IVR Self-Service Improvement Strategies

Improving IVR Usage, Acceptance, Customer Satisfaction

This report delivers the results of our latest research on Integrated Voice Response (IVR) self-service technology deployments. The Ascent Group has been conducting multi-industry research into IVR utilization and best practices since 1994.

The Ascent Group conducted research to better understand how different companies and industries are utilizing IVR technology to improve self-service and customer satisfaction and reduce operating costs. We asked companies to share IVR strategies and experiences to identify the practices that lead to higher customer usage, acceptance, and satisfaction. We also asked companies to provide their plans moving forward as well as lessons learned along the way.

This report profiles research participants in a case study format, sharing current IVR self-service practices, lessons learned, challenges overcome, plans for the future, and business practices that have led to improved IVR performance. In addition, we provide detailed results and analysis from the survey itself and detail "best practices" demonstrated by our participants.

The report also profiles the IVR technology in place within these companies, provides an analysis of IVR strategies and approaches, including deployment drivers, IVR objectives, IVR measurement techniques, system features, and promotional campaigns. Finally, we explore the successes achieved as a result of IVR deployment.

Analysis & Graphs included in this Report

• VR Findings & Trends
• Recommendations for Improvement
• Innovative or Winning Strategies
• List of Participants
• Call centers per Company
• Hours of operation
• Countries represented
• Industries represented
• Total inbound calls
• Total outbound calls
• Percent outbound/inbound calls
• Agents per Center
• IVR handled calls (% of inbound)
• IVR utilization by industry
• Average span of control (reps per supervisor)
• Abandoned Calls
• Opt Out Rates
• Opt Out Rates by Industry
• IVR Self-Service Offerings
• Number of Menu Items
• Opt Out Offered on Main Menu?
• IVR Vendors Represented
• IVR System Maturity
• IVR System Maturity by Industry
• IVR System Configuration
• Drivers of IVR Implementation
• IVR Deployment Strategies
• Use of Speech Recognition
• Use of CTI
• Use of Wait Time Announcements
• Use of Queue Announcements
• Measures of IVR Success
• Measure IVR Customer Satisfaction?
• Promote IVR Usage to Customers
• Encourage Agents to Promote IVR Use
• Use of Call Monitoring for IVR Interaction
• IVR Reliability Testing
• Benefits
• IVR-Handled Calls Equivalent FTEs
• Lessons Learned
• Top 5 IVR Challenges
• Plans for Improvement