Crafting An Engaging IVR Script

In the modern businesscape, Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Systems have evolved from an extension of customer experience to a vital customer service component. IVR allows incoming callers to access information and direct queries without speaking to a live agent. Being a pivotal step in caller retention, creating an engaging IVR script is a crucial step toward generating a loyal customer base. In this blog, we will discuss the essentials you need to follow while drafting a perfect IVR script for your brand.

The Dos of writing IVR script

1. Understand your audience– The critical point in creating an IVR script is to analyse your target audience. Tailor your scripts per the caller’s usual queries and preferred language and dialect. Knowing your audience will help you use the right tone and language and provide an additional touch of assurance to your callers before they even interact with a live agent. 
2. Keep it simple– The trick to writing a good IVR script is keeping it simple. Use clear and concise language. Avoid unnecessary technical terms that your customers might need help understanding. The goal is to make the interaction as easy and straightforward as possible. 
3. Provide options– Offer a menu of options to guide callers to the correct department or information. Employ a logical flow to prevent confusion and frustration. For example- “Press 1 for sales. Press 2 for support”.
4. Write clear and concise greetings– First impressions last long, and rightly so! Keep your greeting succinct yet concise and warm, including the business name and a brief statement about the purpose of the call. 
5. Personalise when possible– If you have caller information, use it to personalise the experience. Refer to the caller with their name and provide relevant information based on their entered queries. This personalised approach implies the value and significance your company gives to its repeat callers, further generating brand loyalty.  
6. Provide an option to speak with a live agent – Always provide an option to speak with a live agent in case the caller cannot convey what they need to the IVR system. This will reduce the frustration of multiple call redirects and assist the customer in raising their non-FAQ queries with ease. 
7. Test the IVR system– Once the IVR script is written, use a test caller system and conduct A/B testing to gather unbiased feedback on whether the IVR recording serves its intended purpose of customer satisfaction while keeping up with the brand tone. 
8. Ask for feedback– Unbiased opinions from the test audience cannot provide absolute certainty in IVR efficiency. Asking the actual callers for feedback is important as well. It will make your customers feel heard and aid you in revamping or recreating your IVR recording as needed. 

Explore more: How to Improve Customer Service with IVR Production

The Don’ts of Writing an IVR Script

1. Avoid long menus– Limit menu options to a reasonable number. A long list of options can overwhelm the customer and increase the likelihood of a call drop.
2. Minimise repetition– Repetitive messages and long waiting time makes the customer restless and often infuriated with the brand service. 
3. Skip the jokes or excessive niceties – Attempting humour may be risky as jokes may fall flat, could be mistaken as offensive, or means of stalling. At the same time, excessive niceties can be confused with brand brownnosing, alienating the customer and making the process monotonous.
4. Don’t neglect regular updates- Ensure that your IVR script is regularly updated and reviewed. Old scripts and outdated information can lead to confusion and misdirection for your callers.
5. Abstain from poor-quality recordings- The idea of recording in-house IVR prompts might be appealing, but it’s essential to recognise the preparation and expertise required for professional voice recordings. Ensure you research the right artist, tone, dialect, and equipment to produce a good IVR recording. 
6. Ineffective integration of promotions– Many brands assume that loading more promotional content in the IVR system could boost their customer reach. However, such an approach might backfire, increasing the calling waiting time and frustrating the customer. “To The Point” problem-solving is always the best approach for a brand to adopt for superior CX.
7. Redirecting customers back to the website– If your customers have tried to approach you via phone, redirecting them back to the site is not the best solution. Brands must note that the customer has chosen to engage with them over a medium they are comfortable with, and redirecting them back to the site will demonstrate a shallow customer insight of the brand. 

Should Businesses Use AI for IVR Production?

The ‘human touch’ will remain an invaluable asset, irreplaceable by AI. While AI has made significant progress in IVR production, we believe businesses must choose cautiously and not engage solely on AI for their IVR systems for several reasons, like – 

1. Impersonal Interactions- AI-generated IVR scripts often lack the human touch and an inability to understand the nature of human queries. The mechanised IVR discourages customers from interacting with an AI-generated script to solve their complex brand queries.
2. Lack of brand tailoring– AI-generated scripts are often based on templates that might not reflect your brand’s unique identity and values. Customisations offered in the premium versions are also quite limited compared to the ones by the human voiceover artists, making the experience dull, robotic and uninspiring. 
3. Limited contextual understanding– Humans are complex, and understanding our problems is even more challenging. While an automated IVR script, both human or AI fails to read between the lines, the dialects and language tailored to the target audience in human IVRs help gain a better contextual understanding of customer queries, which is vital for a brand to offer efficient customer service. 

Balancing automation with the human touch is the key to creating successful IVR Systems. We at Studio 52 have perfected the art of crafting IVRs that redefine customer engagement. With a talented team of voiceover artists and an excellent backend team to study your brand needs, we deliver concise and engaging IVR recordings for your target customers that leave a lasting impression. With thousands of satisfied clients in the UAE, we assure you that your IVR system is managed by industry experts.

While AI can be an invaluable support tool, maintaining the human touch is paramount. Contact us today to produce a personalised IVR script, enhance the brand CX, and convert your present callers into potential clients and loyal customers. 

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