introduction

While many people have a general dislike of automated phone

systems, well-designed IVR systems are easy to use and provide
access to valuable information. Buying and setting up an interactive
voice response system includes working with the dealer to design the
'tree' — the branching set of menus, prompts, and answers — so that
callers can quickly find what they want.

IVR is most familiar as a solution for inbound customer calls, but has
other uses as well. IVR can provide a boost for sales-focused call
centers: they're available to take orders around the clock, without
requiring you to hire workers for additional shifts.

Another popular application for interactive voice response is providing

information for mobile employees, allowing them to call in for
automated status updates and assignments. IVR can also be used for
outbound calling, including customer service follow-up and surveys.

At their most basic, interactive voice response systems play pre-

recorded messages in response to specific numbers being pushed on
the telephone keypad. Full-featured systems incorporate both speech
recognition, which allows callers to simply speak their choices,
and text-to-speech technology that reads information from a
database aloud, without the need for pre-recording.
This BuyerZone IVR Buyer's Guide will help prepare you for an
interactive voice response purchase by describing:

 how to compare multiple IVR systems

 which features to look for
 how to choose an IVR dealer
 how much you can expect to pay

The term interactive voice response (IVR) systems is

used to describe a range of automated systems
generally accessed through a telephone interface.
Consumers frequently encounter IVR systems when
placing calls to businesses. A caller may be greeted
with the message to "Press 1 for balance enquiries,"
Press 2 for customer services," and so on.

IVR systems

IVR systems are an example of computer-telephone

integration (CTI). The most common way for a phone
to communicate with a computer is through the tones
generated by each key on the telephone keypad. These
are known as dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF)
signals.

Each number key on a telephone emits two

simultaneous tones: one low-frequency and one high-
frequency.
Other IVR systems include speech-recognition software
that allows a caller to communicate with a computer
using simple voice commands. Speech recognition
software has become sophisticated enough to
understand names and long strings of numbers.

On the other end of the phone call, a business can

employ text-to-speech (TTS) software to fully automate
its outgoing messages. Instead of recording all of the
possible responses to a customer query, the computer
can generate customized text-like responses and read it
back to the customer using an automated voice.

The purpose of IVRs is mostly to make the initial process of answering

and routing a call more efficient. Instead of talking to a live person, the
caller is greeted by a pre-recorded voice coupled with technology that
is capable of understanding words the caller speaks or selections
he/she makes using the phone keypad.
 
Often, though, a customer will be able to get his or her question
answered without ever talking to a live rep, simply by selecting
different menu options and being routed to recordings that provide the
needed information. If not, an option is usually presented to opt out of
the pre-recorded menu and be routed to a live person.
 
When implemented correctly, an IVR can help customers perform
transactions or get answers over the phone faster than they would by
speaking to a live rep. Many customers, for example, appreciate the
ability to quickly check the balance on a bank account, book a flight
reservation with an airline, or refill a medical prescription.
 
Most consumers are familiar with the well-established IVR that uses
keypad selections to direct callers through a series of pre-recorded
menus. Most advanced systems now include voice recognition,
allowing callers to speak commands rather than punching in numbers.
This type of advanced solution is most appropriate labeled “interactive
voice response,” since it involves not only the voice of the pre-
recorded message, but also what the caller says.
 
Early speech-recognition features for IVR systems weren’t very
sophisticated, but they have been greatly improved in the past few
years. These systems can now understand not just words like “yes”
and “no” but names and strings of numbers as well with a high degree
of accuracy.

Yet another technology, text-to-speech (TTS), is now being coupled

with speech recognition to make IVR systems more flexible.
Customized text — such as details of a bank account balance or
specifics for an airline ticket — can be created, and then read to the
customer by a computerized voice. This removes the limits placed by
having to pre-record all information presented to the caller.

Some companies choose to buy all of these components and run the
system in-house; others opt for subscribing to a “hosted” or
“managed” IVR service that provides the necessary functionality
without requiring equipment purchase and upkeep.
Large and small businesses have adopted IVR technology
because it saves money that would otherwise be spent on
living, breathing (expensive) employees. An IVR system's
effectiveness is rated by the percentage of callers who ask to
speak to a live operator. The lower the percentage, the more
successful the system. Of course there are some IVR systems
that never give you the option of speaking to a live operator. But
even among IVR fans, that's considered bad practice.

The future of IVR

The increased usage of Voice Over Internet Protocol
(VoIP) in voice networks is likely to affect how IVR will
be used. This is due to the introduction of protocols
such as SIP. The introduction of SIP means that
communications are no longer restricted to voice calls
but can now be extended to multimedia technologies
such as video. This will bring a new meaning to
automated services as IVR extends its reach to video
calls.

