The Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system is an automated tool that, when a consumer contacts a company’s customer service department, offers them a menu of different options: contacting a specific department, exchanging or returning a product, obtaining additional information, etc.

IVR allows calls to be sorted and prioritized, but also enables customer verification. It saves time for call center agents, who have a better understanding of customer profiles thanks to the information gathered during the caller’s journey. This system ensures a personalized and improved customer experience, optimizing the chances of conversion or loyalty.

Call deflection: an effective strategy

When a customer calls with a simple, low-value-added question, such as how to activate a product or access information about their personal account, the IVR can deflect the call by directing it to other types of support, most often digital. A web page, chatbot, text message, email, FAQ, or social media will then allow the customer to get their answer without waiting for an agent to become available and without involving the agent. Discover a concrete example of call deflection in the video below.

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The goal is to reduce the burden on human agents while improving the customer experience and lowering operating costs. This allows human agents to focus their time on complex cases, while speeding up the resolution of simple requests.

Why use call deflection?

As mentioned above, adopting a call deflection strategy in your call center offers many advantages:

• Increased customer satisfaction: users find answers more quickly via their preferred support channel, regardless of the time or day of the call.
• Significant cost reduction: with an omnichannel approach, human agents handle fewer calls and periods of understaffing (vacations, departures, sick leave, etc.) are better managed.
• Fewer abandoned calls.
• Improved agent efficiency, as they can focus on high-value requests.
• A significantly improved work experience for call center agents, who perform fewer repetitive tasks and are subject to less stress. They also recognize more value in interactions.

In addition, call deflection allows you to obtain user consent, which is essential for the quality and compliance of your customer service, but also to convey messages during waiting times.

Call deflection is a real asset for your company’s customer service, which will become more efficient and responsive, providing a more pleasant communication experience for both the agent and the caller!

Vocalcom invites you to discover other advice sheets on the same topic: what is an IVR used for, how does an IVR work, what is an interactive voice response system, and what are the advantages of using an IVR.