IVR Surveys Best Practices: How to Automate Customer Feedback IVR

(Interactive Voice Response) surveys are a quick and hands-off way to get customer feedback and insights. IVR can cut customer support costs by 30% and can be set up in minutes.

ConversationalAI IVR helps businesses gain actionable insights and is a must-have modern customer experience strategy. Using conversational AI solutions like Synthflow AI, businesses elevate the process further - creating smoother, more engaging interactions.

This guide takes a deep dive into IVR, and how you can use conversational IVR to drive higher response rates to satisfaction surveys. Read on to deliver smart automation into your CX strategy, and gain valuable insights with generative IVR.

What is an IVR Survey?

IVR survey are automated phone questionnaires that can take place through either incoming or outgoing calls and typically consist of pre-recorded, automated messages to gather feedback.

First introduced in the 1970s, early systems of IVR used dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) technology where users would respond via their phone’s keypad. While it streamlined data collection, traditional IVR had its limitations - rigid menu structures and low engagement due to being impersonal.

As technology advanced, traditional IVR evolved into conversational IVR using natural language processing (NLP) and AI.

Conversational IVR allows customers to interact with systems through voice recognition and it’s more intuitive and human-like. This has greatly impacted response rates, operational costs and customer satisfaction.

Comparison: Traditional IVR vs Conversational IVR

Traditional IVR systems use rigid menus which can feel impersonal and limit response quality. Conversational IVR powered by Synthflow AI mimics human interactions, makes surveys more engaging and gets higher completion rates.

Businesses also save operational costs as conversational IVR eliminates the need for live agents while maintaining high level of customer care. Here's a clear outline on the difference of the two.

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IVR Survey Types and Use Cases

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) surveys are great for collecting customer feedback whether initiated by businesses or customers. Conversational IVR tools like Synthflow AI enhance both outbound and inbound experience with seamless integration, conversational flows and advanced analytics to get you results.

Outbound IVR: Proactive Feedback

Outbound IVR surveys allow you to reach out to customers proactively, automate follow-ups and feedback collection. Examples include:

• Post call surveys to measure satisfaction.
• Appointment reminders with quickly confirm or reschedule.
• Follow up on recent interactions to measure service quality.

Compared to traditional IVR systems, conversational IVR powered by Synthflow AI creates more human like interactions, increases response rates by up to 30% and saves time for contact centers. With advanced analytics businesses get more insights into preferences and satisfaction levels to refine services.

Inbound IVR: Customer Initiated Feedback

Inbound IVR surveys allow customers to voluntarily provide feedback by calling an automated service number. Examples include:

• Feedback after a purchase or service delivered.
• Surveys tied to promotions or loyalty programs.
• Reporting issues or open ended thoughts.

Traditional IVR systems are designed for structured responses and miss out on valuable insights. Conversational IVR encourages open ended customer-initiated feedback and gets richer data. Synthflow AI processes these responses with advanced analytics to find trends and actionable recommendations from qualitative feedback to help businesses improve services and customer experiences.

Why Use Conversational IVR Surveys?

Conversational IVR has many benefits for both businesses and customers:

• Time Saving: Automating feedback collection means no live agents, so staff can focus on more complex tasks.
• Consistent and Unbiased Data: IVR surveys are standardized, so no interviewer bias and uniform data collection.
• Higher Response Rates: IVR surveys get higher response rates than other methods. For example post call voice surveys can get up to 35% response rate which is 3 times higher than online surveys sent via email.
• Cost Savings: Automating routine questions means IVR can save customer service costs up to 30% as it reduces reliance on human agents for repetitive tasks.
• Real Time Feedback: IVR allows for real time data collection so businesses can identify and fix issues quickly, to increase customer satisfaction.
• Better Data Quality: The structured nature of IVR surveys minimizes missing or incomplete responses so you get better data for analysis.
• Better Workload allocation: IVR helps businesses optimize the workload of their team as repetitive and routine calls and tasks are managed by AI.

By using these benefits businesses can increase customer loyalty, improve operational efficiency and make data driven decisions to stay ahead of the competition.

Why Automate Customer Surveys with Synthflow AI's Interactive Voice Response?

Better Response Rates

Keep your survey open 24/7 and get survey data even when you sleep. When you conduct surveys using IVR, customers can respond at a time that suits them.

You can link Synthflow's voice assistant to the "Contact Us" button on your website as a way to collect customer feedback. This increases the chances of getting a response, as customers provide feedback at their convenience.

Improve Cost Efficiency

Synthflow's conversational IVR significantly improves the cost efficiency of call centre support. Surveys are automated 100%, and the intelligence is quickly able to provide insights into customer satisfaction.

You don't need a human agent to handle the survey, saving you time and money. Moreover, human agents would have better use of their time and skills instead of handling mundane tasks. This also reduces the risk of human error and increases the accuracy of data collected.

Example:

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Get Real-Time Feedback

Traditionally, businesses used time-consuming, mail-based surveys to get customer feedback. They relied on customer loyalty and motivation to fill out and return surveys, often resulting in low response rates. Synthflow makes getting instant feedback simple with conversational IVR surveys.

