I personally don't like dealing with IVRs, but it is integral to any call center. It has its pros and cons, and it really depends on what the center's call volume looks like. It also depends on the company's strategy and focus on customer satisfaction.
I'd like to highlight Gus' ideas on how the IVR should be set up. He is one of our newest readers, having to “stumble upon” our site. Here is what he has to say.
An IVR should be as simple as possible, and should the customer select the wrong option, the process of transferring to another department should be done quickly and painlessly, without the customer having to re-verify.
Press 1 - Billing
Have this option first, as injured pockets are the worst thing to deal with, and people always want to get through as soon as possible.
Press 2 - Technical Enquiries
It doesn't work. Put me through to someone that a) knows what I'm talking about and b) knows about the product and how to rectify problems when they occur.
Press 3 - All Other Enquiries
People handling these calls shouldn't be “new starts” who may not know where to direct a particular call, but multi-skilled agents who can either deal with the call themselves, or have the savvy to be able to direct it to the appropriate place . Customers who don't like IVRs always look for the “all other enquiries” option - I do - and it becomes very frustrating when companies try to hide it.
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