Interactive voice broadcasting (IVB). How to easily navigate the software

Doing business in the trade and service sectors involves communicating with an extensive flow of customers. It is only logical that the growth of such companies is related to expanding the customer base and hence to the need for new hires to inform and consult customers. As the first option, you could use call center services, though it presupposes additional expenses topped up by the risk of third-party access to confidential information. Or you could opt for sending text messages. But keep in mind that people tend to dismiss such SMS without reading them, so the efficiency of this option is only presumed.

Dialer by IPtel can be a great alternative to the above methods. Setting up an automatic dialer and automatic voice response software is an effective way to reduce the cost of remunerating additional employees and protect your business from third-party interference. What is more, you can always check if the recipient listened to the voice message or hung up.

Basic software features

IVB installation involves:

• playing of a pre-recorded audio file to leads;
• recipient’s response to the message using tone input on the keypad (if needed);
• providing information using the voice file with subsequent lead’s routing to the operator (if needed);
• setting the number of message repetitions;
• continuous call quality assessment (report on the result; answer/dismiss/busy/no answer, and so on);
• programming the campaign start and end;
• uploading a list of customers from the pre-drafted excel file or manually;
• setting call sequence;
• launching multiple dialing campaigns at once.

Software benefits

The main advantage of IVB installation is using company operators for resolving complex issues with the customer. This being said, the software can sometimes complete the task better than a human:

1. Sending the same message to an extensive number of users. A person may feel tired or forget to give some information. On top of that, every person needs breaks to take some rest, while the computer plays a recording countlessly without getting tired or forgetting things. When needed, the computer will methodically get through to the lead until the call is answered.
2. The same intonation throughout the message. The operator may not always be in full control of his or her emotions. Even the most stress-resistant people with a long track record may fail to remain calm enough. The computer, on the contrary, will not be able to change intonation or give an unusual reaction to the user’s response when playing a pre-recorded voice message.
3. Night work. Companies with international customer databases face issues with time zone differences, which means that the lead’s local time differs from the current local time. If this is the case in your company, you either need to hire people for night work (which is remunerated at a higher rate) or use the software to set the country and time when the computer should call customers. The system will start dialing customers automatically based on the set time zone.
4. Communicating the identical message through multiple channels at once. This work requires the involvement of several people. What is more, each of them will have their own peculiar voice pattern and pitch, speech speed and articulation. This may impact the customer’s perception of information. When the IVB system is used for this task, the voice consistent with the notification situation is selected for message recording. This means that the same linguistic impact is experienced by each lead.

Working with the software

Interactive voice broadcasting is a convenient service facilitating the task of communicating the same information to customers and, when set correctly, allows doing without the involvement of employees.

To launch the IVB, set the campaign without involving the operator. This is only possible when using progressive or predictive dialing modes. First, go to “Dialing Campaigns” tab and select In Out IVB under “More setting”. Set the preferred parameters in the fields:

• enter campaign name;
• select a file to be played to the customer;
• enter the number of greeting repetitions before the user responds (using the tone input);
• limit the number of tries when pressing the action key, which is not used in the options (e.g., the customer presses 1 or 2 instead of 3);
• set input time (in milliseconds);
• set possible options for the lead’s response status (this option is important for analyzing campaign efficiency);
• enter the number of IVB channels (calculated based on the number of leads to whom the information is communicated);
• allow incoming calls (select “No” in case of automatic notification);
• lock the status (to start calls, set this field to “Active”).

When you press the “Change” button, the system accepts configured parameters and is ready to go.

Set algorithms for launching a scenario when a lead activates a certain key (proceed to a new audio file, say good-bye, replay the message, assign a call status based on the recipient’s response).

Then, the manager uploads a list of contacts, enters the country code, phone numbers and any data required for the customer card. This is followed by immediate uploading of leads into the pool, and the dialing starts. To stop it, edit a campaign by making it inactive. When finished, select “Inactive” in the IVB’s “Status” field.

IVB efficiency

The effect of using this service is directly proportional to its benefits. Since the routine task of communicating the same information to customers is delegated to the machine, the company only involves employees to resolve complex issues that cannot be foreseen in typical scenarios.

The flow becomes more organized, as the system does not deviate from the set algorithm, allowing you to expect guaranteed call results.

This service helps optimize the timeframes required for calling more people. This can be adjusted by connecting multiple lines for online dialing. Say, you need to notify customers of the important news that require an immediate response. Or, conversely, when the message does not require the recipient’s immediate answer, it can be communicated in the course of a longer period of time.

Telephone IVB also has a good track record for internal notification of employees in large companies, including those whose work is related to life-threatening manufacturing processes.

Summing up, IVB connection guarantees commercial benefits for the organization, allows developing your business by growing an active customer base without expanding the staff, while ensuring the stable performance of notification tasks.