Interactive Voice Response (IVR)

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is a software application that accepts a combination of voice telephone input and touch-tone keypad selection and provides appropriate responses in the form of voice, fax, callback, e-mail and perhaps other media.



An IVR application provides pre-recorded voice responses for appropriate situations, keypad signal logic, and access to relevant data, and potentially the ability to record voice input for later handling. Using computer telephony Integration (CTI), IVR applications can hand off a call to a human being who can view data related to the caller at a display.
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems allow callers to get access to information without human intervention. Thus callers hear a pleasant and cheerful voice 24-hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year without any attendant human fatigue.
IVR tools are also used across certain countries to enable verbal sale authorization from customers instead of the traditional paper authorization
IVR allows customers to interact with a company’s host system via a telephone keypad or by speech recognition, after which they can service their own inquiries by following the IVR dialogue.
 

IVR – DTMF

The most common way for a phone to communicate with a computer is through the tones generated by each key on the telephone keypad. These are known as dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals.
A computer needs special hardware – a telephony board or telephony card to understand the DTMF signals produced by a phone.
Advantage of using DTMF

• DTMF input is extremely reliable. If someone is submitting input by punching in number selections, there is a very small chance that the system will incorrectly interpret their response, not figuring for human error.
• Data values submitted via DTMF allow the IVR system to quickly process the response and direct the caller quickly to the next appropriate location in a call flow.
• DTMF input will work in extremely noisy environments.

IVR – Speech

Other IVR systems include Automated speech-recognition(ASR) software that allows a caller to communicate with a computer using simple voice commands.
Two main varieties of speech recognition are used in IVR:

• based upon predefined grammars (used in “directed” dialogues)
• based upon statistically trained language models (used in “natural language” dialogues).

 
Directed dialogues prompt the caller with specific questions or options. Natural language dialogues employ open questions (e.g. “How can I help you?”)
Natural language are more conversational and can interpret free-form responses.

• Advantage of using Speech Recognition
  • Speech recognition allows for hands-free operation, which is perfect for consumers accessing IVR systems on the go.  Instead of attempting to contribute input while engaged in other activities, users can simply speak the information they are looking for
  • Speech recognition can be extremely useful in that exact match phrases can be identified succinctly and with minimal repeat input

IVR Testing

• IVR testing combines Interactive Voice Response technology with testing processes and procedures. Test respondents participate in phone examinations, listen to recorded questions, and respond by pressing a touchphone digit(s) or by providing voice inputs.
• IVR application testing life cycle involves thorough testing of the application prior to its installation in a production environment in which IVR processes inbound phone calls, plays pre recorded messages including information extracted from databases and potentially routes calls to testers simulating how call center representatives would see the information. It also involves testing of the call flows based on permutations & combinations from customer inputs, error conditions, database access and updated tests, CTI interaction, load testing etc.
• IVR Tools Orthogonal Array can be used very efficiently here to optimize the test suite
• IVR test setup ideally involves the below major components
  • Customer data in the test environment
  • A desk phone & a end calling number which is setup to be routed to the IVR application server in the test environment
  • CTI connectivity to procure data captured by IVR application
  • Preferably a wireless headphone for the tester to ensure validation of the audio & visual quality of the call inputs
  • Various type of telephonic inputs which customers can use i.e. Desk Phone, Mobile, VoIP Phone, Internet based tools (eg. Skype)
• IVR Test steps ideally require
  • Calling up the provided test number to the IVR application server
  • Navigating through multiple flows to simulate all possible combinations which customers can use
  • Try to provide invalid inputs to try & break the system (e.g. Incorrect number of digits, etc.)

IVR Automation Testing

• Automation testing of IVR systems requires a test tool that can simulate the behavior and abilities of the caller. The automation tool would perform the below tasks with none/ minimal manual effort
  • Pushing the keys of a phone to send DTMF DTMF (Dual Tone Multi Frequency or in simple terms, the touchtone) inputs to the background IVR application
  • Distinguishing between different languages
  • Speaking, listening and understanding voice prompts
  • Rating the voice quality of an announcements
  • Behavior under load conditions
  • Integration of the IVR system in a complete network
• Few tools that can be used for IVR automation testing,
  • Hammer Call Master
  • Cyara Solutions

 

IVR Automation Testing using Hammer Call Master

• Hammer Call Master a telephone management and reporting system, gives the ability to track and control the calls and costs. Call master is a sound business investment to track and control communications activity and cost.
• Features of hammer call masters are
  • Ensure that applications have been properly engineered to meet current and future performance requirements
  • Monitor, detect and measure configuration errors, resource problems, IVR prompt errors, IVR/Host response times, database response times and other performance issues
  • Improves customer experience
  • Identify and correct problems prior to production

 

IVR Automation Testing using Cyara Solutions

• Cyara provides a complete suite of products for testing IVR and speech platforms from benchmarking the existing IVR and applications to functional testing, systems integration testing and load testing to post-production monitoring of the systems and applications. Use Cyara to ensure the successful deployment or upgrade of your IVR and applications using real calls without impacting ongoing customer interaction.
• Features of Cyara solution,
  • Step-by-step, real-time validation of test case creation, making it even easier and faster to build test cases
  • Support of dynamic, data-driven test cases, increasing testing automation and flexibility
  • Unified reporting making it easier for customers to run individual test campaigns yet have them consolidated into an holistic, enterprise view
  • 70 percent improvement in port density of Cyara’s call engine component, lowering hardware requirements and costs for premise customers

IVR In-scope Scenario

 

 

IVR Work flows

• IVR is used to obtain information from callers and direct the call to the appropriate queue. Question-and-answer pairs determine which queue to use. Depending on the caller’s response, the caller either hears a follow-up question, or is routed to the appropriate queue. The IVR questions and the caller’s responses are provided to the responding agent who accepts the call, providing valuable information to the agent.
• The Response Group application offers speech recognition and text-to-speech capabilities in 26 languages. You can enter IVR questions using text-to-speech or a wave (.wav) or Windows Media audio (.wma) file. Callers can respond by using voice or dual-tone multifrequency (DTMF) responses.
• Interactive workflows support up to two levels of questions, with each question having up to four possible answers. The IVR asks the caller a question, and depending on the caller’s response, routes the caller to a queue or asks a second question. The second question can also have four possible answers. Depending on the answer to the second-level question, the caller is routed to the appropriate queue.
• IVR with One Level of Question

Below is the example that shows an IVR that uses one level of questions
Question: “Thank you for calling Human Resources. If you would like to speak to payroll, say
 payroll. Otherwise, say HR.”
Option 1 is selected: The caller is routed to the payroll team.
Option 2 is selected: The caller is routed to the human resources team.
 

Benefits/Advantages of IVR Implementation

• Handle high call volumes
• Service customers after normal business hours
• Improve customer service
• Lower call center costs
• Prioritize customers so that urgent calls are handled quickly
• Automate an outbound call campaign
• Accurately routing customers to the correct customer service area
• Provide reporting capabilities
• Provide capabilities to capture customer feedback quickly

IVR Applications Example

• Bank and stock account balances and transfers
• Surveys and polls
• Regular voice mail system handling
• Call center forwarding
• Simple order entry transactions
• Selective information research including movie schedules, public transportation information