Many IVR manufacturers are working on Interactive

Voice and Video Response (IVVR) systems, especially
for the mobile phone networks. The use of video will
give IVR systems the ability to use graphical and video
information to assist the caller.
The introduction of video IVR may allow systems in the
future the ability to read emotions and facial
expressions. It may be used to identify the caller, using
technology such such as iris scan or other biometric
means. Recordings of the caller may be stored to
monitor certain transactions, and will be used to reduce
identity fraud.

Common uses of IVR

IVR systems are typically used to
service high call volumes, reduce
costs and attempt to improve the
customer experience. Examples of
typical IVR applications are:
telephone banking, televoting, and
credit card transactions. Large
companies use IVR services to extend
the business hours of operation.

Call centers use IVR systems to identify and segment

callers. The ability to identify customers allows the
business to tailor services according to the customer
profile.
Voice-activated IVR systems are now used to replace
the switchboard operators which are used in many
hospitals and large businesses to reduce the caller
waiting time. An additional function is the ability to
allow external callers to page hospital staff and transfer
the inbound call to the paged person.

The largest installed IVR platforms are used for

applications such as voting in TV game shows which
can generate enormous call spikes. IVRs have also
been widely used to take orders for mobile content,
such as ringtones and logos, weather forecasts.

IVR systems also allow callers to obtain data relatively

anonymously. Hospitals and clinics have used IVR
systems to allow callers to receive anonymous access
to test results. This is information that could easily be
handled by a person but the IVR system is used to
preserve privacy and avoid potential embarrassment of
sensitive information or test results.

Large pharmaceutical companies also use IVR systems

to conduct global clinical trials and manage the large
volumes of data generated. The caller will respond to
questions in their preferred language and their
responses will be logged into a database and possibly
recorded at the same time to confirm authenticity.
Automated IVR systems provide a range of benefits to
consumers. IVR systems often operate 24 hours a day,
allowing consumers to conduct certain personal
business at a time that is convenient for the caller,
regardless of a company’s business hours. However,
IVR systems can also lead to a sense of frustration for
consumers hoping to speak to a live person who can
answer a question or provide technical support.

SYSTEM APPLICATIONS

 Airlines / Railways / Bus Stations

Arrival/Departure timings Reservation

Status Tele booking

 Banks/Financial Institutions

Auto attendant

Account status

Balance Amount in the account

Loan information etc.

 Telemarketing

Market divisions of Industrial units

 Telesurvey
Market research organizations

 Hotels

Auto attendant

Reservation

Room availability status

 Retail stores

Teleordering / Teleinformation

 Stock market

Shares information

 Voice messaging

Voice Mail

 DOT/Basic Telecom

operators Changed No.

announcement systems

Bill reminder systems

Morning alarm

systems Fault

booking systems

 Telemedicine
Tele consultations

 Cable TV operators

Faults/complaints

registration Channel

information

Payment reminder

SYSTEM FEATURES

 Total information from telephones through telephone

network.
 PC based application
 Common hardware for any voice related application
 Play back facilities of the recorded messages.
 Facility for recording the messages with microphone,provided
with the system.
FOR COLLEGE AUTOMATION
Now-a-days every institution needs automation. As a part of
college automation, we have decided to do a project Voice
Interactive System for College Automation. Our project allows the
user to know the student's attendance and marks quickly through
the telephone line without the intention of the college authority

Using ivrs we have to automate our college or university, as

college send letters to home that contains the details of sem
exams numbers,attendance etc. But after the impementation
of this project college don't need to do anything. Once
college is automated using this project then on college
telephone line parents have to call for getting the details
regarding semester exam numbers, attendance record etc
and at other end the software is interfaced with 8051
microcontroller hardware. When the telephone rings the
microcontroller will sense the ring through the opto coupler
and sent a chracter to pc serial port. Upon receiving the
chracter the vb program will play a welcome message, then it
plays the user to enter the roll number of the student. When
the user press the particular numbers form mobile or landline
the microcontroller will get this dtmf signal from the
telephone line and sent it to the vb through serial port. The
vb software will play the messages according to the user
need.
Advantages of Using IVR Systems
The biggest advantage of IVR for small and large
organizations is to save time and money. Answering
phone calls takes a lot of time, and not every phone call
deserves the attention of a trained employee. IVR systems
can take care of most of the frequently asked questions
that an organization receives (office hours, directions,
phone directory, common tech support questions, et
cetera) and allow customer service reps, salesmen and
tech support specialists to concentrate on the harder stuff.
IVR systems have the advantage of making callers and
customers feel like they're being attended to, even if it's
just by a machine. If you have a simple question, it's better
to get a quick answer from a computerized operator than
to wait ten minutes on hold before talking to a human
being.
Another advantage is that IVR systems don't sleep. They
don't take lunch breaks. They don't go on vacations to the
Bahamas. An IVR system can be available 24 hours a day
to field questions and help customers with simple tasks.
An IVR system can make a small company look bigger.
Let's say you work from home as a consultant. By using a
hosted IVR service to answer your phones, you already
appear like a larger organization. You can get tricky by
adding several menu options for different departments, all
leading to separate voice mailboxes. Some IVR hosting
plans even set you up with an 800 number to look more
official.
Subscription IVR hosting plans make it easier for
businesses and organizations to use these automated
phone services. This is a big advantage of days past,
when only large companies with big telecommunications
and computing budgets could afford the hardware,
software and staff to run in-house IVR systems.
 IVR Systems And Outsourcing Service
Business phone systems and toll free answering systems
(generally 800 numbers and their equivalent) are very
popular for service and sales organizations, allowing
customers and prospects to call your organization
anywhere in the country. Our IVR software adds another
dimension to our already feature rich call center phone
solutions. 

