Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is a call center automation technology that off-loads routine calls and basic communication from live agents, freeing them to focus on more involved or complicated calls. IVR systems have become increasingly sophisticated in recent years.
As more features are added, their true value extends beyond cost savings and moves into quality enhancement to the point of becoming expected technology by consumers. When properly implemented, IVR is preferred by callers; when poorly implemented, it becomes a source of frustration and ire.
Whether your call center has IVR or not, here are key IVR vendors to the teleservices industry to consider for your first system – or as a replacement technology:
Alston Tascom, Inc
Evolution Communications and Information System IVR: As an integral part of the Evolution Digital Switch, the Tascom IVR is more flexible than a stand-alone IVR system. Database lookups, calculation of input data with instant results, multiple searches, and port utilization are determined by the user based upon need, time of day, or caller ID, not by system restrictions.
IVR automates routine queries, leading callers through prompts that let them access, enter, or modify data using their telephone’s keypad and is a viable alternative to live agents (staff). IVR is a true “stay in touch” service that is available 24/7. “It is efficient, accurate, and doesn’t ask for time off,” said Alston Tascom’s president, Wayne Scaggs.
Contact Alston Tascom at 909-548-7300 or info@alstontascom.com.
Amtelco
Amtelco’s Infinity IVR automates telephone-based tasks, enabling callers to retrieve and process information without operator assistance. The Infinity IVR makes it possible to increase the number and types of services a call center offers, while saving on labor costs, reducing agent workloads, and reducing errors in call handling.
The Infinity IVR provides custom scripted voice services through prerecorded prompts, text-to-speech prompts, and response-sensitive menu branching. Callers hear selections and can navigate through their choices through their telephone keypads. Moreover, call transfers and patching can be fully automated with the Infinity IVR.
Call scripts can share call data with other Amtelco applications. An integral Infinity IVR Scheduler component allows automatic generation of outbound calls.
Amtelco’s Infinity IVR product provides full-featured text-to-speech capabilities by incorporating Nuance Communication Inc.’s RealSpeak TTS engine. Additionally, speech recognition tools are available by co-implementing Amtelco’s “Just Say It” automated speech recognition product.
Amtelco applications that utilize the Infinity IVR platform include Pro Show appointment reminders, RED Alert automated notifications, “Just Say It” automated directory assistance, and Ovation Agent automated wake-up calls. The Infinity IVR application offerings by Amtelco include appointment reminder calls, alert and event notifications, directory assistance, wake-up calls, automated paging, and paged messaging.
[From Connection Magazine – Jan/Feb 2005]