Explore the evolution of self-service technologies in this three part series. Part 3 demonstrates how Visual IVR delivers on the promise of self-service and call center connectivity. It explains why converting your existing IVR into a Visual IVR is a sensible investment that also yields a better customer experience for your customers. To learn more, visit our website - http://www.jacada.com/?pk_campaign=Content_Gen&pk_kwd=slideshare

1. The Natural Shift from Self
Service Technology to Visual
Connectivity
Part III
Visual IVR: Ease of Connectivity from
Self Service to the Call Center
Contributor:
Dr. Natalie Petouhoff
Former Forrester Analyst
Customer Service. Simplified.
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2. The Natural Shift from Self Service Technology to Visual Connectivity
Table of Contents
Section A: How Visual IVR Delivers on the Promise of Self-Service and Call Center Connectivity
3
Evolution of the Push-Button IVR to the Visual IVR
3
No Need to Retire the Current IVR Technology; Just Evolve It’s Interface
4
No Rip and Replace of Current Push-Button IVR Technology Required
5
How Touchscreen IVRs Can Replace 1-800 Numbers on Websites
7
How Touchscreen, Visual IVRs Keep The Customer’s Journey and Information Across All Channels
9
What about customers who do not have smart phones?
9
Section B: Example Use Cases of Touchscreen, Visual IVRs
10
Reducing Customer Frustration and Rage
10
Better and Less Expensive Onsite, Field Service
10
Staying On Top of Inventory
11
Increasing Customer Safety and Loyalty
11
Section C: The Benefits of Visual IVRs
12
Section D: Next Steps and Best Practices - Evaluating Your Current Capabilities
14
Building the Business Case to Increase Your Capabilities
14
Where do I Begin?
14
The ROI of Touchscreen IVRs
16
Summary
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3. The Natural Shift from Self Service Technology to Visual Connectivity
NOTE: A timeline of the evolution of self-service can be seen at the boarder of the paper. It gives a historical
perspective of the progression of how self-service has transformed over the last 125 years. Highlighted are
various inventions that have driven innovation, developed the technological innovations and lead us to where
we are today.1
Section A: How Visual IVR Delivers on the
Promise of Self-Service
Evolution of the Push-Button IVR to Visual IVR
One way to cut costs in the contact center has always been to provide self-service. And while self-service
has promised to deliver cost reductions, studies show it does not always do that. In fact, for self-service to
really be an option that drives positive customer experiences and thus lower costs for companies, the gap
between agent-assisted customer experience and self-service, push-button IVRs has to be narrowed.
Unfortunately, up until now companies could only offer non-visual, non-touchscreen IVR menus. However ,with
HTML 5-base technologies, one of the ways to narrow the gap in customer expectations and actually
deliver the financial benefits of self-service is to use a visual/touchscreen IVR. Figure 1a shows the customer
experience before a push-button IVR and Figure 1b shows the customer experience on a touchscreen IVR.
A visual, touchscreen IVR interface provides the customer with a visual representation or picture of the IVR
menu. Instead of having to listen to the IVR options, a customer can see a picture of the options and using
touchscreen, choose the option they want.
Figure 1a. The customer experience before a touch screen IVR and Figure 1b with a touchscreen IVR.
Before
1876
1877
1st regular telephone
line from Boston to
Somerville MA
1st telephones were 1st switchboard was
rented in pairs
set-up in Boston
1st bi-directional
transmission of
clear speech
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After
1880
1882
1880's
1888
47,900
Telephones
in the US
1st patent for
a telephone
switchboard
1st Vending
Machines for
postcards in
London
Sears Catalogadvertises watches and
jewelry
1st automatic telephone exchange
replacing manual switchboards
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4. The Natural Shift from Self Service Technology to Visual Connectivity
No Need to Retire the Current IVR Technology; Just Evolve It’s Interface
While retiring the IVR investment isn’t desirable nor economically practical, evolving its user interface is
practical because the ROI is quick and large. The process of how this works is seen in Figure 2. By giving
IVR’s a visual interface, cutting edge enterprises are redefining IVR, improving its customer satisfaction
contribution and using it in many ways that were not possible before. Visualizing an IVR is like creating a
multi-level menu on a website or a mobile application. The IVR’s path becomes a picture on a touchscreen
or a website. Users can touch or click the selection they want, making their selection a lot faster, visually.
This completely changes the experience, first by allowing users to view the path of the menu choices and
not forcing customers to listen to all options. And second, by allowing them to easily navigate back and
forth to find the option they need. It is also significantly faster and cheaper than the traditional IVR alone.
