Outbound IVR can be programmed to do a variety of things for your company every day. The outbound message can be used to perform secretarial duties for you, to make sure that customer satisfaction is at the level that you would like it to be, as well as to do some marketing tasks. Using outbound IVR can lower the cost for the company by reducing the need for live agents as well as making sure that the customer is served promptly.

The message can be used to relay information  

An outbound IVR message can pass information to the customer including hours that the customer service department or other departments are open, upcoming network updates and other news that would be considered important to the customer base. The type of message that is able to be sent using the outbound IVR is limited only by the creativity of the company.

The message can confirm or change appointment dates and times.  

Many doctors’ offices use this technology to confirm the appointments for each of their patients. Unless the patient directly opts out of receiving the calls, an automated call will be made that reminds them that they have an upcoming appointment, usually the following day. This keeps the doctor from having missed appointments or open slots that could be filled by emergency cases. There are other services that could benefit from this type of message, including auto repair shops or other professionals that rely on filled appointment books to be successful.

The message can be used for marketing purposes  

The customer base can be informed of upcoming sales and other promotions with a simple phone call. The automated system can dial the stored numbers of the customers and let them in on the bargains that they might have otherwise missed out on. Marketing is one of the most important parts of a business- the more that the customer base can grow, the stronger the business will be. Competition is fierce so every aspect of marketing must be used to reach the widest target market. Outbound IVR is a very cost effective way to do this marketing with a minimal amount of effort.

The message can direct customers to the right department if they have problems or questions.

The outbound IVR message can be set up to direct the callers through the customer service process- and can often be used to answer questions or address some customer concerns. For those questions or issues that cannot be resolved by the automated system, the caller can be routed and directed to the right agent or given additional instructions so that they can get the assistance that they need. Another option could be to have the message direct the customer to an online site for further assistance.

The message can be used to gauge and rate customer satisfaction

The outbound IVR message can direct customers to a voluntary customer satisfaction survey. While many people may not participate, there should be enough of them who do to provide adequate research data so that service can be adjusted according to the most influential findings.