Interactive Voice Response Benefits and Features

“Make it easy for people to talk to you.”

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is a valuable addition to any call center, business, or government agency. IVR turns any telephone into a computer allowing callers to receive needed information directly from a database without any human assistance. Automating routine tasks such as looking up the status of an order or providing part availability can off-load callers from the queue and allow call centers to handle more calls with fewer agents. Encore Response is another application from Wygant that helps to lower costs, reduce hold time, reduce talk time, lower the call abandonment rate, and increase caller satisfaction.

This page covers the following:
1. How IVR works, including scripts and call flow diagrams
2. How to connect to a database
3. Major features and benefits

How IVR Works

Encore Response is an application that runs on the Encore and SmartAnswer base systems.

The base system contains Dialogic voice board(s), a software license for each active port, software utilities, and documentation. It uses the Windows XP Pro operating system or you can choose to upgrade to Windows 2003 Server. Like Encore, Wygant's IVR application development environment is built for "industrial-strength" applications scaling to hundreds or thousands of ports. It is Visual C++ based. Most applications have limited menu-driven configuration options that can be addressed by a mid-level system administrator. IVR customers may also purchase advanced programming training for their IS staff to enable them to completely modify or expand the system. Knowledge of Visual C++ is a prerequisite for this training.

Each PC platform can handle up to 96 ports, or a combination of 48 ports IVR and 48 ports full-time recording. For applications that require more than 96 ports, multiple PC platforms can be networked together into a seamless system. In a networked environment, each PC platform is referred to as a “Telephone Interface Module". The Telephone Interface Modules are networked together via private LAN with a system server, which is the central repository for all data and statistics, all site-specific programming, and all voice files.

Encore System Plataform

The Telephone Interface Modules and the file server are standard PC platforms. The system also has an Administrative Console for system operations and diagnostics. An optional development system can be included for application development. It would consist of a standard PC platform, a voice board, and development software and utilities. A typical configuration for a 384 port system is pictured here. Smaller systems can operate in a single host PC.

Because of its powerful application development environment Wygant's IVR systems support unlimited expansion, unlimited database links, and unlimited numbers of simultaneous applications that can be selected by port, by ANI/DNIS, or by caller entry.

To the base system, add IVR software and Voice Recognition or Text to Speech, if desired. There are numerous standard IVR software packages available from Wygant. These packages have call flows and scripts pre-defined especially to meet the needs of call centers. Minimal customization is required for these packages.

1. Database lookup
This software package is a generic package which allows callers to enter any specific number, such as an item number, part number, policy no. etc., and find out any information that is in the call center’s database that can be spoken to callers. Wygant's IVR can even schedule appointments, and will make reminder calls when the time is close.

2. Account/order status
This software package allows callers to enter their unique ID number and hear the status of their account or order.

3. Order entry
This software package automates the process of entering orders into the database. Callers can enter account numbers, item numbers, and quantities of merchandise they wish to order.

4. Encore Alert! / Emergency Notification/Automated Dialing
This package builds on Wygant's Emergency Notification System designed for mission critical applications at the Hanford and Savannah River weapons-grade Plutonium re-processing facilities. More than just an emergency outdial system, Encore Alert interfaces with pagers, cell phones, and email to provide rapid event-specific notification and response team compilation.

5. Automated Verification
This package integrates recording and voice response to provide fully automated validation of sales and other business transactions. AutoVerification is in use now by many of the nation's largest long distance carriers, and many other businesses. Encore's web-based transcription and verification tools make quality assurance and validation a snap, even for remote call centers or offshore workers.