Figure 2. How The Touchscreen Visual IVR Process Works
1892
1894
1905
1915
1937-1939
1939
Phone Service
was established
between New
York and
Chicago
1st batteryoperated
switchboard
Self-Service
Gap Pumpsin St. Louis,
Missouri
Transcontinental
telephone service
by overhead wire
was inaugurated
Elektro- the
robot built by
Westinghouse,
could walk by
voice command
& speak ~700
words using a
Voder Machine
Voder Machine - the
first attempt to
synthesize human
speech by breaking
it down into its
component sounds
and reproducing them
electronically
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5. The Natural Shift from Self Service Technology to Visual Connectivity
No Rip and Replace of Current Push-Button IVR Technology Required
Often the issue with making changes to contact center software, especially for large organizations is that
changing technology is expense, time consuming and nearly impossible to get approved. Fortunately,
implementing a touchscreen IVR technology doesn’t mean companies have to rip and replace their current
IVR. Touchscreen IVRs can augment current IVR technologies and provide even higher ROIs than just
push-button IVR.
Figure 3 shows how the current IVR strategy can be transformed into a touchscreen, visual IVR. The
touchscreen, visual IVR menu system integrates with your current IVR system and works both on your
website and on mobile devices. This integrated approach provides a more consistent customer experience
regardless of the touch points the customer chooses.
Figure 3. How an IVR Menu is Translated By Technology as a Visual Representation of the IVR
Build your IVR
The technology interprets
your IVR in real time
And renders a Visual IVR
with enhanced features
of Web & Mobile
1941
1946
1947
1st touch-tone phone
using tones
Credit Cards“Charge-It” was
introduced. The $1
Buckaroo Buffet
was established
Beginnings of
cellular phones;
AT&T proposed
the FCC allocate
radio frequencies
for widespread
mobile phone
usage
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1962
1963
Bell developed a
1st touch tone
new way to dial phones – mobile
area codes using car phone model
DTMF
introduced
1965
Touch screens
were developed
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6. The Natural Shift from Self Service Technology to Visual Connectivity
A visual IVR can be implemented on websites, microsites, within online communities and forums and on any
mobile device. The touchscreen, visual IVR solution reuses the same Voice XML (VXML) scripts your current IVR
runs on. Most modern IVR systems run VXML (short for Voice XML). The Visual IVR can read the VXML scripts in
real-time and render them out on your customer’s smartphones, mobile devices or tablets. Any changes made
to your VXML script are immediately and automatically reflected real-time on mobile devices and websites /
platforms, Figure 4.
Figure 4. Changes Within One Channels are Immediately Duplicated to All Presences
Even if your IVR system runs on proprietary code, most IVR formats can be mapped and extended
onto mobile or integrated into your website, complete with all the features – including pre-recorded
voice segments or agent screen pops. The advantage is that it works with your current IVR technology,
preserving and reaping your original IVR investment without involving costly interruptions or clashes with
your other vital communications channels. And because it works with your existing IVR scripts, you don’t
have to maintain a separate set of customer interaction scripts. And the implementation time is in days,
not months.
1967
1968
ATM’s
Touch
Screen UI
Donald Wetzel
created the
idea of the
ATM network
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1970
1971
1st cordless Southwest
phones
Airlines
introduces
the ability
of the
passenger
to pick their
own seats
1977
1982
1986
HP introduced a
programmable
computer that
fits on top of
a desk
Internet protocol
suite was
standardized
QVC –allowed
customers to
shop from home
FCC granted the
frequency range of 4749 MHz for cordless
phones
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7. The Natural Shift from Self Service Technology to Visual Connectivity
How Touchscreen IVRs Can Replace 1-800 Numbers on Websites
Many customers will look at your website for the customer service contact number. Instead of a customer
picking up a phone and calling that number, a customer can click on the touchscreen IVR button embedded
on your website. Studies show that a visual IVR is more efficient than listening to audio IVR prompts. On
average, it can take a customer 26.83 seconds to listen to an IVR menu vs 6.03 seconds to scan a smart
phone screen. And the visual IVR lowers the number of “zero-outs”.
Imagine the 1-800 number on the webpage transforming into a “contact us” button. Once the customer clicks
on this bottom they will get the IVR menu on their screen and from that point on they can navigate through
the IVR menu on their own, and get any information they needs. Customers can touch their way from menu
to solution in a matter of clicks– all from the comfort of their smartphone screen or webpage. They can even
connect directly to a specific call center agent, request a chat, or even view holding time and choose a call back
option.
