the future in_ivr_iqpc_dec_09

Doing More with Less.....Doing More with Less.....

Using IVR to Enhance the Customer ExperienceUsing IVR to Enhance the Customer Experience

Government Contact Centres Government Contact Centres

Technology Focus DayTechnology Focus Day

SydneySydney

22ndnd December 2009December 2009

Steve Mitchinson

Managing Partner

TeamRed Solutions

www.teamredsolutions.com.au

http://www.teamredsolutions.com.au/

Introduction

According to the Gartner report, Predicts 2009:

CRM Customer Service and Support: “Even with budget

constraints tightening, the demand for service is not

decreasing. The power of customer demands is

increasing, as multiple sellers compete for the same

share of budget. Customer service requirements are

heightened and enterprises must streamline the

customer experience and curtail associated costs, while

adding value and efficiency to the service of transaction.”

Putting you and your business in the fast lane

So why do so many enterprises get

their IVR and self service strategies

so wrong?

What is the Research really telling us


74 percent of customers would prefer to talk to a business representative over

the phone (versus other channels),

What callers actually hate is badly set-up IVR menus.

Why

•The “solution” often creates a bigger problem than you started with

•Complex menus that achieve nothing – for either party. Callers just hit random

responses because they know in the end it does not make a difference

•The whole point of IVR was to make it simple to collect some basic caller data

and use that to route the call to the most suitable agent to deal with that

customer and their issue.IVR Horror StoriesIVR Horror Stories

•17 options, 12 skill sets – all arriving at one agent

group

•Staff transferring calls back to “correct option” and

then going into ACW so they don’t get the call back

as they in fact have the skill set

•25 calls arriving with a single agent on just one

day were due to failure within IVR or self service application

The Purpose of IVR and ASR systems

1. Efficiency - Directing customers to 1. Efficiency - Directing customers to the most effective answer in the quickest an most direct manner

2. Cost Reduction - Deflecting routine calls from live agents to self service options

3. Convenience - Providing the right channel for customers to resolve their inquiries in an automated, easy to use manner

4. Revenue – Intuitive design increases the likelihood and propensity of customer repurchase


Building an IVR that Customers will use

Know Your Customers•External perspective – not internal

Avoid (Unnecessary) Complexity•too many IVR systems are tricky to navigate and often wind up driving more, not less, traffic to live agents

Involve Customer-Facing Employees•They will provide invaluable insight into what your customers need (because they get asked)

Pay Attention to Every Detail•Personas, DRP, scripts, standards


Where does self service fit

Customers need two kinds of responsiveness:Customers need two kinds of responsiveness:

1. Informational responsiveness

2. Emotional responsiveness

Customers require both – but at the right times and for their right reasons – not yours!


The Business Case


Interactive Voice Response (IVR) or Automated Interactive Voice Response (IVR) or Automated

Speech Recognition (ASR) systems have matured over

the years, with the introduction of:

•Systems Integration

•Speech recognition to further enable self-service

•Advanced linguistics capabilities

•Art and science to guide a customer through an

efficient self-service experience.

Source - Forrester Research 2009

Comparative Costs

Phone Support Contact - $33

Email support - $10

Call that zeroes out of IVR - $3 and $7 dollars an

IVR - $0.45

Source - Forrester Research 2009

Doing more with less

It does not have to be about technology - indeed It does not have to be about technology - indeed

it should not be about technology

There is much room for improvement in all of these areas:

•Routing that is neither smooth or logical•Navigation that is frustrating to customers•Scripts that are not effective•Databases that are not linked or updated effectively•Outcomes that deliver a poor experience


Achieving Intelligent Self-Service


1.Leverage Knowledge Trapped in Back-1.Leverage Knowledge Trapped in Back-

Office Systems

2.Harness Real-Time Knowledge and

Dynamic Decisioning

3.Embrace Analytics To Predict, Optimize

and Identify Opportunities

4.Move Intelligence “Upstream” in the

Customer Experience Lifecycle

How does your organisation view Intelligent self-service :

• a “nice to have”

or

• a “must have”

Self Service Must...


•Be an “option” for the customer.

•Reduce or eliminate “non-value” calls into your centre

• Improve the customer experience

•Add value to the products and services offered

•Be user friendly, easily accessible and reliable.

•Not generate extra traffic into centre.

•Be supported with timely, accurate reporting and monitoring

•Be a part of your overall service strategy, and integrated with other channels

Five Common Self Service Myths


1. Self – service is a fool proof way to reduce costs

2. Self-Service means eliminating customer interactions

3. Self-Service is a quick fix

4. One self-service method fits all customers (and their needs)

5. Deploying self service and contact centre volume will go down

BEST PRACTISE : Implement self service right or don’t implement at all

BEST PRACTISE : Should be part of a multichannel service strategy to create more valuable interactions

BEST PRACTISE : should be an “outside in” strategy across the business, not siloed in a department

BEST PRACTISE : Some customers prefer self service: Find out who and why – self service volumes

will increase – customer satisfaction will improve, and call volumes will drop

BEST PRACTISE : Monitor and analyse for customer behaviour: to sell, not just problem solve

Source: Neil Harrison, Project Manager, IInet

The 5 Steps to a Successful Business Case


Step 1 – Understand and state the problem or issue you

plan to address

Step 2 – Identify the costs and potential benefits

Step 3 - Define Success - How will you measure the results?

Step 4 - Have all options been explored?

Step 5 – Answer this question - What is the likelihood that gains will actually be less than predicted?

Aligning the People and Technology

Know your client base

•how will it affect take up

Know your contact reasons

•What should you or could you automate

Create meaningful jobs

•What will be impacts on contact centre resourcing

Reward uptake

•How do you encourage and reward customers for

take up

Reward promotion

•How do you get employee buy in


The Costs of Getting it wrong

The truth is, very few companies actually know if they have it rightThe truth is, very few companies actually know if they have it right

Start with this list and add your own specific issues:

1. Failed transactions = lost revenue or slower cash flow

2. Abandonment rates - why and where = higher costs & lost

customers

3. User errors = frustrated, angry customers diverted to live

agents – or your competitors

4. Increased call durations required to complete those

transactions

5. Declining channel traffic volumes = Increased live call volumes

= Increased costs


Doing More with Less.....Doing More with Less.....

Using IVR to Enhance the Customer ExperienceUsing IVR to Enhance the Customer Experience

Government Contact Centres Government Contact Centres

Technology Focus DayTechnology Focus Day

SydneySydney

22ndnd December 2009December 2009

Steve Mitchinson

Managing Partner

TeamRed Solutions

www.teamredsolutions.com.au

Cartoons courtesy Limebridge Australia

http://www.teamredsolutions.com.au/