All of us have called businesses and then simply hung up when connected to voicemail or IVR.
Using or Interactive Voice Response to handle out of hours calls is great way to maximise business, but some users are losing customers without ever discovering why.
After scripting, voicing and recording hundreds of IVR messages, Gavin McCoy looks at the main reasons why we just hang up when confronted with impersonal technology.
The truth is that most of us just hate to leave messages on telephone answering machines, and we panic when overwhelmed by too many options.
Overcoming this natural resistance is all down to a mixture of art and a little science.
The right voice can say everything about your company, but the wrong voice can cost you money.
You only have to record the outgoing message once and getting it right here will pay dividends. You need to get the details sorted before you start.
Most importantly, do not cut corners by doing it yourself. Even if you have an attractive voice, you will not be aware of subtleties of expression and pitch that can undo your intention. The technical quality will also be poor if you use a telephone handset.
Under no circumstances should you allow the installer to use the inbuilt synthesised voice. Although this might be a cheap option, it will cost you money. The time has not yet come where we happily interact with robots.
Here are the five essentials for your IVR session.
Prepare and Plan
Do not adlib. Think about the stages of handling your caller. Make the processes simple to take in after just one hearing. If the script is too complicated, or requires a second listen, re-write it!
Psychology.
Treat your caller like an important guest. Let him or her know how important they are. Give them a sense that their enquiry or future business is important. If there is going to be a wait, let them know how long.
Be Personal!
Your script should talk to just one person. Be friendly, reassuring, use everyday language to motivate your caller to pass to the next stage or leave a message. Too many systems employ a 1950s style radio announcer who is both too formal and off-putting. An example of bad copy is “At this time all of our operators are busy..”
Be Professional.
This does not mean loud and intimidating. It does mean that your brand values and ambitions are projected by the voice you use. Think about your intended image before commissioning a voice artist. Brief him or her fully.
Be Prompt and Polite.
Your caller is already bugged at being connected to a machine, and has limited patience unless dealt with properly. This is not the place for lengthy mission statements or sales pitches. Your caller already feels less than comfortable. It is rude to make the customer listen to a lengthy script that pushes your corporate viewpoint.
For some customers this my be the first and last contact with your Company.
Setting up a productive IVR system is easy. Many experienced voice-over artists are happy to help with scriptwriting and suggestions.
Author Resource:-
Gavin McCoy is a UK based award winning Media and Marketing Consultant. Listen To His Voice At http://voice123.com/gavinmccoy
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