At any point in time, the customer can choose a different channel like chat to interact with the company.
Because the website, chat, email, the phone are all part of one touchscreen, visual IVR menu system,
anything the customer does in one channel is kept as part of that customer’s journey.
That way anything the customer has done is tracked and visible to the contact center agent.
If they reach out to an agent, they do not have to repeat what they have already done.
1987
1990
1993
Star Trek debuted
touchscreens and
voice recognition
Frequency
range of 900
MHz for cordless
phones
Bellsouth introduces
the mobile phone with a
calendar, address book,
email and more
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1994
1995
1996
1999
Amazon
eBay
AOL
Napster
1st digital,
cordless
phones
Alaska
Airlines
offers
online
check-in
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8. The Natural Shift from Self Service Technology to Visual Connectivity
And all of the same features on the website are also possible in the mobile version of the application. This can
become the company’s mobile application if they do not have one or it can integrate to a current company’s
mobile applications. All the data collected on the customer experience, regardless of the channel is maintained
in the database so the customer does not have to explain what they have already done. A customer can be
sent a text message to get them started on a mobile, touchscreen experience, Figure 5. And the system allows
a customer to type in information, which is more difficult to do on a touch-tone phone pad without making
mistakes.
Figure 5. A customer is sent a text to start a visual, touchscreen session.
Dear customer,
please click here to tap your
way through our visual system
2000
2001
2002
2003
2011
2013
Microsoft
Tablet
iTunes
allowed customers to
purchase individual
songs online
RedBox
Introduced
DVD kiosks
Web UIs and
visual technologies
such as HMTL 5
lead to multitouch devices
Mobile
Payments
Jacada
Introduces the
Visual IVR
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9. The Natural Shift from Self Service Technology to Visual Connectivity
How Touchscreen, Visual IVRs Keep The Customer’s Journey and Information Across All Channels In Tact
Visual IVR not only provides a visual experience for the customer but it also provides consistency and
continuity so a customer can start the interaction on the web or mobile and finish it done and at the same
time, keeping the experience across all touch points the same. This is in part why a touchscreen, visual IVR
increases customer satisfaction. It also improves your call center service levels by routing calls precisely
where they need to go and reducing the need to forward and re-route incoming customer calls.
What about customers who do not have smart phones?
Visual IVR supports multiple output channels. While web, mobile web and native iOS and Android are
very popular, there are large sections of users who do not have smart phones. Visual IVR can support
non-feature rich phones through the USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) protocol. USSD
is supported across most GSM carriers and provide an alternative mechanism for rendering a visual IVR
interface to these users.
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10. The Natural Shift from Self Service Technology to Visual Connectivity
Section B: Example Use Cases of
Touchscreen, Visual IVRs
To better illustrate how visual IVRs can be used, the following section provides some examples of how companies
are developing new customer experience strategies that include visual IVRs.
Reducing Customer Frustration and Rage
This first example is with a national cellular provider with millions of subscribers. They found
that over 600,000 customers per month were travelling internationally. As a result, these
customers were hit with data roaming charges. When customers called to change their
plan, they found calling the 1-800 number when aboard was cost prohibitive.
If the international cellular provider proactively sent their customers a text message when
the customer was near a border or at an international airline terminal with a link to a visual
IVR, the customer could quickly and easily follow a visual menu to compare, select and
choose an international calling package. This would help customers avoid the shock and
upset of roaming charges. When roaming, the visual IVR is considered part of their data
plan because it uses the local wifi connection. This can also save customers money.
Better and Less Expensive Onsite, Field Service
Another example is a communication equipment company who installs and provides set-up
and troubleshooting service. They often have to rely on contracting third parties to deliver
that service. And it can be difficult, with all the new products and services being offered, to
keep those third-party service providers trained in the latest updates.
As a result, often these contractors who are faced with challenging trouble shooting
situations, end up needing to place a call to the contact center. These calls often result
in lengthy diagnostic call flows to get to the root cause of the issue. With visual IVRs, the
touchscreen helps these contractors to more easily navigate the IVR and trouble-shoot the
customer’s issue faster, especially on mobile devices. In fact, service technicians find that
they are able to resolve the customer’s issue without having to place a call to the contact
center.
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11. The Natural Shift from Self Service Technology to Visual Connectivity
Staying On Top of Inventory
In this example, a large beverage company is receiving orders from restaurants to replace
inventory. However, because of the pace in the restaurant industry and the need to
service customers real-time, the focus is on serving the customer versus paying attention
to inventory levels. As a result, often timely re-ordering to restock the inventory doesn’t
happen, and ends up resulting in calls to the contact center.
