The IVR domain has been on an exponential upswing ever since its beginning. From plain vanilla responders to ultra-smart bots at the backend, the industry has seen it all. Yet, sky is the limit when it comes to interactive voice response systems. Increasing customer expectations, high call volumes, omnichannel presence, and all other advancements have laid the foundation for introducing AI into the IVR world. 

Here is an overview of how AI has changed the IVR usage and interpretation;

AI in IVR: From basic responses to human-like interactions

IVR stands for Interactive Voice Response, which in the early days meant machine responses to frequently asked questions and ensuring basic call management. However, with major advancements in artificial intelligence, IVR systems are not just limited to call management and redirection. This customer self-service tool has transitioned into an intelligent tool, enabling businesses to thrive on personalized responses and lightning-fast speed. 

The more recent upgrade in artificial intelligence, conversational AI has revolutionized the whole idea around the customer experience even more. This technology uses two broad concepts: Natural Language Processing and Natural Language Understanding to keep learning and understanding human behavior. It is capable of recognizing the caller’s speech, patterns, text, images, and much more. The technology is even capable of generating responses that are almost human-like personalizing the entire customer journey. Not only is the upgraded IVR capable of recognizing the patterns but also generates real-time human-like interactions and indulges in complex query handling. The customer feels heard and involved deeply in the self-service portal which in turn uplifts the adoption rates. The low code technology has made it even easier for businesses to adopt this latest upgrade that does not charge heftily on the pockets. 

Advanced IVR in customer service 

There are multiple stages at which AI-powered IVR has proven its worth in the service industry. Here are a few such instances;

1. 24*7 availability: With advanced IVR in place, the callers need not wait for the working hours for their queries to be resolved. The 24*7 availability with human-like responses backing up the self-service portal is a game changer in the real competitive world. 
2. End-to-end call monitoring and analysis: The advanced system allows end-to-end call monitoring which helps understand and analyze the agent’s skills. This in turn helps in building up a training routine for them and monitoring their growth. The call analysis aspect works around the outcome of the calls monitored and presents those readings in terms of a dashboard and reports that can be referenced for several uses. 
3. Intelligent call routing: If the business requires real-time resolution of complex queries, the advanced IVR allows it to do so as well. The system is capable of routing the calls to the agent’s number and it helps in faster query resolution. 
4. Muscle memory functioning: With generative AI in place, muscle memory comes into action. With repetitive tasks being performed, the machine learns the expected queries and answers and uses less energy to resolve them. The system also keeps track of the agent-customer interaction record and based on the feedback given by the customer; the system routes any future queries to the same agent for a more personalized touch. 
5. Lesser spamming and black-listing: With an interactive voice response system in place, the overall customer journey does not feel like an automated interaction at all. This drastically reduces the chances of businesses being marked as spam or black-listed altogether. The customers are less likely to report spam hence affecting the overall adoption. 
6. Time and cost efficiency: The low code technology allows businesses of all scales to implement this latest advancement evenly across all platforms. This holds true even for the future platforms/technology that a business might adopt, reducing the overall cost of ownership of this technology.

Why AI-driven IVR is the need of the hour?

Artificial Intelligence has revamped the way the customer experience industry has functioned over the years. Interactive voice response systems have handled customers beyond their capabilities. Now it’s high time that an upgrade is required. With cognitive suggestions, intent mapping, and human-like responses, AI has taken experiential learning to some other level. The natural language learning and understanding programs have improvised the entire knowledge base making the conversations more involving and responsive. The customers feel heard and understood and share the gratification in their feedback improving the NPS and overall rating of the business. It is high time that businesses step up and level up the game to an experience-driven approach towards customer handling.

Curious about the latest AI advancements in IVR? Discover how Teckinfo Solutions can help you upgrade your call management system here. Learn how AI automates routine tasks and improves customer experience. Get in touch with our team of experts to find out more.