In these days, when brand recognition is a key part of marketing to the public, Vail's Retail Voice Portal (RVP) service is something no large business enterprise can afford to be without. When customers dial their local stores, they're routed over a nationwide Voice-over IP (VoIP) network to a centralized, speech-enabled Interactive Voice Response (IVR) platform. Regardless of which local store number they are calling, they hear a consistent branded voice, are asked to say the product or service they want, and are then quickly and efficiently routed to the optimal place to handle their request. From a caller's perspective, the dialing process remains the same, but the overall experience is improved.
This solution allows the retailer to keep their local phone numbers and complex directory listings for marketing purposes, while cutting down on the telecom complexities associated with running a national chain. Where the calls are routed to is up to you, but whichever way you use it, Vail's RVP helps chains of stores to answer more customer phone calls-improving both sales and customer loyalty.
From a retailer perspective, this solution enables each store location to better handle routine calls. In addition, centralized call center specialists can be used to generate previously-untapped store sales, and to answer more complicated or technical questions. In times of peak demand, this automated process also lets retailers deflect calls away from individual stores, allowing employees to focus on in-store customers.
Like any good employee, this sophisticated voice application is ready to handle a wide range of tasks. It can be configured for any number of departments, products, and services, and is designed to provide easy updates to store-specific information, as well as convey general announcements across all locations. These announcements are programmed using a centralized management console.
Compared to traditional in-store IVR deployments, the flexibility of Vail's RVP dramatically reduces ongoing operational costs.
Increased Revenue — By reducing or even eliminating hold times (and answering the phone more often than a real person), retailers can capture lost revenue opportunities. Up to 50% of calls to busy stores can sometimes go unanswered; and since many of those calls would result in purchases and additional revenue, stores possibly lose money every time a customer hangs up. When their calls go unanswered, customers will often dial a local competitor and get the product they want elsewhere.
Improved Customer Experience and Strengthened Brand Image — Customers call the same local store number they always have, but are quickly, efficiently and seamlessly routed to the correct place, improving their overall call experience. Vail's RVP also allows retailers to build and incorporate key brand elements within the call process-through customized menu prompts, consistent call handling and the ability to bring in trained agents as needed.
Higher Store Productivity — RVP reduces the need to rely on store staff to answer phones, allowing them to spend more time on the floor with on-site customers. And as Retail Voice Portal picks up the load, retailers will find that they need to hire fewer additional staff during times of peak store demand.
