How many times have you called a company through its interactive voice response (IVR) application to either encounter two distinctly separate scenarios:

A.)   You are routed to exactly where you need to go to get the information you require

B.)    You find yourself entangled in a sticky, mismanaged web of call options and menus

The latter option is what prompts many to hang up while in the middle of working within the IVR, which some companies see as a completed call due to poor performance tracking/analytics technology; however, in reality, this cannot be any farther from the truth. I’m sure you – just like me – have been caught in this web more than a few times. It’s frustrating, exhausting and off-putting to the customer when you feel like no matter what option you select, you seem to continue in this cyclical, non-linear pattern.

So what’s the problem at hand? A poor IVR call flow is being put in place. But before we get to that, what’s a call flow in the first place? In case you’re looking to implement an IVR, industry expert Plum Voice spells it out for you:

A call flow is one of the first steps, and among the most critical components of designing an IVR application.  A call flow is a graphic and written representation of the various functionalities and options available in an IVR system.  The call flow identifies features as well as prompts and menus that direct users towards a variety of options.

So now why is a proper call flow vital to ensuring business operations? According to Plum’s blog, “A high-performing and well-implemented call flow is a critical component of any quality IVR system because it directs and dictates every interaction the caller can have with an application.”

To learn more about IVR call flow, click here to read Plum’s blog in full or stay tuned for part two next week, where we will discuss what types of calls can be automated and how to create a call flow.