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getting_the_caller_engaged [2018/08/21 11:30] 127.0.0.1 external edit |
getting_the_caller_engaged [2019/08/08 11:00] (current) lisa.illgen_concentrix.com Added Anchor Links |
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| Give the caller a brief description of the IVR. For example, “Welcome to the ABC Corporation Bill Payment system”. Callers who believe they have reached the wrong number will immediately hang up. | Give the caller a brief description of the IVR. For example, “Welcome to the ABC Corporation Bill Payment system”. Callers who believe they have reached the wrong number will immediately hang up. | ||
| - | The very first message should be short and simple, making it clear that the caller is talking to a system rather than a person, but without saying this explicitly (which would take time and probably distract the caller). Analyses of the interactions of human agents with callers indicates that human agents rarely start the interaction with the word "Welcome" (Lewis, 2011), so that works well as the first word in the introduction of an IVR (e.g., "Welcome to AutoRez car rentals"). | + | The very first message should be short and simple, making it clear that the caller is talking to a system rather than a person, but without saying this explicitly (which would take time and probably distract the caller). Analyses of the interactions of human agents with callers indicates that human agents rarely start the interaction with the word "Welcome" ([[references#lewis2011|Lewis, 2011]]), so that works well as the first word in the introduction of an IVR (e.g., "Welcome to AutoRez car rentals"). |
| While we want to eliminate fluff, the IVR is a customer touchpoint and an opportunity to reinforce a brand with callers. Make it obvious whom the caller has called, and give the IVR as much presence as a web site. Keep it short, but play some kind of earcon that callers will associate with the brand from marketing campaigns, if available. A short tagline (5-10 words max) can also be employed here, and optimally should be refreshed with new marketing campaigns. An example: “Welcome to AT&T <[[Glossary | earcon]]> Rethink Possible. How can I help you?” | While we want to eliminate fluff, the IVR is a customer touchpoint and an opportunity to reinforce a brand with callers. Make it obvious whom the caller has called, and give the IVR as much presence as a web site. Keep it short, but play some kind of earcon that callers will associate with the brand from marketing campaigns, if available. A short tagline (5-10 words max) can also be employed here, and optimally should be refreshed with new marketing campaigns. An example: “Welcome to AT&T <[[Glossary | earcon]]> Rethink Possible. How can I help you?” | ||
| **// Craft the introduction carefully //**\\ | **// Craft the introduction carefully //**\\ | ||
| - | The key to rapid engagement is in the crafting of the introduction. Unlike any other part of the application, 100% of calls will go through the introduction, so it's critical to have an introduction that engages callers as quickly and concisely as possible (Rolandi, 2004b, 2007a; Suhm, 2008). In addition to losing the caller's focus, time is money in the IVR. "Every unnecessary syllable in an introduction to an often-used IVR can cause expense for the enterprise and wastes the caller's time" (Lewis, 2011, p. 201). Keeping in mind that the costs of IVR operation can vary considerably from setting to setting, Yudkowsky (2008) reported a $1 million per year savings for AT&T for each second of speech removed from a presumably high-volume IVR. | + | The key to rapid engagement is in the crafting of the introduction. Unlike any other part of the application, 100% of calls will go through the introduction, so it's critical to have an introduction that engages callers as quickly and concisely as possible ([[references#rolandi2004b|Rolandi, 2004b]], [[references#rolandi2007a|2007a]]; [[references#suhm2008|Suhm, 2008]]). In addition to losing the caller's focus, time is money in the IVR. "Every unnecessary syllable in an introduction to an often-used IVR can cause expense for the enterprise and wastes the caller's time" ([[references#lewis2011|Lewis, 2011]], p. 201). Keeping in mind that the costs of IVR operation can vary considerably from setting to setting, [[references#yudkowsky|Yudkowsky]] (2008) reported a $1 million per year savings for AT&T for each second of speech removed from a presumably high-volume IVR. |
| **// Don't engage too quickly //**\\ | **// Don't engage too quickly //**\\ | ||
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| **// Pause after the welcome message in high touch applications //**\\ | **// Pause after the welcome message in high touch applications //**\\ | ||
| - | If most callers use the application on a frequent basis, consider pausing for about a second after the first Welcome message (and before any prompting) so experienced callers (who already know what to say) can barge in comfortably (Balentine & Morgan, 2001), then continue with the rest of the introduction. Do this only if you're sure that the time savings due to rapid barge-in will compensate for the extra silence playing when callers do not barge in. | + | If most callers use the application on a frequent basis, consider pausing for about a second after the first Welcome message (and before any prompting) so experienced callers (who already know what to say) can barge in comfortably ([[references#balentine2001|Balentine & Morgan, 2001]]), then continue with the rest of the introduction. Do this only if you're sure that the time savings due to rapid barge-in will compensate for the extra silence playing when callers do not barge in. |
| ==== References ==== | ==== References ==== | ||