Every call center manager knows that there are dozens of ways to measure various aspects of call center performance, including call center metrics for analyzing IVR self-service automation. Call resolution, call containment and average handle time are but a few of the call center measures of IVR performance, and for speech-enabled IVRs we can add recognition statistics, in-grammar and out-of-grammar rates, and more.
All of these call center measures leave out one vital factor for the success of speech self-service: The role of expectation. I’m referring to the expectations that callers have when they interact with a speech-enabled IVR application, based on previous experience with IVR systems, speech recognition and call center technology in general. Call center expectations are by definition soft and are expressed indirectly as attitudes, preferences and assumptions—all things that are notoriously hard to measure in the call center. Yet expectations about IVR and call center speech technology have a huge impact on how successful a call center project will be.
- Do your best to understand the expectations of your customers before designing the speech IVR interaction. Conduct focus groups to collect direct input from customers on the call center self-service and call center speech technology. Think about the self-service options available to them today and their comfort-level with the call center technology. This will help define how much guidance callers will need to successfully interact with a speech IVR.
- Remember that callers rely on the unwritten rules of spoken conversation when interacting with your IVR. Whether they expect too much or too little, callers fall back on communication strategies that work with people when interacting with IVRs. We can capitalize on this by crafting prompts that constrain callers’ responses by capturing the style and structure of human-to-human spoken language. The goal is not to write prompts phrased just like a person would say them, but rather to use wording that is intuitive to callers, so that they can simply respond without over-analyzing the interaction. This frees callers to focus on accomplishing their tasks rather putting them in the very vulnerable position of trying to figure out the limits of the call center technology.
- It is also important for organizations to use speech technology wisely to automate tasks that can be completed in most situations. Avoid using call center speech technology wisely to automate tasks that can be completed successfully in most situations. Avoid using call center speech technology for its own sake, and instead look for opportunities in which speech provides distinct value to customers and the organization.
We are by no means doomed by expectations. By understanding the expectations of the caller and the call center, we can create speech IVRs that meet business goals and deliver a positive caller experience.
First published on Call Center IQ.
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