The beverage company can leverage the touchscreen IVR as a visual ordering system. This
makes it easier for restaurants and kiosks to conveniently re-order directly from their smart
phone. Because of the ease, effectiveness, and efficiency of the visual ordering process, the
adoption is high and the beverage company receives more frequent orders, increasing their
cash flow, reducing calls to the contact center and increasing customer satisfaction.
Increasing Customer Safety and Loyalty
In this example, there are regions in the world where people are faced individual security
and safety issues. For instance, hailing a cab should be an easy task, but in dangerous
regions in the world it can be a hit or miss affair. An enterprising taxi cab company could
see this situation and using a visual IVR, create a unique service that increases the trust of
customers, and hence the use of their services.
One example scenario is that a customer calls a cab, not realizing that the cab company
is not legitimate. Locked in the cab and driven, at gun-point to an ATM, they are forced to
withdraw cash. In these situations, a customer could be dropped off in a remote area, and
if they are lucky, eventually found. However, if they are less lucky, they may end up being
shot and/or killed.
However, if you are the enterprising, reliable, well-known taxi company you can provide
customers with a visual IVR to use on their smart phone or tablet. This reputable taxi
company could embed photos of the driver into the Visual IVR application and then the
passenger, before the passenger gets in the cab. That way both the passenger and the cab
drive are informed of what each of them looks like. This increases the peace of mind of the
customer and reduces the risk of foul play. And makes that taxi cab company the number
one choice in cities with high risk or even a top choice in low or non-risk cities.
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12. The Natural Shift from Self Service Technology to Visual Connectivity
Section C: The Benefits of Visual IVRs
Providing a visual IVR experience as an addition to traditional IVR systems, creates an innovative, advanced and
practical solution that makes the common pain points of traditional IVRs a thing of the past. A touchscreen IVR
solution enhances a company’s customer satisfaction goals while removing the barriers placed by traditional
IVR systems on a company’s profitability.
Figure 7 shows the benefits to both the customer experience as well as to a business’s bottom-line.
As you look through the table, you’ll find that there are benefits to both the customer experience and customers as
well as to the company. This is one particular solution that drives the goals of both the company and customers.
This is a rare, but important distinction. Many technologies have promised better results for companies, but
often at the detriment to the customer’s experience. In this case a touchscreen visual IVR actually enhances the
customer experience a great deal while reducing costs. This is an important fact to use as part of your business
case for senior leadership.
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13. The Natural Shift from Self Service Technology to Visual Connectivity
Figure 7
Benefits to Your Customer
Benefits to Your Business
Easy, Visual Navigation
• No need for customers to simultaneously listen to
long, confusing menu trees in an effort to remember
which number corresponds to the right option and
then use the phone’s keypad to choose that option
• Quick access to the desired selection
• Intuitive, easy-to-use, 24-7 self-service tool for all
channels
• Improves access to important information
• Expand the communication channels for your wide
range customer preferences
• Allows customers to visually walk through your
existing IVR menu, anywhere, anytime
• And from convenience of their own home, computer or
mobile device
• Don’t have to listen to complete menu trees and have
quick access to their desired selection
Dramatically Reduces Costs / Enhances Revenue
• Reduce agent-assisted call volume
• Lower IVR and telephony charges
• Allows you to keep your original IVR investment and
easily update it for mobile and web
• Re-uses same set of scripts in other channels
• Lower agent turnover and attrition costs by reducing
stress and boredom from routine requests
• Increases FCR
• Decreases AHT
• Increases customer satisfaction, positive word of
mouth, customer lifetime value, customer retention
and loyalty
• Decreases or eliminates call abandonment rates and
zero outs
• Preserve the investment of your original IVR
No Need to Repeat Information to an Agent
• Rich screen-pops mean customers don’t have to retell
their story to an agent
• Customer’s frustration is reduced
Reduces Call Times and Volumes
• Rich screen-pop reduces agent-assisted call time and
call volume
• Increased routing effectiveness increases first contact
resolution and reduced agent handling time
• Bottlenecks and peak times can be controlled better
Better Customer Experiences
• Reduced call times
• Reduced hold times
Easy Implementation
• Reduces interdepartmental issues between various
stakeholders (Customer Service, Self-Service, Mobile,
Web, IVR…)
• Reuses existing IVR scripts, so lower barrier to
implement
• If the IVR runs on Voice XML it is compatible with any
website or mobile app
• If it runs a proprietary format it can be converted to
work with Visual IVR
• See return on investment faster
• No coding required; implementation is days not
months
Easy Maintenance
• No additional scripts to maintain
• A website or a mobile app is synced to the IVR menu
so no maintenance time, programming, or cost.
