What is IVVR ?
IVVR ( Interactive Voice and Video Response) system can be thought of next generation of IVR system which includes ‘video’ apart from only voice in a typical IVR system. In an IVVR system, a caller will use a video call, will be able to choose options from his mobile phone screen, view information required by him in video format. Since now, in an IVR, caller could only listen his information in voice and select any option either by DTMF or speech recognition! With IVVR, caller would be able to give command to IVR system through user-friendly way by choosing menu options as if browsing a website!

How tourism industry can benefit from IVVR ?

Tourism industry majorly thrive on ‘showcasing’ their attraction to prospective visitors! So, IVVR could be cheap, highly interactive, accessible anywhere tool for any hotel or online travel companies! Till, now travel companies may have been promoting their hotel, destination through either costly TV advertisements, CD/DVD distribution, or plain old news paper/ magazine advertisements without any interaction at all. Website is a good medium, but then an web visitor needs a laptop or PC, internet connection etc. to check the hotel or the destination.

With introduction of 3G in many countries in the world, also availability of low cost 3G enabled mobile phones and falling bandwidth cost are likely to propel use of IVVR of hotels and other tourist attractions!

1. Providing video footage of hotel rooms

Hotel would be able to provide complete video presentation of their property, rooms, amenities, lobby etc. This will not only attract more and more travelers, but also increase confidence in the property.

2. Interactive booking

After reviewing a property, a traveler would be able to book by interacting directly with booking agent. Visual interaction gives more confidence for first time traveler than mere email exchange or telephonic conversation.

3. Live promotional video

Hotels or other travel marketing companies would be able to provide live promotional video to prospective traveler or clients. This would be really interesting for a traveler to check out the room he or she would be staying in near future!

So, most probably, IVVR offers some exciting application for hotel and traveling industry. Has any hotel or travel company implemented any IVVR for their properties ? I would be very interested to know and explore more about this.

I am trying to list out Industries that should and must use IVRS. Also this write-up can serve as list of target industries by an salesman working in a IVRS Company! I don’t have to repeat the importance of identifying your target market and finding out potential market in this article in a competitive market that we are living now a days! I have tried to accumulate as many industrial sectors as I could get by googling/yahooing, still I must have missed out some sectors. I would be very delighted and happy add them here with proper source!

Here goes the list:-

1. Customer Service

General Information – Provide General Information to Customers including Hours of Operations, Mailing Address, Driving Directions, Employee Directory, Services Information, etc
Reminders – Remind Customers of Appointments, Late Bills, upcoming events, fund raising efforts, general information
Order Processing – Allow Customers to place order over the telephone automated
Credit Card Processing – Allow Customers to pay bills via the telephone
Customer Survey – Survey Customers to provide better customer services
Bill Collection – Remind Residents of Late Payments due, and provide automated Payment service

2. Value Added Services
Ring Tone Services – Allow Callers to Download Ringtones to the Mobile Phone
Lottery – Allow Callers to play the lottery through their phone
Ring Back Services – Allow Callers to Choose their RingBack tone that will be used when callers dial their number
Horoscope – Allow Callers to listen to their Horoscope when they dial to IVR.
Music Messaging – Allow Callers to Dedicate a Music Message to their Loved Ones, Friends, etc
Dating – Allow Callers to Listen to Dating Profiles, and Chat Live with other People
Chatting – Allow One on One Chatting, or Conferencing amongst many people together(Sports Chat, Political Chat, Current Events Chat, etc)
News – Provide Up to date News to the Callers
Weather – Provide the Current Weather Service to Callers
Voice SMS – Provide a Facility for Callers to Record a Message and forward the Message to the Requested Party. This can be an interesting IVR application.
Quiz – Provide an Telephonic Quiz and give winners a prize

3. Airlines / Railways / Bus & other Transportation/Port
General Information – Provide Information about Services, Rates and Specials Offered
Schedule Information – Provide up to date Information about Train/Place/Bus Arrival And Departure Information
Bookings – Taking Ticket Bookings for Train/Plane/Bus
Complaint Booking – Allow Customers to File a Service/Billing Complaint so that it is Traceable and Accountable
Survey – Allows Customers to provide Service/Products/Suggestion Feedback
Call Routing – Route Calls to the proper person/department

4. Telephone Companies Both Mobile and Landline Operators
Bill Collection – Remind Residents of Late Payments due, and provide automated Payment service
New Number Notification – Notify Callers that the Phone Number has been changed, and play out the New Number
Number Change Notification – Notify Callers that a Phone Number has been changed
Complaint Booking – Allow Customers to File a Service/Billing Complaint so that it is Traceable and Accountable
Survey – Allows Customers to provide Service/Products/Suggestion Feedback

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5. Police & Parking
Traffic ticket service – Allow Violators to pay Traffic Tickets over the phone
Parking – Allow Callers to pay Meter Parking through the Phone/Parking availability.
Notification – Notify Community of Suspicious Individuals or Warnings, Traffic Update.

