| Can Your IVR Messaging Get Any Better? | | | | draw. |
| A question I often get asked from both new and | | | | This process I call IVR Optimization, (I borrowed the |
| existing clients is the same question that marketing | | | | term from Google Web Optimization), a tool that you |
| experts ask themselves every day. I will use the | | | | can use to improve on your web conversion rates by |
| same approach to help you arrive at an answer."In | | | | testing various versions of your web site. |
| your experience can my IVR messaging get any | | | | Now, you ask yourself, what does this have anything |
| better?" | | | | to do with IVR applications? Its simple, the same |
| Even after 14 years in this business, my crystal ball | | | | principals of "Split Testing" apply and are possible with |
| tells me the same thing, "Ask the caller". | | | | an IVR campaign. |
| Do what marketing experts do, test your messaging, | | | | Dynamic, IVR Optimization allows you to test |
| more specifically, split test your message to ensure | | | | different variations of your IVR scripting. This way |
| that your message gets users to do what you want | | | | you can identify the message combinations that |
| them to do. | | | | produce the highest success rates. The success rate |
| Whether you are using IVR for a survey, lead | | | | being; how often you can get the caller to do what |
| generation, or providing a client with information on | | | | you want them to do. |
| their account, make sure that, the message gets the | | | | You can run 2, 3 or 4 different combinations and not |
| caller to do what you want them to do. | | | | just rely on gut feelings. You can conduct real-time |
| * Is your objective to have your customer use your | | | | research, with real callers. This research helps you |
| self-service IVR to check their balance? Or talk to an | | | | optimize your messaging and yield the highest |
| agent? (Needless to say that if the caller opts for | | | | success rate. |
| the agent, it will cost you 5 times more than if they | | | | The IVR world is a little more complex than Google's |
| interact with an IVR). | | | | Web optimizer approach; you have more caller/call |
| * Do you want callers to say yes, to be contacted | | | | recipient interactions to consider. |
| regarding an auto loan? | | | | The good news is that with the right expertise and |
| * Do you want more of your customers to | | | | technical framework you can optimize your IVR |
| participate in your customer satisfaction survey? | | | | messaging so the caller will do what you want them |
| The type of application doesn't matter, if you want | | | | to do; you can move away from the traditional |
| to optimize your results, and achieve the return you | | | | "guess work" approach to a systematic, predictable |
| are expecting. You need to test with real customers | | | | approach that will provide you with the highest |
| - otherwise you are leaving it to the luck of the | | | | return. |