Using IVR Call Centers to Collect and Manage Payments

IVR call centers possess automation systems that help enterprise organizations grow rapidly without hiring extra helping hands. They take the workload off the human workforce and automatically cater to customers’ needs. Large organizations actively use Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems to serve their customers.

This blog discusses why large organizations should consider using IVR technology to manage various internal and external communications.

Why Should Organizations Adopt IVR Call Centers?

Free Up Workforce Resources with Automation

Large B2C organizations handle thousands of customers’ calls every day. These organizations solve the most common customer questions with pre-recorded messages on an interactive voice response system. When a human touchpoint is required, these systems also route callers to the concerned person/department seamlessly. 

These organizations use the IVR systems to route both internal and external calls to the right stakeholders using pre-set workflows. Advanced technology partners help these organizations set up and customize these call routes dynamically.

Offer Better Customer Service

IVR systems are often used by reputable organizations that wish to establish a brand image. A well set-up system often acts independently without the need for live agents. A study by Zendesk in 2020 shows that more than 50% of customers across the globe prefer using phones to reach out to a customer service team. Therefore, large organizations expect their phones to ring almost non-stop. Having an IVR system that routes calls and answers the most commonly asked questions reduces high waiting time and helps offer better customer service.  

The most advanced IVR systems go one step further by automatically identifying the high-value customers using the phone numbers on the inbound calls. They automatically route these calls to the respective customer support teams that offer premium services. 

Maintain PCI Compliance

Using a live agent or a call recording software to collect payment information may put an organization at a data security risk. Organizations must implement an added layer of security on their IVR systems if they use them to collect payments. With a PCI-compliant payment processor, they manage their customers’ payment information (credit card numbers, account numbers for ACH payments, etc.) via a touch-tone interface. 

Live agents may write down or record sensitive information like account numbers, routing numbers, and credit card numbers to enter it into a system later. Improper disposal of such sensitive information may endanger the customer and the organization. A well-implemented secure IVR system prevents such threats.

 

IVR Technology for Municipalities

Reduce Turnaround Time (TAT) for Customer Queries

Government offices in large cities and counties need that extra bit of efficiency since they are almost always logged with more work than they can handle. Dealing with thousands of customers’ queries every day is a daunting task that needs more than just added workforce. Automation via IVR systems will help government offices route calls and increase customer satisfaction with quicker resolutions.

Collect Tax Payments

Tax collection remains a crucial part of government processes. Earlier, people had to mail in their tax checks or go to their nearest municipality office to pay their taxes on time. However, with ACH payment solutions, they can pay their taxes without stepping out of their house. Moreover, they also benefit from cash discount programs using ACH technology to pay their dues.

 

IVR Call Centers for Healthcare and Medical Billing

Collect Insurance Information on Call

For most, juggling healthcare bills is a huge hassle, and a delay in paying these crucial bills may result in a life-or-death situation. Hospitals today adopt IVR phone systems to collect payments and insurance information on calls quickly. Now patients at homecare don’t need to travel to the nearest hospital to pay their bills. Instead, they gained the option to pay with ACH and credit cards online or on the phone with IVR tech.

Handle Emergency Payment Queries 

Healthcare systems are the lifeline of patients, and they need to be online and up to date 24×7. Under complicated medical situations, the unavailability of staff is entirely inexcusable. However, our medical staff is human too, and they need rest and recovery just like everyone else. Unlike live agents, IVR systems are available after business hours for customer support to handle those emergency medical situations. These systems will route the incoming calls to the correct emergency departments that handle such dire cases.

 

IVR Phone Systems for Utility Companies

Collect Water and Energy Bill Payments

Utility companies leverage the ACH solutions to collect payments from their customers while saving costs on processing fees. Large companies often deal with thousands of queries every day. Late payments for water or energy bills may cause the discontinuation of these essential services. The utility companies leverage advanced IVR systems to collect payments from customers via ACH and credit cards.

Handle Customer Grievances

Customer satisfaction is one of the most critical factors in the success of a utility company. With so many options available in the open market, unhappy customers have the liberty to switch their service providers at the drop of a hat. So, these companies use advanced speech recognition IVR systems to detect the tone of voice of unhappy customers and automatically escalate the situation to live agents. With these automated systems, they also offer temporary resolutions to unhappy customers to appease them and keep them engaged.

 

Technically advanced payment processors will help large organizations seamlessly accept and process ACH and credit card payments. They give the option to help these organizations adopt complementary payment technologies like IVR paymentsSMS paymentsEmail invoicingRecurring billing, etc. Set up your payment gateway to start processing payments today.

 

Date originally published: April 24, 2022

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