6. Automotive Industry
Car Status – Provide Status of Car to Vehicle Owners, so they know if the vehicle is ready or not
Dealer Information – Provider Dealer Hours, pricing and other information
Payment – Allow Customers to pay bills over the telephone to reduce time when picking up the vehicle

7. Travel Industry
Special/Deals – Let Callers know about Special travel Deals and services
Hotel Booking – Provide ability to callers to Book their Hotel Reservations through the phone
Hotel Location Service – For a Multi-Chain of Hotels, provide the nearest hotel information based on the state/zip code

8. Emergency Services
Emergency Notification – Call Residents to inform them about an Emergency (Rioting, Traffic Jam, Bomb Blast, Snow, Tornado, storms etc.)
Ambulance – Accident Notification, Ambulance, Fire Brigade

9. Political Campaigns
Candidate Awareness – Broadcast Candidate Information to the community for name identification, and Voting Information. IVR will dial out numbers and announce about candidate.
Mailer Notification – Notify Recipients that Mailers have been sent out, and look out in the mail for it
Survey – Allows Voters to let candidates know what are the most important issues to them.

10. Education
Notice – Notify Parents for Child Absentees, School Closings, upcoming events
Student Information – Provide information on upcoming events, Homework info, School Closings, etc
Parent Information – Provide information on Upcoming Events, Child’s Homework, Leave messages for teachers, Student Grades, Test Schedules etc
Surveying – Provide Survey’s on the quality of the teachers, cafeteria, bus service, etc

11. Consumer Products
Recall Information – Allow Information about Product Recall
Shipment Status – Allow customer to find information about Shipments
Product Registration – Allow Automated Registration of Products

12. Human Resources
Employee Satisfaction – Provide Surveys to Employees to better motivate employees
Benefits – Provide Automated Benefit Information
Employee Time Clock – For Employees working on the go, allow them to clock in/out via telephone.
Employee Screening & Recruiting – Perform Initial Candidate Interviews for job screening

13. Call Center/Contact center
IVRS is the building block of a call center and contact center!
Provide Automated Account/Company Information to Callers to reduce calls to live Agents.
Call Center Routing – Route calls to the proper Call Center Agents based on Customer Requirements
Employee Screening – Perform Initial Candidate Interviews for job screening
Customer Satisfaction Surveys – Survey Patients for Quality Assesment and Increase Customer Satisfaction

14. Banking sector
Tele-Banking – Allow Customers to Securely access their Account Details, Transfer Funds, etc
Card Enablement – Allow Customers to Enable their Bank, Check, Credit Cards Securely and Automated
Bank Information – Provide Bank Information to Customers including Hours, Services Provided and Locations, etc
Call Routing – Route Calls to the proper person/department within a Bank/Office

15. Health care
Medical Transcription Services – Allows Doctors to Record Transcriptions, which can later be listened to and documented by a Medical Transcribe
Automated Prescription Filling – Allows Pharmacies to allow for automated prescription filling services for patients
Patient Reminders – Remind patients of upcoming appointments or to take their medicine on time
Off Hours Auto Attendant – Provide Emergency Information for Patients off hours when the office is closed.
Patient Surveys – Survey Patients for Quality Assesment and Increase Customer Satisfaction
Bill Collection – Remind Residents of Late Payments due, and provide automated Payment service

16. ISP/Cable TV Operators
Bill Collection – Remind Subscribers of Late Payments due, and provide automated Payment service
Complaint Booking – Allow Customers to File a Service/Billing Complaint so that it is Traceable and Accountable
Service Notice : Notifying subscribers of new services/schemes

17. FM Radio
- Allow Callers to Listen to the Radio through the Phone
- Surveys – Allow callers to participate in surveys and voting
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18. Any Large Enterprise having large clientele
Complaint Booking – Allow Customers to File a Service/Billing Complaint so that it is Traceable and Accountable
Call Routing – Route Calls to the proper person/department