An Interactive Voice Response (IVR) processes inbound

phone calls, plays recorded messages including
information extracted from databases and the internet. It
can then route calls to either inhouse service agents or
transfer the caller to an outside extension. It enhances our
phone system's current robust features of predictive
dialing, ACD, and digital call recording.

Our IVR solution is an automatic toll free phone answering

system. It collects useful information from a caller before
the call is transferred to an agent. The IVR system (IVRS)
could fulfill the caller’s request without a transfer.
Our IVR software system gives your organization a 24 by
7 capability, providing around-the-clock information to your
callers. 

By responding to prompts provided by our IVR system,

callers can now receive any information you choose to
make available. Call centers in particular can become
instantly more productive by letting the phone system
gather caller information, verify caller identity and, if
necessary, determine the best service representative to
handle this request using our interactive voice response
technology. 

An IVR, or Interactive Voice Response, is

commonplace for consumers today. Most
individuals experience the benefits of IVR daily in
their interactions with their various service
providers. IVR is used in industries like: insurance,
auto sales, trucking services, phone service, and
the like.

The benefits of IVR are such that a company can

take its existing business and expand it to other
states in their homeland or even abroad. In today’s
economy, businesses are going global. In order to
stay competitive and make a profit, companies
must expand and the benefits of IVR can make
that possible.

The benefits of IVR are not only present for businesses,

but for the consumers as well.
 Some of the consumer benefits of IVR include:

 Easy access to the specific department of the branch

or business
 Ability to check balances
 Functions to interact with the system
 Ability to order several items in one call without
speaking to a representative
 Functionality to be transferred to different
department within the organization
 Ability to speak someone’s name and be transferred
to that someone.

The benefits of IVR for businesses are many too.

Businesses that choose to opt out of launching an IVR will
have a tough time in today’s economy. Professionals say
that consumers are now more comfortable with using an
IVR system than with speaking to a live representative.
However, sometimes a caller must speak to a
representative for detailed questions that the IVR system
cannot handle. In these cases, the IVR systems are set
up to transfer the caller to a live person if the menu
options do not correspond with the nature of the
customers call. The benefits of IVR in this regard will cut
down on your callers’ frustrations by getting them where
they need to be. Businesses using this technology can
expect to:

 Save money on lost customers

 Attain a larger customer base
 See larger profits
 Save time by getting the caller to the correct department
quicker
 Organize workgroups
 See statistics on call center operations
 Gauge staffing needs
 Set up voicemails for workgroups and individuals

The benefits of IVR are endless. A company cannot expect to

remain competitive in their given marketplace if they do not
possess the tools their customers need. The benefits of IVR
are such that a company will always be there for their
customers. IVR systems make it possible to serve clients 24-
7; if a company does not have this ability, a customer might
choose to take their business elsewhere.

A company also has to remember about time zones. If, for

instance, the company provides a service that people abroad
are interested in, not having an IVR can cause difficulties for
the consumer trying to reach the company. Therefore,
the benefits of IVR will be seen immediately with an
expanded customer base. If you are a normal 9-5 operation,
you cannot get customers who are normally sleeping during
business hours in your time zone.

In this day and age, a company cannot afford to loose steady

customers. Whether a company provides goods or services,
and the service level of those goods or services goes down,
customers will start looking for someone else to provide a
better level of service. Therefore, the benefits of IVR
are essential, not only in growing your business, but
maintaining it as well.

Nowadays, a comprehensive telephone

hotline system is a way to stand out from
a competitive business environment.
News Power provides you with an
advanced communication system that
facilitates an efficient, professional and
highly effective customer service.
Different services can be provided via
IVRS, including, but not limited to Info
Call Service Hotline, Fax On Demand,
Game and Lucky Draw Participation,
Call Transfers, Voice Messages,
Redirect Calling, Market Research /
Survey and Outbound Bridging. An
incoming caller report with phone
number and / or call duration can also be
provided for follow up, if required

Advantages of using IVRS

Provides consistent and accurate information. 
Provides efficient and cost-effective customer service. 
Builds up the corporate image of your company. 
Updates information at any time and any place. 
Reduces staff work load of handling phone calls. 
24 hours non-stop operation.