Autozone IVR Design
Client
Location
Challenge
AutoZone
Role
IVR Designer
Play Me:
Sample Calls
Conversational Flow
From the Sample Calls, we were able to have conversations about how to tighten up phrases, have the IVR use more natural language, confirm where the flow will go, and begin working out the order of the flow.
This is the start of the call flow, where we ascertain the language needed before decisions begin to be made. While many people think of IVR's as inflexible systems, flexibility can be built into the system (now, with AI, which allows the system to listen and learn), but here I have an example of other ways to gain flexibility such as using Special Messages modules, which allow Autozone to change their recordings at will in various locations in the design.
The first step in designing any conversation begins with listening to the client, understanding their tone, their audience, their goals, and what their expectations are. This is why we begin with Sample Calls, where we look at the existing flows (if they have any) or their notes detailing their ideas for what their IVR system will sound like.
IVR is pure Voice Design--the system either hears and understands or it doesn't. In Conversation there are no errors, only opportunities for meaning.
AutoZone's IVR system had been designed years ago and needed updating. One, their system would need to update to the Genesys platform. Two, they required redesigning the structure and language to reflect best practices in modern IVR. That is where I came in.
Phrase List
After several iterations, each phrase we've written into the design goes into the Phrase List. For this project, Autozone needed a Spanish translation which would be triggered in the beginning of the call by pressing 7, or if the Area Code is in a Spanish-speaking area. The Spanish in the first translation is localized for the US. A next iteration will localize for Mexican Spanish. Translation is more than simply word for word exchange, which is what localization is about. It's an understanding of the cultural and idiomatic implications of language.
Speech happens in context.
Recording Phrases and Next Steps
The phrase list is handed off to voice talent to record, whom I'll sit in with and coach with the aim of ensuring clarity and user friendliness in the voice recordings. Then we'll move onto Quality Assurance Testing before deployment.