Advantages and Disadvantages of Interactive Voice Response Systems compared to Live Agents


Advantages Disadvantages


Much more cost effective in purchase and usage:
Agents cost at least 40 Euro Cent per minute, a interactive voice response system usually costs less than three Euro Cents per minute.

Reasons for these savings:

  • no workplace needed
  • no training needed
  • no labor union
  • no illnesses
  • no night shift bonus
  • etc.
A interactive voice response system can only react on pre-defined situations.


constant good quality of information

The reasons:

  • no employees with bad spirit
  • constantly good reachability
  • no differences amongst the employees regarding the training level
Spoken phrases are not understood as good as by a human being.

The more words the system needs to understand the higher the error level is.
 
Most users of interactive voice response systems are not used to them.
That's why the results are not always ideal.