How a Pharmacy IVR Works
An IVR system is an interactive voice response system that uses both telephones and computers. The computer interprets the tones emitted by the telephone keypad pressed by the end user. Phone keys each have their own low and high frequency tones they emit that the computer translates. Here’s how these systems work for your pharmacy.
Necessary Software
In order to have the computer interpret the tonal sounds of the phone keys, you need IVR software for pharmacies California. These programs are installed on the computer and then work with the phone system. The software uses a few applications and access the pharmacy’s database to properly route calls or perform routine pharmacy tasks such as medication refills. The software can create responses such as when the prescription will be ready for pickup.
Needed Hardware
In addition to a computer, the pharmacy needs to have a telephone network either a voice over IP protocol or a standard public switched telephone network. The pharmacy also needs an internet network to handle the connectivity and both a web/application server and a VXML telephony server to operate the system. The software lives on the web/application server while the VXML telephony server is the gateway. Voice recognition and text-to-speech are also contained within the VXML telephony server making it a must-have hardware item.
Speech Recognition
Some systems are advanced enough to go beyond the tonal phone keys and interpret speech tones. These systems use speech to tell the computer what the caller wants. The computer then routes the call appropriately or makes the selection in the system to order the correct prescription refill. The speech recognition software must determine whether the customer wants a refill or to speak with the pharmacist. These systems can also be used to leave outgoing messages from the pharmacy to your customers.
Customer Oriented
The IVR system works to help your pharmacy be more customer oriented than before. Having to run all this in-house with staff can tax the reserves of the pharmacy. An IVR system can help your pharmacy offer benefits to your customers such as after-hours prescription refills and it can save your pharmacy money on personnel. Live operators may still be needed during business hours but having an automated system after hours allows the pharmacy to cater to a larger audience. The system can help your pharmacy communicate with the customers beyond refills to include pharmacy hours, holiday closings and specials the pharmacy is running. Either the pharmacy can have all these items in house or pay for a service to handle the software and hardware for you.