Customers can easily provide feedback at the end of their phone call or interaction, giving businesses valuable insights right then and there. You can keep a closer eye on customer satisfaction, identify trends, and make immediate changes to improve your services.

Seamless Integrations

Synthflow integrates with hundreds of popular third-party apps to incorporate survey data into your existing workflows. This means you can easily analyze and track survey results alongside other important metrics, so you can make data-driven decisions.

Best Practices for Crafting Effective IVR Surveys

Keep Surveys Short

Nobody wants to interpret a novel when they're reading a question. Keep your survey short and to the point. Focus on asking about the important things first, like the customers' overall experience of your service and if they experienced any issues. Limit it to 3-5 questions max.

Drop the Jargon

Simple language goes a long way. Using too much jargon in your IVR survey can confuse customers. Confused customers tend to lead to inaccurate data.

Keep the language clear, concise, and easy for anyone to understand. Drop any industry-related, overly technical terms. The goal is to encourage your customers to share accurate, truthful feelings about your business. Keeping things simple helps achieve this.

Choose the Right Scale

Most people are familiar with a scale of 1-5  when it comes to answering surveys.  However, make sure to choose the right scale for your specific survey. For example, if you are asking about product ease of use, a scale of 1-5 may not provide enough variation in responses. In this case, a scale of 1-10 is likely more appropriate.

Analyze Feedback

Every survey result can be incredibly impactful to your organization. Automated surveys represent the voice of the customer. If you want to make the best use of their time on the phone, you'll need to design questions that capture survey respondents' overall satisfaction and leverage the actionable data from the results.

Reviewing the qualitative data from your IVR survey can give you insight into customer opinions and behaviors. It can also highlight patterns or trends that need attention from your team.

Synthflow makes analyzing data easy with instant reports and customizable dashboards. You'll quickly identify areas for improvement and make informed decisions based on customer feedback.

Advanced Features with Synthflow AI Voice Agents

Streamlined Surveys with Skip Logic

Synthflow AI’s skip logic reduces survey fatigue and improves customer engagement by tailoring questions based on customer responses. For instance, a fast-food business seeking feedback on new menu items can skip questions about specific dishes if the customer hasn’t tried them yet.

Synthflow's skip logic ensures the survey remains relevant, keeps customers engaged, and prevents frustration from answering irrelevant questions. In healthcare, skip logic can streamline patient feedback by bypassing questions unrelated to their treatments, saving time and improving the response rate.

Expanding Reach with Dynamic Multilingual Support

Synthflow AI makes surveys more inclusive and accessible with dynamic multilingual support. Businesses can provide surveys in multiple languages, allowing customers to choose their preferred language at the start. Currently, this Synthflow offers voice AI agents in English, Spanish, German, French, and Dutch, with more languages coming up.

For a global e-commerce platform, this feature ensures customers from diverse regions can provide feedback without language barriers, reducing miscommunication and fostering stronger connections. In the tourism industry, multilingual surveys can capture feedback from international travelers, helping businesses improve their services for a global audience.

Actionable Insights with Real-Time Data Integration

Synthflow AI’s data integration capabilities allow businesses to create a centralized database of customer feedback, providing real-time insights for tracking trends and resolving issues quickly.

For example, a telecommunications provider can use real-time sentiment analysis to identify service bottlenecks and immediately respond to customer dissatisfaction, improving their overall experience. By analyzing trends over time, businesses can make data-driven decisions to refine their offerings, address pain points, and stay ahead of the competition.

Personalized Experiences with Top-Quality Voice Talent

Synthflow AI offers customizable, human-sounding voices to enhance the customer experience and align with your brand identity.

For example, a luxury brand could choose a sophisticated, polished voice from Synthflow’s library to create a high-end, premium feel in their IVR surveys.

Alternatively, a tech startup could use its founder’s cloned voice to add a personal touch that resonates with customers. With seamless integration of ElevenLabs or OpenAI voices across all subscription tiers, Synthflow ensures that every interaction reflects your brand’s personality and values.

Conclusion

IVR surveys are a game-changer for collecting actionable customer feedback efficiently and cost-effectively. Synthflow AI’s features, from skip logic to multilingual support, enhance this process. Get started today with your free trial.

FAQ

How can Synthflow AI improve the response rates of IVR surveys?

Synthflow’s generative IVR tool creates dynamic, natural conversations, boosting customer engagement. Real-time responses make surveys feel personalized, not robotic. Use Elevenlabs or OpenAI voices to deliver a more human-like experience.

Are open-ended questions possible with Synthflow AI's IVR surveys?

Yes! Synthflow supports open-ended questions, allowing customers to express their thoughts freely. It personalizes responses and can ask follow-up questions to gather more detailed feedback.

How does Synthflow AI handle multilingual IVR surveys?

Synthflow offers multilingual support, handling surveys in languages like French, Spanish, and German. It uses advanced text-to-speech models to understand and respond in various languages, improving engagement with diverse customers.

Can Synthflow AI’s IVR surveys integrate with my existing CRM?

Yes, Synthflow integrates with popular CRMs like Hubspot and Zapier. Feedback is automatically synced to your CRM, saving time and eliminating manual data entry.

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