When used correctly, such systems can greatly improve call handling to the benefit of callers and businesses alike. In particular, they reduce a company’s reliance on telephone operators to transfer calls and eliminate much of the message-taking staff are required to do.
Voicemail
Voicemail has grown in the last few years, driven in part by the take-up of Direct Dial Inwards (DDI).DDI has the ability to assign individual phone numbers (DDI numbers) to extensions and departments, enabling callers to dial directly without going through a switchboard. It is therefore important to have some form of answering system in place so that the call can be taken even if the person called is away from his/her desk.
Features and Benefits of voice mail
The ability to leave messages in personal mailboxes - even outside office hours - reduces demands on telephone system operators and minimises interruptions to co-workers.
Improves customer service by giving callers the assurance that their message will be heard and by eliminating unanswered, lost or misdirected customer phone calls. Voice mail, though, is much more than a glorified answering machine.
It takes a message when you are on the phone
alert you when you receive an urgent message
send a single message to a group of people
forward a message to a colleague.
record different greetings for internal and external calls and by time of day
Voice mail packages vary in capacity (the number of voice mailboxes the system can support) and sophistication. Phone system manufacturers normally offer fully integrated voice mail options for their own phone systems that are designed to be very easy to use, with extended functionality and sophistication. A number of specialist companies also offer voice mail packages that are compatible with phone systems from the major manufacturers.
How to get the best out of your voicemail
Always reply to your messages - do not hide behind it.
Refresh your voicemail message regularly,daily if possible.
Always offer an alternative to leaving a message in a voicemail box,such as dial '0' for the operator.
Auto-attendant
Auto-attendant systems are designed to direct calls to the correct individual or department without the need for a human operator, increasing productivity.
Callers benefit from quick answering with their calls directed correctly, using recorded prompts such as ‘for sales please press one; for accounts, please press two’ and so on.
It should be remembered that some callers are uncomfortable using auto-attendant services, so the option to speak to a human operator should always be made available by any customer-facing organisation.
Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
IVR is used for automation of routine information transactions. For example, IVR can be used for brochure and literature requests or for order taking, where the caller is prompted to leave their contact details and account information. IVR can also be used to give out routine information such as theatre performance start times and seat availability. IVR systems usually offer callers a choice of voice recognition or phone keypad operation.
IVR systems are also available with fax integration so, for example, a price list can be faxed back automatically in response to a customer request.
