Easylink's Interactive Voice Notification (IVN)Costs Less Than Live Calls
IVN improves quality and economy of calls by up to 70%
EasyLink Services, the leading global provider of services that power the exchange of information between enterprises, their trading communities and their customers, is helping businesses improve call costs and achieve higher response rates with its Interactive Voice Notification (IVN) service.
According to SoundBite Communications, a leading interactive voice messaging
application service provider in the US, IVN is far more cost effective than live calls with costs 20% to 70% lower. In addition, returns of 30 to 500% more answers are possible than when simply using direct emails.
“Retention, customer satisfaction, increase in brand loyalty and a higher return on investment are just a few of the benefits that IVN users are already enjoying. IVN is fast and easy to implement and gives immediate results which are of key importance to business in all sectors”, said Colin Clare, Vice President Sales Europe, EasyLink Services.
IVN is being used by utility companies to alert thousands of people in a few minutes about disruption to service or energy levels being reduced. Inland Revenue services are using IVN to advise individuals about tax changes and to give reminders about contributions due. Hospitals are using IVN to remind patients about dates for surgeries, consultations and examinations. Publishers are notifying magazine subscribers about updating their details and signatures with the added option of renewing it automatically.
Banks are also benefiting from IVN advising customers about new credit cards issued or about new services available. In addition the IVN system provides opinion research and updates database information that can be accessed via the web.
“There is a growing global tendency that indicates peoples’ preference to self-services”, said Colin Clare. “With the launch of IVN, EasyLink allows the user to be the owner of the situation, able to opt in or out of the suggested action and also be able to interact in each step according to his or her preference. That way, the call center used by the company can be focused on more strategic actions.”
Economy, quality of service, and return on investment are achieved with IVN because the service dispenses with the need for hardware or software and is totally web based. With no development or integration required, IVN set up time is kept to a minimum. IVN sends a message via telephone to customers with the option of being partly or totally interactive. The service identifies if the message has been answered by a person or by an answering machine. According to the chosen model, the customer can respond by voice or use the phone to confirm options or to send data.
IVN strategic characteristics:
- A call center team can manage each step of the activity making decisions in realtime.
- Each message can be personalized according to the action with the option of usingthe company’s spokesperson or a celebrity voice.
- With voice recognition technology, critical details such as confirmation or change ofaddress can be made fast and easily in the same way as with an attendant.
- IVN has a tool allowing the ‘hold’ option in case the person who answered is not theintended target. Another benefit is the intercept code preventing improper access tosecret information.
- Any message can be scheduled for a later time according to the customers’availability.
About EasyLink Services Corporation
EasyLink Services Corporation (NASDAQ: EASY), headquartered in Piscataway, New Jersey, is a leading global provider of services that power the exchange of information between enterprises, their trading communities, and their customers. EasyLink’s networks facilitate transactions that are integral to the movement of money, materials, products, and people in the global economy, such as insurance claims, trade and travel confirmations, purchase orders, invoices, shipping notices and funds transfers, among many others. EasyLink helps over 20,000 companies, including over 400 of the Global 500, become more competitive by providing the most secure, efficient, reliable, and flexible means of conducting business electronically. For more information, please visit www.EasyLinkServices.co.uk.
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