Our new website and branding tout that, “We are the engagement conduit that enables extraordinary experiences between you and your customers.” To understand what we mean, let’s think about what an “engagement conduit” might be. For example, consider this blog post; you’re reading it thanks to a type of engagement conduit, a web application server. First, the server needs to understand your intent, the content you want to engage with to read it. Next, it gathers the words, images, and structure from a database. Then it combines everything in the format you see here and sends it to you over the Internet. There are also several “behind the scenes” integrations such as analytics, code from third parties, and a connection to our CRM on pages with contact forms. The web application server is the “engagement conduit” that makes it possible to read this post. While also letting us know people are reading it.
Computer Telephony Integration
Now let’s consider telephony instead of the Internet, and specifically voice and text communications. CTI, or Computer Telephony Integration, is the common name for the technology that seamlessly integrates computers and telephones. In short, it’s the protocol for computers to control phone calls and phone calls to tell computers what to do. Early common uses were “screen pops” containing caller information for contact center agents, call routing, and automatic dialing in the contact center. Up until 2011, manufacturers of telephone systems were the primary integrators of CTI. With the rise of cloud computing and SIP (Session Initiation Protocol, the protocol for Internet telephony), CTI is everywhere. Examples include UCaaS or Unified Communications as a Service, CCaaS or Contact Center as a Service, and CPaaS, Communications Platform as a Service.
Interactive Voice Response
IVR, or Interactive Voice Response, provides a way for callers to benefit from CTI directly. The integration of these two technologies is what provides self-service options like account balance lookups. IVR and CTI have been around for decades. It’s the cloud the enabled a scalable integration of the two technologies.
Engagement Conduit
Like most businesses, you have several sources of customer information and several sources of information or services those customers need. An Engagement Conduit would combine, as required, all those disparate sources of information. When customers call or text, they get the information they need quickly and efficiently through self-service. And you get the rich analytics you need to continue improving the customer experience.
Our Managed CPaaS, the Compass Automation Platform, allows us to become your Engagement Conduit for nearly any telephony interaction with your customers. Remember that web application server in the first paragraph? The Compass Automation Platform is a CTI-enabled IVR platform delivered on a voice and text application server. It pulls customer information from almost any CRM, combining that with data from dozens of other sources to provide rapid, personalized, and contextual customer self-service.
Engagement Conduit In Action
Everyone’s talking about the seismic shift in consumer expectations. Traditional “customer journeys” have been disrupted by today’s customer-in-control landscape; they expect immediacy and engagement on their terms. Here are a few examples of how the Engagement Conduit empowers you to meet these new demands.
Public Utility: Many of our utility customers are faced with mandates to improve customer service. Start your proactive engagement with new service turn-on with SMS meter readings, and get permission to text them with updates and announcements. Send payment reminders by SMS with options to pay by web, phone, or text. Know your caller or texter every time they engage with customer service. Regularly seek input with voice or text surveys. Proactively notify customers of service issues in their area. And use a chatbot to help serve customers 24x7x365 with answers to the most common questions.
Mortgage and Insurance: Be proactive from the start and keep customers informed during the underwriting period to avoid the typical uncertainty. Dig deeper into this industry with our blog post on improving customer journeys for mortgage and insurance companies.
Consumer Finance: Many consumer finance companies serve millions and even 10’s of millions of customers. Automating the onboarding process allows for voice and text automation for prequalifying customers, approving them, activating their new credit cards, and keeping them informed of their account balances and payments due.
Healthcare: Especially since COVID, the healthcare industry has shifted to a more contactless payment and communications focus. Healthcare facilities and practitioners have embraced the value of engaging patients with proactive communications on multiple channels. Appointment reminders, refill reminders, regular check-ins, IVR payments, and public health updates are some of the ways we helped improve the patient experience.
Government: We’ve seen several municipalities understand the benefit of proactive engagement with their citizens. Keeping people informed about road work, building permits, IVR payment options, important events, and holiday trash pickup schedules creates a strong sense of serving the community.
We Are Your Engagement Conduit
It’s not just a clever marketing slogan; it is our core business. We can help you understand where our Managed CPaaS, the Compass Automation Platform, can make a difference and get the results you need. Contact us to learn more about how we can be the engagement conduit that enables extraordinary experiences between you and your customers.
about the author
Bill Irvine
CMO, IVR Technology Group
An avid User Experience Evangelist and design junkie, Bill oversees all things marketing, design, and social media for IVR Technology Group. When he’s not doing that, he “unplugs” as a gentleman farmer, carpenter, and executive chef to his wife.
