The term Interactive Voice Response leads one to believe that there is a high degree of interaction. So far, callers have to listen to pre-recorded messages and then their interaction is limited to just key presses. It is time wasting and, in many instances, does not serve the caller’s purpose due to limited menu options. Happily, trends for 2019 indicate that IVR could change for the better.
Artificial Intelligence in IVR
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Artificial intelligence integration in IVR development leads the transformation. Instead of a rigid hierarchy of trees and branches, we have flexible and more human-like options that callers will like.
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AI and language capabilities lead to better interaction since the system can identify caller’s language and switch to the same language. If the call must lead to a live agent, then it goes to one with that language capability. Natural language processing feature could speed up the process from the customer perspective and take him straight to the resolution point instead of labyrinthine key presses that can be so frustrating.
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IVRs could evolve to a point where callers interact with intelligent chatbots. The experience is nearly similar to talking with a live agent.
Asterisk Service has an edge in intelligent IVR deployments since its parent company is engaged in Artificial Intelligence and Asterisk IVR solutions are AI infused.
Visual IVR
No, visual IVR in an IVR solution yet does not mean you can interact with a live person. Instead, it is a system of displaying menus on the screen, possibly a touchscreen smartphone. The screen will display the entire tree and sub-menu structure making it easy for a caller to jump straight to the option of his choice. This can be particularly helpful in payment IVR where he has to tap on the payment mode and jump straight to payment using that mode.
The Visual IVR can also have spin-offs such as skill based routing and exchange of documents. The visual IVR alone should help convert more callers to take the route and resolve whatever issues they have without human intervention. Visual IVR also opens up possibilities of tutorials, access to help pages and videos.
Call backs
The most frustrating thing about IVRs is that companies usually play a promotional message before the menu is presented which is the start of innumerable key presses. Ultimately, when they choose to speak to a human agent he is on another call. IVR implementations could see that option of call back presented right at the start. Caller can do something else until the agent calls back.
Users can adapt IVRs
The dynamic IVR should become more popular since it lets businesses structure and restructure their menu and sub-menu systems according to feedbacks from users.
Hopefully, in the years to come, IVRs should get to a point where callers actually love the facility and Asterisk Service leads with its AI powered intuitive IVRs.
Source: https://ivrsystemdesign.wordpress.com/2019/01/28/ivr-development-trends-in-2019-asteriskservice/
