What is Visual IVR ?

IVR stands for "Interactive Voice Response." By definition, it's a solution for qualifying telephone calls received by a company, customer service, a Customer Relationship Center (CRC), or even a network of branches. It's interactive because the caller can interact with the system via voice messages to specify their intent and thus be directed to the correct expertise. Everyone has experienced IVR: "if you are a customer, press 1. If you are a partner, press 2." It's an essential tool for customer relations, and its usefulness is ultimately beyond question. However, the era when voice was the only available channel to resolve an issue is over. Voice generates customer irritants: multi-step journeys, too long waiting times, too low pick-up rates, and frequent repetitions are often sources of frustration for the end customer.

In conclusion, this frustration directly impacts the customer's experience and satisfaction.

Visual IVR allows a call to be switched to a digital (and therefore visual) journey. Once a call is digitized via Visual IVR, a customer wanting to contact a company can thus specify their call reason more precisely and be directed to the best solution. Visual IVR does not replace IVR but complements it. IVR will direct the customer to the correct telephone expertise while managing the telephone flow.

As for Visual IVR, it will direct the customer to the best solution via the right channel. This can be relevant in several cases:

• Reducing low-value-added calls by switching them to an autonomous journey
• Increasing reachability by offering a solution for 100% of incoming calls, especially outside opening hours or in case of customer service overflow
• Increasing the number of high-value-added calls by prioritizing them
• Increasing the visit rate to customer spaces to make them profitable
• In the context of digitizing omnichannel customer relations.

An example?

To increase reachability: When a customer contacts the CRC and the call cannot be treated (after hours, no agent available, etc.), an alternative is offered. By being directed to Visual IVR, they can access an available solution.

To optimize treatment costs by digitizing calls: When a customer calls a company for a low-value-added reason, they are encouraged to switch to a digital journey via Visual IVR to do it autonomously.

Discover the 12 reasons to digitize your phone calls.

From the start, Visual IVR helps to reduce the abandonment rate of customers who no longer wish to wait. In terms of ergonomics and UX, customers are therefore more inclined to specify their contact intent via a visual rather than a vocal journey.

• Reachability: the first advantage is optimizing the company's reachability. Offering an answer to 100% of its calls regardless of the agents' availability. 
• Customer experience: directed from the start of their journey to the best solution. The customer finds their answer quickly, with the least effort possible. This is, in fact, the definition of a satisfying customer experience 😉 
• Digital transformation: when a company invests time and resources to set up digital solutions, it can be complicated to make these tools known to its customers. However, Visual IVR facilitates the use of these solutions, which are often more effective and less costly.
• Agility: managing contact journeys often requires technical team intervention, making the implementation of tools and the optimization of these journeys lengthy and costly. In this case, Visual IVR makes business teams autonomous and agile, who can make real-time improvements.

 To go further: Visual IVR to break down the silos of customer relations