Businesses should regularly perform IVR testing to ensure that their interactive voice response (IVR) systems are fully functional. Any issues with IVR functionality, user experience, or load handling can cause immediate problems for customers calling into your phone system.
It’s never a good idea to put off, but IVR testing can be time-consuming and very difficult to do well. This is actually a specialty of its own, which explains why many call centers outsource their IVR testing altogether.
Recent technological advancements (particularly AI, machine learning, and natural language processing) have significantly improved the efficiency and performance of IVR testing tools. This will enable more companies to conduct their own IVR testing and automate many routine processes.
This is a good development for call centers looking to have more control over their IVR testing, but it’s not as simple as buying the latest or greatest tool. You still need to establish a baseline, interpret test data, and work backwards to find the root cause of the problems indicated by the test.
Who is responsible for testing the IVR system?
If you use a hosted IVR, they may not be responsible for most tests. Obviously, your vendor can’t identify call flow issues, which requires an internal understanding of the situation, but if your service is part of call center software or a corporate phone service, the functional aspects of testing are generally outside your responsibility.
If you want to go beyond the testing provided by your vendor or take responsibility for IVR testing yourself, you have three options:
- Run a DIY test: Some call center owners conduct in-house testing. This can be an excellent solution for routine evaluation and specific IVR testing and is not suitable for comprehensive or specialized testing.
- Using special software: IVR testing tools help owners enhance and automate specific testing processes. Administrators can schedule tests that simulate call volume spikes, verify that IVR integrations are functioning properly, or identify potential vulnerabilities.
- IVR Testing Outsourcing: Hiring outside experts and services to test your IVR can help ensure a thorough and unbiased evaluation of the system. Hiring an outside contractor comes with costs and means you have to trust and rely on someone outside your organization.
For simple testing, there are many things call center managers can do themselves. This is especially true if you want to learn and use a reliable IVR testing tool.
However, once you reach a certain size and complexity, it may become cheaper to outsource testing to a third-party service that can handle the entire testing process.
IVR Test Type
Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all IVR test that will give you all the information you need to know if it’s working properly. Let’s take a quick look at the different types of tests and how they are used to ensure that your IVR is functioning properly.
- Soak test: This involves evaluating system performance over a long period of time using continuous use simulation. This test identifies potential problems with long-term operation, including memory leaks or poor performance.
- Voice quality test: This process evaluates the clarity, naturalness, and overall quality of the audio instructions. This contributes to a positive user experience by making it easier for callers to understand and respond to the system.
- Call flow testing: It looks at the sequence of operations of an IVR system. Menu items and voice prompts guide callers through their options and ensure they reach their destination.
- Load testing: Load testing evaluates how well an IVR system performs at different levels of concurrent use. This helps identify potential bottlenecks and ensures that the system can handle high call traffic.
- Usability testing: This test focuses on the overall user experience that callers experience when interacting with the IVR. We review factors such as navigation, menu clarity, and intuitiveness of user prompts to ensure callers have positive and efficient interactions.
- Regression testing: This testing ensures that changes or updates to the IVR system will not negatively impact operations. After modifications, retest the system to ensure previous functionality is working.
Because our in-house teams understand how your organization works, they are best placed to handle routine IVR testing and specific areas of concern such as voice quality and usability testing.
For comprehensive testing and sophisticated assessments such as absorption testing and call flow testing, third-party services are a better choice. On the other hand, automated testing tools are most useful for load testing and regression analysis.
Advances in Automated Interactive Voice Response Testing
Automated testing tools have been around for a long time. However, recent advancements in AI, machine learning (ML), automatic speech recognition (ASR), and natural language processing (NLP) technologies have further improved the IVR testing process. Here’s how these technologies contribute to better testing:
- AI and ML algorithms enable more sophisticated simulations, improving the accuracy and realism of IVR absorption testing. This allows for a broader evaluation of system performance over a longer period of time.
- AI call flow testing has improved the evaluation of sequences and interaction patterns in IVR systems. ML algorithms evaluate menu items and voice prompts to ensure callers are guided through a variety of options without being overly complex.
- AI and ML technologies have improved load testing by providing more accurate simulations of high call volumes. This ensures a realistic assessment of how well the IVR system will perform at different levels of concurrent use.
- AI usability testing focuses on the overall user experience, using analytics to look at elements like navigation and menu clarity. ML algorithms analyze user prompts to ensure callers interact positively with the IVR system.
- AI regression testing uses ML to adapt test scenarios based on system changes. This ensures a more thorough retesting process to ensure that previous features are working as intended.
IVR testing is just one area where AI is having a big impact on call centers. Of course, many of the cool new technologies will be oversold, but things like interactive IVR are far better than the technologies they replace.
IVR testing tools and services
For those committed to a DIY approach, a variety of automation tools can be helpful.
- Boxy Plant: This test module is a user-friendly tool that allows you to simulate and test various IVR scenarios. Regardless of your level of expertise, you can evaluate call flow, speech recognition, and overall system functionality through an intuitive interface that makes it easy to create and run test scripts.
- Twilio Studio: A visual builder from Twilio, a communications services platform that makes it easy to design and test IVR workflows. Create and customize call flows, simulate caller interactions, and integrate voice prompts and menu options with tools to evaluate system responses. This is especially useful for those who prefer a more visual and direct approach.
- Cyara Accelerator: A comprehensive IVR testing tool that automates and streamlines the entire process. It offers advanced features while also meeting the needs of people with a variety of technical skills. You can also create different test cases such as load tests and regression tests.
See also: Check out our Twilio review on our sister site, Fit Small Business, to see if it’s right for you.
If you need more comprehensive testing or sophisticated analysis, this list of IVR testing providers will help.
- Rainforest QA: A cloud-based testing service suitable for businesses of various sizes. We offer on-demand IVR testing services with access to a global pool of testers. We also specialize in comprehensive testing, including IVR absorption testing and load testing.
- Uber Tester: End-to-end testing services to meet a variety of testing requirements, including IVR testing. Our team of experts can design and execute comprehensive test plans to ensure smooth operation of your system across a variety of disciplines.
- Test port: A software testing service that provides IVR testing. Their expertise spans functional, regression, and load testing. We cater to businesses of all sizes, providing flexible testing solutions tailored to specific industry requirements.
- App: AI-based testing service that includes IVR testing. Machine learning algorithms provide dynamic and adaptive test scenarios for IVR systems. Their services are scalable and customizable.
IVR testing with an experienced team
Automated testing is at the forefront of innovation and efficiency for optimizing call center operations. Harnessing the power of advanced technologies such as AI, ML, NLP, and ASR can significantly increase the accuracy, realism, and efficiency of your IVR testing strategy.
But still, these tools cannot replace people and cannot operate without human supervision. You need an experienced team to interpret test results, understand user interactions, and adapt to complex situations.
Choosing the best testing option for your call center – whether DIY testing, using advanced AI tools, or partnering with a professional testing service – requires finding a balance between getting the most out of technology and maintaining the quality assurance that only human insight can provide. We can provide it.
A balanced approach can help you meet or even exceed customer expectations by delivering a seamless, efficient, and responsive IVR system.
