It isn't possible yet to replace your customer support service team with a clever IVR although it is possible to push certain customer transactions to one and half the costs.

An interactive voice response (IVR), aka auto attendant, is effectively a computerised customer service agent. It greets the caller and performs actions, such as routing the caller to the accounts department, based on the callers input from their phone keypad or by speech recognition. Since the introduction of voicexml (similar to html but for voice) the cost of producing IVRs has fallen. Launching an IVR  script to recognise client voice responses and update an SQL database can be done in minutes in the same way as producing a web page.

The IVR consists of a voice browser which sometimes incorporates an automated speech recognition (ASR) engine and text to speech (TTS) application. This enables the IVR to seemlessly convert voice to text and text to voice without any human intervention. Callers connect to the voice browser by ringing a phone number which points to it. When an incoming call is received the browser follows a pre-set script, which is similar to a web page, which plays a message and then collects the callers input.
 
Many voicexml IVRs are provided on a metered, per minute basis and can be set up very easily. With agent costs at around 12p per minute and self-service IVR costs around 5p there is scope for savings using an IVR for certain tasks as follows:

Uses of self service hosted IVR service:

  • Secure automated payments using Cards, Paypal.
  • Repetitive, mundane tasks like brochure requests, account balances, order status.
  • Ordering products using alpha-numeric product data.
  • HR payrole collection of staff data.
  • Anonymous access for NHS related issues.
  • Travel flight tickets, times and check in.
  • Pay-as -you-go account funding, balance checking and ordering.
  • Selling mobile phone applications e.g. ring tones.
  • Social networking integration (eg Twitter).

Hosted self service IVRs based on vxml provide callers with instant 24 x 7 service which can be changed and adapted real time by non-technical people. Changes such as prices, interest rates, addresses and special offer details can be made in minutes and checked before going live without any expensive engineering services.

So now you dont need to spend £100K on your new IVR, it can be acquired for a fraction of this or even on a 'pay-as-you-go' basis. The IVR is set to make a come back as the cost per transaction plummets well below even offshore contact centre personnel. During periods of slow economic growth businesses are forced to cut costs