Interactive Voice Response
Automating contacts is the most effective way of reducing costs in a contact centre. Offering services 24×7 can also provide better access for customers. The perception is ‘that is it better to speak to a person than use a machine’. Most systems are poorly designed, badly implemented and provide an unpleasant experience for the caller.
Fire does it differently
The Fire platform has the tools to develop slick, easy-to-use applications that provide a better service than waiting for a live agent.
Fire’s workflow designer provides the user with a rapid application development tool to create any configuration.
Should I invest in IVR?
If an automated service is better, people will use it – look at Cash Machines as an example of an automated service. No-one queues at the bank anymore to withdraw cash from a cashier!
A well designed automated system will allow people to service their request more quickly and easily than using a live person. Services can be offered 24x7, reducing call peaks, and overall staff levels.
Archiving
Whether standalone IVR or front-ending a contact centre, an IVR application can provide a powerful portal for clients to service their request over the phone. Developed uniquely for you, there are no compromises.
When in conjunction with a call centre, our all-in-one box architecture means that if an automated application cannot service the caller’s request, all information gathered can be passed to a live agent. This preventing the frustration of repeating information a second time.
Features
Web services
1
Fire’s IVR platform has native Web Services interfaces. We can access data and transact with any public or private web service.
Data Integration
2
The Fire system can probe any database to select or insert information all from within the graphical design tool.
Text-to-speech
3
Text-to-speech can play back detailed information such as account status or notes.
AI Voice Interactions
4
Direct the call with a simple spoken word or phrase. Uniquely, the Fire platform can play unrecognised requests to a live agent for re-direction without the caller’s knowledge.
Proactive automated outbound
5
Delivery or appointment reminders can reduce missed appointments. Asking clients if they cannot attend and feeding this back allows rescheduling.
Business system integration
6
We can integrate with any business system or CRM, retrieving information such as customer records and case information.
Examples of use
Customer specific menu options
A company with many different customer types can look up the CLI of the caller in the database. This allows a custom menu to be played with options that are relevant to that customer.
Telephone Banking
A bank, building society or credit union can offer telephone banking facilities for account balance, transaction history, bill payment, money transfer etc., using a self-service application.
A taxi company
A taxi company can look up the caller’s number to see their frequently chosen journeys and offer these automatically.
Locating the caller
A breakdown company can locate the caller from the position of their mobile phone.
Card payments
A company can take credit card payments using an IVR. PCI-DSS compliant credit card authorisation can be carried out by an IVR removing the requirement for restrictions within the contact centre and data storage regulations.
Meter readings
A Utility company can take meter readings, address changes, burst pipe or power failure information automatically preventing large call peaks.