When customers reach out to contact centers, they come with not only their questions and issues but also with the expectation that they will get resolutions instantly without waiting too long. Among so many problems, some may not require human intervention. For example, customers don’t need to talk to an agent to find a business’s address, block a credit card, or check order status. These queries can often be handled by robotic tools like Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems and AI-powered bots.
IVR systems do not automate the entire process. These systems are very much like friendly robot receptionists and great at guiding the person calling them to the right agent after knowing their problems. In case, a problem requires a human agent, the IVR can immediately read the customer’s intent and route the call to the right agent or department. In this process, customers don’t need to wait for hours as the entire process takes place in a few minutes. Hence, it reduces wait times and speeds up resolutions, saving everyone time and effort.
Then there are AI-powered chatbots, which can handle many customer issues in real-time. These bots can be termed digital problem solvers—they can answer FAQs, provide quick resolutions, and even be tailored to your contact center’s needs. By taking care of routine inquiries, chatbots free up agents to focus on more complex customer needs, making the entire experience smoother and more efficient for everyone.
In simple terms, leveraging chatbots and IVR systems solves customers’s issues and brings many more benefits to organizations. That is why contact center business owners are so involved in adapting this technology into their systems. According to a market report by Zendesk Customer Experience Trends Report, “72% of business owners have expressed their interest in expanding AI-powered chatbots across the customer experience”.
Similarly, a research report by Juniper predicts that businesses investing in chatbots can save more than $8 billion annually. Besides, 67% of customers favor self-service tools over speaking to a customer executive.
Hence, these studies show that bots and IVR integrations can be the game changer for contact centers. Let’s see how these tools serve contact centers and make them more efficient and profitable.
The Benefits that Bot & IVR Integrations Bring to Contact Centers
IVR & bots are available 24*7 and help customers solve their issues without speaking to agents. Many appreciate the options that can allow them to handle the things themselves. Besides, omnichannel contact centers can collect customer data from different channels in one place. For businesses, the benefits of these integrations are compelling, including improving efficiency to save operational costs and many more.
Streamlining Customer Experiences
Customers feel frustrated when they have to wait for hours just to get a simple problem solved or to connect with the right agent. Thankfully, technology has stepped in to make things a whole lot easier. With tools like IVR systems and bots, customers can get answers in minutes—or even seconds.
Modern IVR systems and AI-powered bots are transforming how contact centers operate and communicate with customers. These tools resolve customer issues quickly and efficiently. When contact centers pair their CRMs or other systems through tools like Unified Agent Desktops and Smart CTI Connectors, they create a seamless and streamlined customer journey that benefits everyone involved.
These systems are capable of quickly identifying what customers want. IVR systems, for example, can capture important details like account information or the reason for the call. If the customer demands human intervention, it routes them to the right agent or bot without unnecessary transfers. This reduces wait time and frustration.
Another game-changer is the self-service options these tools provide. According to Gartner, 70% of customers prefer using self-service channels for resolving simple issues—and it’s easy to see why. AI-powered bots can handle everything from FAQs to payment processing and balance inquiries, giving customers quick resolutions while reducing the need for live agent involvement.
With these intelligent systems in place, customers enjoy faster service, and agents can focus on solving more complex problems. It’s a win-win that makes everyone’s experience better.
Reducing Average Handle Time
Reducing average handle time is always the priority for contact center leaders. Even the market study supports this fact. According to the CCW Digital Market Study, 72% of contact center leaders prioritize reducing average handling time, which is their critical goal. IVR systems are pretty intelligent—they can quickly gather important information from customers, like account details or the reason for their call, and then route them to the right agent ready to help. It’s like having a helpful receptionist who knows exactly who to send you to.
On the other hand, AI bots can resolve common issues on the spot or assist agents by providing them with the correct information in real-time. This means customers get quicker answers, and agents have the support they need to solve more complex problems faster.
Round-the-clock Availability
Customers’ expectations do not wait or understand the 9 to 5 schedule. They cannot be taken for granted. Human agents have limitations and may not be available at certain hours or midnight to solve customers’ problems. However, bots and IVR integrations can enable businesses to handle customers’ issues outside business hours, provide multilingual support, and break language barriers to expand global reach.
A Salesforce study says about 59% of customers want companies to be accessible whenever they require assistance. Bots and IVR systems can make this possible without burdening human agents.
Personalization for Exceptional Customer Support
With bot and IVR systems, providing personalized services to customers has become easy. AI-powered bots can analyze a large amount of data and offer personalized solutions to customers. Apart from this, IVR systems can use customer preferences and history to connect them with the most suitable agent.
Improving Agent Productivity
There is a misconception among businesses that IVR systems and bots can replace agents. On the contrary, these tools empower them and make them capable of serving their customers to the fullest. Bots can efficiently handle routine customer queries and free up agents to focus on complex problems that often require expertise and empathy. AI-powered bots and IVR integrations analyze a vast amount of data in real-time. It gives agents valuable context to deliver more accurate and relevant solutions.
| Also Read: 10 Ways to Increase Agent Productivity Through Contact Center Automation |
Scalability & Cost Savings
Bots and IVR integrations with your contact center systems and CRMs can bring several significant benefits. According to an IBM estimate, conversational AI can save businesses up to 30%.
Moreover, these integrations are highly scalable and allow contact centers to handle fluctuations in call volumes without impacting service quality. Bots and IVR tools ensure consistent support even if there are large volumes of calls in any specific season or the launching of some new products.
Wrap up
Bots and IVR systems are not going to replace human agents. On the contrary, they are empowering them in many ways. They have become a helping hand for agents, and whether it comes to improving faster call resolution or reducing average handle times, the functionality of these tools is outstanding.
However, using them with the right contact center solution that provides integrations such as Novelvox is essential and can help any business improve its operations, save costs, and drive productivity.
