Welcome to the second and final instalment of our 2-part blog series, where we continue to focus on initial steps you and your organisations must take to successfully transition to NextGen IVR so that you can deliver truly connected experiences for your customers. (Catch up with part one here.)
As we explored last time, the improvements in the Interactive Voice Response technology (IVR) have enabled organisations to deliver personalised and consistent communications across every channel.
AI-powered solution, NextGen IVR, not only provides better customer experiences, but also allows businesses to reduce costs and maximise return on investment.
Here are the remaining 6 steps that will help you understand how to successfully undertake the initial steps towards transitioning to NextGen IVR to make your business goals much more achievable.
1. Pull together a vendor shortlist
Once you have outlined your requirements, you can now cross-reference solution functionality and the services offered by vendors to find a good fit. But you should also refer to user reviews and surveys to provide some useful steer from those that have already implemented the systems you are considering.
2. Vendor demos
Once a shortlist of vendors has been drawn up, traditionally the next step is to undertake demo sessions also enable organisations to:
- Learn how an IVR system can add extra value to the organisation.
- Explore how an IVR system can address use cases that are specific to the organisation.
- Learn more about the vendor and how they have helped their existing customers.
- Develop a closer relationship with the vendor’s team.
- Ensure you’re fully prepared for your demo by ticking off the following tasks in advance.
- Hold a pre-demo briefing with the vendor. Use this briefing to craft a detailed agenda for the demo and establish who is required to attend.
- Share your requirements document and any supporting information.
- Prepare questions for the vendor.
- Draft some evaluation forms.
3. Make a decision!
Choosing a new IVR solution can be a time-consuming process, but by following the steps above, you can improve your chances of choosing the best fit for your needs and making your business goals much more achievable.
4. Have clear test plans
Having clear test plans, metrics and understanding what constitutes a completed customer journey is key. It’s key at this point that everyone in the project is aligned with what success looks like. For example, if a customer gets the information they require from the virtual assistant but didn’t hit what’s considered as an end point in the IVR, then it is still a completed customer journey?
5. Gather feedback
Moving from a standard IVR to a NextGen IVR is a major move for many organisations. You should also consider this change from the customer’s perspective – whilst the hope is a more seamless, connected journey, it’s still a significant change. Therefore you should definitely consider sending a survey to capture customer feedback via the most convenient channel – that could be on the IVR itself, or via automated emails or SMS messages following the call.
6. Use analytics to drive continuous optimisation
Once live, it’s essential that you use data and analytics to continually optimise the customer journey. Are there certain points where there are a high number of calls being dropped or customers are all asking for the same information? Use the management information at your disposal to make data-driven decisions and optimise the customer journey at every touchpoint.
NextGen IVR is no longer a nice-to-have – it’s an essential upgrade that underpins your customer experience and the associated cost base.
For a business that cares about its customers, it should be a no-brainer.
To recap the benefits and learn more about how NextGen IVR has helped businesses like yours, download our playbook now.