• Is not tied to a specific call center hardware or
software
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14. The Natural Shift from Self Service Technology to Visual Connectivity
Section D: Next Steps and Best Practices Evaluating Your Current Capabilities
Building the Business Case to Increase Your Capabilities
Your goals in developing a better IVR strategy might mean driving more calls into a highly effective and
efficient self-service offering. This might include:
• Decreasing the number of “zero-outs” or agent-assisted calls
• Knowing more about the customer and why they are calling if they opt to talk to an agent so you can:
• Decrease Average Handle Time
• Increase First Contact Resolution and
• Eliminate asking a customer to repeat their interaction history and details of their story /
issue when they connect to an agent
• Providing a consistent experience regardless of which channel the customer uses
You will want to spend time looking at your current goals, how the technology is / is not meeting those goals.
Those goals should include not only company goals but also goals on making the customer experience
the best it can be. Providing better customer experiences has been shown to have a direct correlation to
driving the company’s goals of reducing costs and increasing revenue.
Where do I Begin?
You’ll want to start out by determining what your current system provides. Figure 8 provides specific
warning signs that can help determine if your current deployment of your IVR is not meeting customer
expectations. And Figure 9 provides some sample questions to get customer feedback on their point of
view on the effectiveness of your IVR system. Getting customer feedback is very important to providing the
best possible service and lowering costs. Once you have gotten feedback on your current technology, you
are ready to develop the business case and Return on Investment (ROI) for making changes.
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15. The Natural Shift from Self Service Technology to Visual Connectivity
Figure 8: Signs Your IVR is Not Meeting Customer Expectations
Here’s some of what to look for:
IVR “zero-out” rate is greater than 7%
Percentage of call transfer within the contact center is high
Your company’s website is listed on sites that show customers
how to “zero-out” to reach an agent
When customers who used an IVR more often than not reach an agent
and are even more frustrated than when they first tried to reach the company.
Figure 9. Sample Questions To Ask Customer’s About Your IVR
Ask your customers if they feel:
Forced to listen to long, introductory prompts?
Are the menu options so long that they have a difficult time deciphering
or remembering which option to choose?
Is the navigation path clear, i.e., is it easy for them choose the right option
to get their answer as well as to go back to the main or previous menu?
Does the IVR system hang-up on them when they don’t respond fast enough
or go down a IVR path that is a dead-end?
When picking an IVR menu option, does the agent receive the information about the
customer or does the customer have to repeat it all once connected with an agent?
(I.e., is the agent desktop computer telephony integration (CTI) delivering all customer
interaction data to the agent?)
When using your IVR, especially on mobile devices, do customers become frustrated
and just zero-out vs. navigate the IVR menu tree?
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16. The Natural Shift from Self Service Technology to Visual Connectivity
The ROI of Touchscreen IVRs
The return on investment or ROI is a calculation that balances the costs of a something vs the value of the
benefits. The benefits listed in the previous section are part of what needs to be calculated to determine
the ROI. Figure 10 shows the inputs required for determining the ROI. This calculator can be found at the
following website for you to input your own numbers: www.visual-ivr.com/calculator.
It’s important to gather your inputs like:
• Call volume/ month
• Average handle time / call
• Number of agent transfer/month
• Percentage of customers who use self-service currently
• IVR cost/ minute (hosted)
• Cost of an agent-assisted call/ month
At the bottom of Figure 10 are the cumulative 3-year net savings after costs.
Figure 10. The inputs for a visual, touchscreen ROI.
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17. The Natural Shift from Self Service Technology to Visual Connectivity
Summary
With Phone still being the number one channel customers use to contact a company, it is important this
mean of communication is enhanced to better the customer experience. IVR constraints like long hold
time & confusing menus are still a major source for customer frustrations. Looking forward, Visual IVR
stands to correct this wrong. It is a win-win solution for both company and the customer. The company can
easily implement this solution while gaining immediate cost reduction. The customer enjoys an experience
he controls, using his own devices, anytime, anywhere.
For more information on visual IVR – click here.
Refrences
1. Study of Airport Self-Service Technology, IJCSI International Journal of Computer Science Issues, Vol. 7, Issue 3, No 1, May 2010
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