In the article “GoodCustomer Care is must for better CX” we have seen why it is really important to
improve better & usable Customer care services. IVR system is key aspect of
‘Customer care’ because most of the companies are using IVR system for providing
customer support.
What is IVR?
Interactive voice response (IVR) is a technology that allows
a computer to interact with humans through the use of voice and DTMF tones
input via keypad.
Enhancing CX by improving IVR Usability
1. Make easy Talk to representatives: Provide easy option or
quick help by providing ‘Talk to our representatives’ upfront & available.
In most of the cases people get frustrated because they do not able to talk to
customer care representatives while selecting appropriate options.
2. Limit your menus options: Always keep menu of IVR system
short because human short term memory may not be able to store more information.
Keep menu options less than or up to 7.
3. Usable Information architecture: Prepare information architecture
of options in IVR with User Centered Design to improve mapping. Companies
prepare option groupings with respect to business point of view. It creates
problem for an end user in finding appropriate option.
4. Most frequent problems: Analyze most frequent problems of
users and provide upfront so that user will not have to dig into menu to find
their issues. This will also save time of user in finding appropriate option.
5. Minimize ‘Hold’ & ‘Hold time’: Most of the time Customer
care asks people to put on ‘Hold’. Due to uncertain ‘Hold’ & irritating
music people most of the people get frustrated. Try to minimize these uncertain
holds.
6. Better Empathy: It is the most important point, Companies
should understand why any customer has called ‘Customer care’ because they are
in trouble and finding solutions. Customer care representatives should not only
find the problem of customer but also try to understand empathy & emotions
of users.
7. Clear Communication: Representatives should be clear & audible
in call. Communication should be in satisfactory speech count (words per
minute).
8. Complaint Numbers: Always provide ‘Complaint numbers,
reference numbers etc.’ in text message to user not on call. Because customer
may not be able to write fuzzy numbers while talking on call or while
travelling.
9. Call forwarding & flexibility: Sometimes when level 1
customer care associates cannot solve issue they forward customer’s call to
next level or when customer has issue which is not part of their department. In
these cases either representatives forward their call to next level or they
asked customers to call on different numbers. For better customer experience
companies should forward call directly and this flexibility will delight
customers.
Conclusion
Going beyond in user
experience is ‘Customer Experience’. For better CX mission should be making
every touch point of customers in better experience. IVR & customer care facilitates
are really important are in customer experience. For delighting customers make
them tension free after each IVR call.
