.
Despite all the advantages of the IVR Mixed-Initiative Dialog, it also has a disadvantage - it does not remember the client. Not so significant, but the quality of service is reflected.
Smart IVR
The next generation IVR has learned to work in conjunction with CRM. As soon as the client dials to the call-center, the system immediately asks him questions on the topic, based on past experience of “communication”.
- Good day. Welcome to the bank "...". Want to know the balance on your card?
- Wow. Yes, tell me the balance.
But problems with navigation remained - they also depend on the technology of interaction.
IVR and business
Business likes IVR. Loves very much. IVR DTMF can handle 10–20% of calls to the call center, and IVR with speech recognition - 50–80% of calls. Savings on operators is very substantial. Speech Technology Center recommends.
In Russia, 81% of call-centers have IVR, and 19% have voice self-service. The situation in the world is about the same: 68% and 17%, respectively. The National Association of Contact Centers shows that in 2014–2015, IVR was most actively implemented in call-centers of companies:
- financial sector - 31%;
- telecommunications - 24%;
- trade and transport - 13%;
- outsourcing (no industry linkage) - 25%.
Selecting an IVR provider is easy. In Russia, the most actively used are the solutions of the following companies ( data from Tadviser.ru for 2014):
- MyAsterisk - 15.5%;
- IntelTelecom - 11.2%;
- Genesys - 10.3%;
- NAUMEN - 6%;
- CTI - 5.1%;
- other companies - 51%.
And if we talk about products, it is most often used:
- Naumen Contact Center - 15.5%;
- Call Box Contact-center - 12%;
- Infinity Call Center - 10%;
- InfinityTaxi - 6%;
- Oktell Call Center - 5%.
IVR and customer service
With the love of business for IVR everything is clear. And users asked? After all, they live with it. It turns out they asked.
In 2015, Spoken Communications interviewed Americans and found out that 77% said that communication with a poor IVR was the main reason for the negative experience of contacting the call center. What did they not like? It turned out that people do not like to repeat requests after each system error. And the second reason (53%) is the repetition of the same requests, but already to the operator. Indeed, who would like this?
A study of Kelly Services , conducted back in 2002, showed that 63% of customers would refuse the goods / services of the company, where there was a negative experience with the call-center. And, on the contrary, the experience “exceeding expectations” will be an incentive to continue communication with the company for 75% of users.
What does the statistics say?
The way the user interacts with the system is important. But if resources do not allow, then you can work with DTMF. The main thing is to make her friendly. The recipe is simple: no more than three menu levels and four choice options (Delude, 2002). You can, of course, go against the rules and make forty options for banking IVR. But most customers will use only eight of the most simple functions (Carmeli, 2014), and the rest - to curse the company, wade through the wilds of the menu. Do not do it this way.
But still, what to do when there are many options and all of them are important? We'll have to install IVR with speech recognition technology.
A comparative study showed that DTMF and NLU perform clients' tasks equally accurately (70–75% for DTMF versus 78% for NLU). However, in NLU, 89% of users immediately explained the problem and waited for its solution, while in DTMF, 25% switched to the operator, not wanting to communicate with artificial intelligence. Yes, and at the speed it was reflected: it is possible to get an answer from the system that understands the voice in 16.5 seconds, and through tone dialing - in 35.9 seconds. Plus, there were false transitions in IVR DTMF (Suhm, Bers, 2002).
Another comparative study showed that there are differences in the effectiveness of IVR NLU and IVR DTMF. 82% of young users completed five or six tasks out of six, and among older ones there were only 32%. However, if in IVR NLU with a large number of menu items it was possible to solve the problem with a voice, then in DTMF tone mode, the call to the call-center turned into torture.
Voice IVR allows you to enable more options in the menu, but it has its limitations:
- speech recognition accuracy;
- the specificity of the spoken language;
- environmental noise;
- properties of the human cognitive system;
- hardware limitations.
The effectiveness of such systems also depends on a person’s technical competencies and socio-demographic characteristics (Suhm, 2008). A comparative study of IVR Directed Dialog and IVR Mixed-Initiative Dialog showed that freedom of communication is not always convenient for the client. The more complex the question for the client, the more likely he will prefer a system with a guided dialogue, where you need to step by step answer each menu item (Witt, Williams, 2003).
What IVR did you choose?
The question of the effectiveness of IVR systems remains open.
According to TeleTech (2014), 57% of users prefer to use tone mode instead of voice interface due to voice recognition problems.
An analysis of 50 Fortune 500 customer service companies showed that 28% of call-centers use voice IVR, 42% use IVR DTMF and only 30% provide a choice (Software Advice, 2014). In Russia, similar data could not be found.
But if the proposed tools are imperfect, then it may be worth giving users a choice. Good?
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/300704/
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