How to Set Up IVR Routing For Your Business
Whether you’re a growing business or a high-volume call centre, IVR routing is a feature that will massively benefit your company. From streamlining operations to minimising customer wait times, implementing an IVR routing system is a no-brainer.
But how does IVR routing actually work? And how does your business set this up?
In this mini how-to, we’ll guide you step by step through everything you need to know about IVR routing, and have you set up as quickly as you can say ‘call’.
What is IVR Routing?
In a nutshell, IVR routing is a call management feature of a business’s phone system. This feature allows a caller to select a certain department to answer their requirements. The feature then routes the customer to a specific person or group of people based on pre-established rules and criteria. This helps direct the call to the right contact and shortens wait time significantly.
For example, banks often employ IVR routing systems to help expedite a caller’s requests. Someone who’s dialled the bank hotline in the hopes of urgently reporting a fraud won’t want to be directed to the department that deals with home loans.
Routing occurs based on the caller’s input into what’s known as the interactive voice response system (IVR), but can also be distributed based on user attributes – like department requested.
IVR is typically only available for business phone numbers such as 1300 numbers or 1800 numbers.
How Does IVR Routing Work?
IVR routing works by going through 3 separate steps:
Qualifying: When a user dials a business number, they’ll be met with an interactive voice response (IVR) tool. This helps determine the purpose of the caller via automated questions and prompts.
Selection: The caller’s selected response is then sent back to the IVR for distribution.
Distribution: The calls will be routed to your agents according to the IVR rules you’ve set, to ensure the right customer is met with the right agent for their needs.
How to Set Up IVR Routing
Setting up IVR routing is a simple process when you’ve got the support of providers like Teleca to guide you through it. We list out the steps below so you can feel confident to get started on the journey to a more optimal business ASAP:
1. Define your business needs and goals
Before you do anything, take a look at your typical customer enquiries, and group them. Then, determine your desired outcomes and set KPIs (reduced wait times, resolution time) that can be measured over time. Remember to consider seasonality and fluctuations.
2. Choose call routing software
Select a call routing software that meets your business needs, can scale as your company grows and integrates with your other systems (like CRM).
3. Design your call flow
Create a visual map of how your calls should be directed, including IVR prompts, routing options and destinations. Test this with a small group before doing the full rollout.
4. Configure routing rules
Set up your routing rules based on factors like:
Time of day
Business hours
Agent availability and skills
And so on
5. Set up teams/agents/departments
Assign your agents to appropriate teams/departments/skills groups. That way, customers can be connected to the experts they require to answer their questions and/or business needs.
6. Implement ringing rules
Choose your ringing rules based on what best suits your business and your customers. This can come in the form of round-robin, simultaneous ring, etc.
7. Enable additional features
Consider enabling opt-in features that may have come with your phone plan. Services like Teleca will have the option to allow voicemail after-hours or call forwarding to mobiles, as some examples.
8. Train your team
Get everyone across the new system and make sure they understand the new call flow. Provide training on any new software where possible and reiterate best practices for customer experience.
9. Monitor and optimise
Make a point of analysing your call data and KPIs regularly, gathering any feedback from agents and callers where you can. This will help you continuously refine your routing strategy for the best performance!
Types of Call Routing
Ultimately, you should choose the type of call routing that suits your business and your customer’s needs best. But so you have all the information, we outline these briefly for you below:
1. Skill-Based Routing
Quite simply, this is a routing system where calls are routed to agents according to their skills. The call routing system will “match” the caller with the agent with the necessary skills required for their concerns.
2. Time-Based Routing
This one’s great for global corporations, as it allows calls to be routed according to the agent’s business hours and time zones. This means that a caller is never left waiting too long, and the agent isn’t getting a call at 4 am that they need to respond to.
3. Round Robin Routing
This is the most commonly used. It evenly distributes calls amongst agents by rotating the call assignment between agents.
In this system, each agent must take a turn before the another call is assigned to the first agent. For example, if A, B, C, and D are agents in the queue, and A receives the first call, then the next call to A comes only after B, C, and D attend one call each. This repeats and makes things fair and uniform.
4. Simultaneous Ring
Another way of balancing calls across multiple destinations, this will dial all of the destinations at once and the first to pick up takes the call.
