Common IVR mistakes to avoid

Sunday, December 28, 2014



IVR (Interactive Voice Response) systems have become a standard tool among companies that offer customer care solutions, and it's especially beneficial for every call center. Philippine outsourcing service providers, for instance, take advantage of its features to boost productivity and raise the quality of their customer support. Open Access BPO talks about the common IVR mistakes to avoid in order to effectively route your customers' calls.


An IVR system filters customer queries and direct them to the right customer support representative while increasing productivity in the workplace, since calls are efficiently routed within the first few minutes of the call. This tool strives to reach a certain equilibrium between cost reduction and customer service, providing great value to every business.

A well-designed IVR is the answer to the high volume of calls your company receives on a daily basis. Here are some common mistakes to avoid in developing an automated menu system.

•   Introduction overload
Customers can easily get impatient with lengthy introductions and options. After all, nobody likes to be put on hold trying to figure out what button to press next to lead us to the right customer service agent. Too many options could increase the possibility of call abandonment, especially if your customers require immediate response. Make sure to simplify your IVR's menu options so customers can be attended to as quickly as possible.

•   Wrong choice of words
Avoid using too many business terms in your IVR's voice prompts and options, as it would alienate customers and cause possible misinformation. Instead, use the IVR to enhance connections with your target market by using voice prompts that are simple, short, and easy to understand. This would facilitate a smooth and efficient connection from the IVR selection menus to the live customer service representatives.

•   Poor voice quality
The choice of voice is part of the company’s brand, so the recorded voice should sound neutral— not too friendly nor too formal. It should still keep the customers engaged just like when they are speaking with a live agent. Consistency in pitch and timbre should also be maintained as any change in the voice could easily distract the customers.

•   Unnecessary on-hold messages
Many call centers play advertisements or share news with their customers instead of playing hold music as the IVR routes calls. While this is indeed a good marketing opportunity, irrelevant or repetitive ads can irritate certain types of callers. So, always update and check whether existing on-hold prompts, such as marketing ads, are still up-to-date and relevant to the callers.
Using an IVR system can help elevate your customer experience ratings – if configured and managed properly. This is because it minimizes the time customer service representatives spend on misrouted calls and ensures that every customer concern is promptly addressed. Take note of these pointers and you can develop a simple yet effective IVR system for your call center.