Automated outbound phone notifications are becoming a popular strategy for improving service and reducing costs. I want to review 10 ways that companies in different industries can send automated outbound IVR or Voice Broadcasting notifications to customers, based on ideas I gathered in a webinar by Forrester Research.
1. In-Home Services
When a repair or installation company says they’ll arrive between 9 AM and 3 PM the customer is forced to be home all day. Instead, the company could send an automated call to the customer 30 minutes before they expect to arrive to make sure the customer is home, or will get back home, in time. Customers will certainly appreciate this service because they won’t have to sit at home all day, and this strategy will save companies money because they can confirm the customer is home to let the service provider inside.
2. Insurance
In the insurance business, policies are regularly up for renewal and customers are often sending forms to agents via fax. Insurance agencies can send outbound notifications to remind clients about policy renewals or to confirm the receipt of documents, saving valuable administrative time.
3. Financial Firms
Financial companies can use automated outbound phone calls to keep investors or account holders informed about changes. Whether it is a change in the market, a large account withdrawal, or a suspicious credit card purchase, there are a number of excellent strategies for enhancing customer service in the financial arena.
4. Healthcare
Medical offices can call patients 24-hours before an appointment to confirm or reschedule. Denist offices can call every six months to remind patients about an appointment for just a few cents. By sending automated phone calls, office managers and receptionists can focus their time on working with patients in the office, improving service, reducing “no-shows” and saving time.
5. Education
Classes canceled due to inclement weather? With a few clicks online, small schools or big universities can call students or parents if school is canceled, and confirm via reports that each family was properly notified.
6. Pharmacies
Pharmacies can use outbound IVR to remind doctors about prescription refills and notify customers that a refill is ready to be picked up. Pharmacies can also configure an inbound IVR system for order status updates.
7. Collections
Collections agencies can automate phone calls about payment reminders. By proactively reminding customers about payments, agencies can improve cash flow and reduce the cost of collections. According to what Forrester Research reported in the webinar, in some cases automated calls actually outperform live agents because consumers in debt would prefer to work through an automated menu than speak with a live person.
8. Retail
To upsell a customer, many retail stores sell warranties, upgrades or maintenance plans. A retail store could offer customers the option to receive updates over the phone, and then automatically call customers before warranties or maintenance contracts expire.
9. Logistics & Delivery
With logistics and delivery companies, it is all about the details. Here’s one case study about a company that is using outbound IVR to save over $70,000 a year by automating up to 5 phone calls for each delivery.
10. ecommerce and Lead Generation
After a customer takes an action (i.e. makes a purchase, signs-up, etc.) online, an eCommerce or lead generation website could use the phone number the user provides in the web form to automate a phone call confirming the order, verifying the phone number or asking customer satisfaction questions.
The 10 examples above provide customers value and save companies money. Given the right business need and user-friendly messaging, companies and customers alike can benefit from automated phone calls for outbound notifications.
If this is of interest to your business, read about our Voice Broadcast and Outbound IVR services. Feel free to give us a call with any questions.
