Is it possible to conference Customer,Agent and IVR

[bpapp]

Hi,

Is it possible to conference the customer, agent and the IVR self-help call flows, so that the agent can guide the customer thorugh the call flow? Can this be achieved by the agent conferencing to a route point where the IVR call flow will be initiated once he is on call with the customer? Or is there something else to be done to achieve this?

[Kubig]

I find it as absurd and unfounded claim. What would that be good?

[Steve]

I guess that it could be done "by the agent conferencing to a route point".

But I'm with Kubig on this, why? Surely the callers intent is to speak to an agent, to transact some business, not to get a lesson on how to use the IVR. If the caller has come through to the wrong agent, transfer them to the correct one directly.

If it keeps happening, look at how you can improve the IVR to avoid it in future.

[Will Moverley]

Hmmm, sorry but why would it NOT be a good idea??

I work for a large bank.. we use this exactly as the OP described..

What happens when a customer is in the IVR, and they dont actually know how to make a bank payment, move money... check there balance.. or any other of the automated services we offer? They press the options to speak to an agent every time, and then ask an agent to do whatever it is they require.. If at this point the agent says.. "I see you were trying to do a bank transfer, would you like me to walk you through how to do this, so that next time you can try yourself?" at this point, the agent conferences in a route point, that targets the IVR, and they can then talk to the customer as the IVR is playing, walking them through what it is they need to do.

Then maybe, just maybe, the next time that customer calls the automated IVR, they will know what to do, and it will be one less customer that needs to be transfered to an agent..

More customers using self service = less FTE in the contact centres..

Will

[Kubig]

Sorry, but I cannot agree with this reason. In this case it would be necessary to make a similar exception for all customer service, for cases where the customer does not know what to do. That's absolute nonsense, since it is just agents to help him and solve his request. I understand that the customer required this service,but is whether a Genesys vendor offers other solution.
So, requested scenario is possible of course,but not suitable.So,this is only my opinion.

[Steve]

[quote]What happens when a customer is in the IVR, and they dont actually know how to make a bank payment, move money... check there balance.. or any other of the automated services we offer?[/quote]
Why don't they know? Is the IVR too complicated?

[quote]maybe, just maybe, the next time that customer calls the automated IVR, they will know what to do[/quote]
Maybe, but is there any evidence? And does the result outweigh the time the agents waste teaching IVR?
Some people will always go for the agent option, no matter how many times you teach them how to use the IVR.

[quote]More customers using self service = less FTE in the contact centres..[/quote]
That's true, but using agents to teach IVR requires FTE.

So I still believe the answer is to make the IVR easier to use, not to waste agents time trying to teach callers.

[Fra]

As said by the other guys, it's simply ludicrous: you waste 2 expensive resources - FTE AND IVR port - for one call..nice one.

And you work for a large bank..no concerns around security and PCI-DSS compliant-like issues?

Baffled.

Fra

[cavagnaro]

Chillout guys, I also agree 100% with you, for us with years in experience and knowing our world this looks like a baby asking to go to the Africa using your car, without refilling gas and no use of any sort of ship to cross the ocean...

Possible technically, yes, makes sense? NOT AT ALL. Worth the effort and time including $$$ to develop such thing just be dropped in 3 months? NO.

Let him see his car sink or be stuck at a certain millage...maybe common sense by experience is something we learn by hard hits.

[bpapp]

I tried the method of agent conferencing the customer to a route point where the IVR is configured. But below are my observations,
1. Both customer and agent are able to hear the IVR, but when the agent advices the customer, the IVR and the agent's voice breaks up and the conversation is not clear after that.
2. The menu option entered by the customer is not recogonised. But if the agent presses the menu option, it is recogonised. I believe it is because its the agent who had called the route point.

Is there something else that needs to be done to achieve this functionality?

[cavagnaro]

I think you will get more help from Genesys support. Many of us already make it clear already we don't agree with you and therefore will not lose time with it.
Maybe someone who agree with you will help but that is a shot to the air...