“An automated interface between your customers and your business information systems”

An Introduction to IVR

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems act as an interface between your customers and your business information systems. Callers typically use touch-tone or speech recognition (depending on the application and environment) to interact with the system, retrieving and submitting data from databases and 3rd party networks.

These solutions are designed to make your business processes and communication more efficient – improving your customer service levels whilst simultaneously reducing your costs. IVR software enables companies to build custom systems, which can be used to provide automated self-service to inbound callers. IVR enables callers to interact more intuitively with automated phone systems, while at the same time providing significant cost reductions over human operators.

Organisations face a wide range of threats to their business continuity, some deliberately targeted and some as a result of external events. Increasingly regulators, investors and stakeholders are seeking assurance that companies have plans in place to minimise any disruption from unforeseen circumstances. It is an issue that organisations cannot afford to ignore.

Interactive Voice Response System is the generic term given to applications that integrate an organisation’s telephone and computer system to become a voice computer that transforms the caller’s telephone into a terminal capable of directly accessing information and services. IVR systems allow the publishing of corporate database information through an interface familiar to everyone: the phone. It is a database interface technology, combining computer telephony hardware (a PC or server with telephony interface cards) and software. It allows a person to ask questions and provide answers by pressing keys on their touch-tone phone.

With the IVR capabilities you can automate some or all of your customer interactions. IVR gathers customer information and matches it with data from back-office systems to fulfil customer enquiries or requests without the need to transfer to a live agent. Your customers can find quick answers to basic questions and avoid long hold times and your agents are afforded more time to handle complex, potentially revenue generating interactions.