Benefits of Using IVR Routing in Your Business
The benefits to your business of using an IVR routing system are endless. We summarise the top ones below:
Minimises wait times
Improve your customer experience by cutting down wait times. When your IVR routing system automatically distributes callers to the right agents for you, you reduce their wait time, expedite a resolution for them and generally, give them a great customer experience!
Streamlines internal processes
When you’re a large company with multiple teams, branches and departments to manage, IVR routing can help streamline processes and allocate the best people for the job. Plus, it eliminates the need for as many internal transfers which reduces customer wait times. Everyone’s a winner!
Increases productivity
When the right people are working on the right tasks, more urgent tasks are prioritised and productivity skyrockets.
Provides information faster
With IVR routing, you can provide more information upfront before a caller selects an option, including business hours, location and self-service workflows.
Improve Customer Experience With Your Business Phone Number’s IVR Routing
IVR routing ultimately works to streamline your business’s operations, minimise caller wait times and ensure that both parties’ needs are met efficiently. In a time when customer service is king, IVR routing is an easy and effective way to guarantee stellar service, every time.
Telecommunications companies like Teleca have a wealth of experience in these matters, and are a great source of business numbers – many of which have an easy-to-set-up IVR routing function. Get in touch with us about how we can help your business today.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the differences between 1300 and 1800 numbers?
The main difference comes down to who pays for the call. When a customer dials a 1800 number from an Australian landline, the call is completely free for them. With a 1300 number, the caller pays a standard local call rate, and your business covers the rest. Both options give your business a professional image and include handy features like IVR routing to help manage your incoming calls smoothly.
How much does setting up IVR routing cost?
Setting up IVR routing is usually included as a standard feature with your 1300 or 1800 number plan. At Teleca, we bundle this routing software into our monthly plans, so you won’t face hefty setup fees. Your overall costs will just depend on the specific tier of your chosen number and your monthly call volume. It’s an incredibly cost-effective way to upgrade your customer service.
What are some common mistakes to avoid when implementing IVR routing?
The biggest mistake is making your IVR menu too complicated. If you give callers too many options or bury the option to speak with a real person, they’ll quickly get frustrated. You should also avoid using robotic, unnatural voice prompts and forgetting to update your routing rules during public holidays. Keep your menus simple, clear, and always focused on getting the caller to the right team fast.
What specific features should I look for in IVR routing software?
You’ll want software that offers skill-based and time-based routing so calls always reach the right agent during business hours. Look for a system with an easy-to-use dashboard, customisable voice prompts, and seamless CRM integration. It’s also crucial to have built-in analytics so you can track call volumes and wait times, helping you continually tweak and improve your customer experience.
How can I train my team effectively on the new IVR system?
Start by walking your staff through the visual map of your new call flow so they understand exactly how calls reach them. Run a few test calls together to familiarise everyone with the software dashboard and transfer processes. Make sure you provide a simple cheat sheet of the routing rules and encourage your team to share feedback on any bottlenecks they notice during those first few weeks.
Are there case studies of businesses that successfully implemented IVR routing?
Absolutely! Many Australian businesses, from local trades to large medical clinics, have transformed their operations using IVR routing. For instance, multi-department clinics use it to separate booking enquiries from urgent medical calls, drastically cutting down wait times. While we respect our clients’ privacy, you can check out our customer reviews to see how businesses have streamlined their daily call flow and boosted productivity with Teleca.
What are the latest trends in IVR technology?
Modern IVR technology is moving away from clunky keypad menus and towards conversational AI and natural language processing. This means callers can simply say what they need rather than pressing buttons. We’re also seeing tighter integrations with omnichannel support, allowing a caller’s IVR data to instantly pop up on an agent’s screen, making the whole customer service experience feel much more personalised and seamless.
How can I customise my IVR prompts for better customer engagement?
Ditch the robotic voice and record your prompts using a friendly, natural-sounding Australian accent that matches your brand’s personality. Keep your greetings brief and put the most popular options at the start of the menu. You can also customise prompts based on the time of day or season, like adding a quick festive greeting or mentioning current wait times to keep your callers informed and engaged.
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