Press 1 for How to count Press 2 for an IVR Press 3 for using Function Points

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Press 1 for “How to count”

Press 2 for “an IVR”

Press 3 for “using Function Points”

Presented by Tammy Preuss

CFPS, PMP, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt AT&T

Overview

z What is an IVR

z Using Function Points to count an IVR

z Identifying Scope & Application Boundary z Counting Data Functions

z Counting Transactional Functions

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What is an IVR (Interactive

Voice Response) system

z A computerized system that allows a person, typically a telephone

caller, to select options from a voice menu and otherwise interact with the computer phone system.

z Variations include using

z Internet,

What are the components of

an IVR

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What is it used for

z Order Entry

z Credit Card Processing

z Order Status

z Customer Satisfaction Surveys

z Employee Benefit Surveys

z Call Recording Services

z Help Desks

z _{Locator Services}

z Customer Service

z Literature Fulfillment

z Lead Generation & Capture

Why use one?

z In 2001, cost of a call to a live operator in the

US was $5.50/call versus $.45/call on IVR

z 7 x 24 access

z Phone or web access by customers

z Inform customers of new offers or promotions

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Press 4…

Best Practices tips for an IVR

• Consciously shape your system’s personality

or identity. Select a voice that is both

welcoming and confident, expressive or

“perky” rather than monotonous or dull, and use logical criteria to decide whether to use a male or female voice.

Components of Function Point

Count

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Preparation for the Count

z Call Flows (aka Call Trees)

z Administrative Menus

z Database schemas

z Requirements documents

z Reports

z User interviews

Identify Counting scope

z Purpose of the count

z Creator/Developer of IVRs

z Contracting with 3rd party for IVR support

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Basic IVR

Questions to consider in helping

determine the boundary

z Does the IVR maintain any shared data between other applications?

z What different methods are used to access IVR? Do these use different processing logic?

z Eg Phone, web, text messaging

z Is the IVR used to

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More complex IVR boundary

Daisy Chained IVRs - #1

ACD

Questions to consider in helping

determine the boundary

z Same questions as in the simple IVR

z What are some reasons that these 2 IVRs would be counted separately?

z Each IVR is a different vendor and the purpose of the

count is to focus on one IVR exclusive of the other

z One may be internal while the other is external

z Each IVR performs a different function and each leaves the

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More complex IVR boundary

Daisy Chained IVRs #2

ACD

Questions to consider in helping

determine the boundary

z Same questions as in the simple IVR

z What are some reasons that these 2 IVRs would be counted together?

z The purpose of the count is to focus on the total end to end

process, regardless of how many IVRs are involved.

z Each IVR performs a part of a transaction

but the transaction isn’t complete without all the IVRs. Business must be in consistent state.

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Components of Function Point

Count

2 Data Levels for an IVR

z Technical Administrative Data

z _{Voice Recordings (ILF)} z Menu recordings and

informational recordings (promotions, hold music)

z Call/Event Type (ILF) z _{Security (ILF)}

z Reference Data

z Call Routing/Transfers

(ILF)

z Business Layer Data

z Call Initialization (ILF)

z Business Reference data (ILF)

z Business data located in other applications that are:

z referenced by IVR (EIF)

z maintained by IVR (ILF)

z Logs of call/web events (ILF)

z Reporting data (ILF or EIF)

z Customer Treatment Rules (ILF)

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Transactions

z Transactions

z Maintain Data listed in data list (EI, EQ)

z Technical Administrative Data

z Business Data Layer

z Be sure to check for shared data

z Primary business purpose of IVR functions (EI, EQ)

z Credit Card transactions z Account Balances

z Buying merchandise

z Refilling a prescription

z Reports (EO, EQ)

z Technical Administrative Reports

z Business Data Reports

z Transferring Calls (EO)

Value Adjustment Factors

Scoring for Degrees of Influence z 4-5 z 3-5 z 0-5 (usually 4-5) z 3-5 z 0-5 (usually 4-5) z 4-5 z 4-5 z 4-5 z 4-5 z 2-5 z 2-5 General System Characteristics

z Data Communications

z Distributed Data Processing

z Performance

z Heavily Used Configuration

z Transaction Rate

z Online data entry z End-User Efficiency

z Online update

z Complex Processing

z Reusability

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Press 5…

Best Practices tips for an IVR

• Use silence to convey structure: short pauses

between menu items and slightly longer

pauses between menus. Avoid long pauses, as they will confuse users.

A Counting Example

z Prescription Refill IVR used to

buy medications for the family pet

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Purpose of the count

z A big box retailer has created a prescription

refill IVR to support its new pharmacy department

z The big box retailer would like to know the

Information that I would gather

z Call Flows (aka Call Trees)

z Administrative Menus

z Database schemas

z Requirements documents

z Reports

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Prescription Refill

z Phone the 800 number

z Provide my prescription number via telephone keypad

z System confirms that I can refill (via number of refills left) z System confirms my name

z System asks if I’d like to find out more about the drug z System routes me to live person if I have questions

z System provides me with the time prescription will be ready

Determine Boundary

z Simple IVR with some shared data

Automatic Call

External Data

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Data for Prescription Refills

z Technical Administrative Data

z Voice Recordings (ILF)

z Menu recordings and informational recordings (promotions, hold music)

z Call Type (ILF)

z Security (ILF)

z IVR administrator, customer,

z Reference Data

z Call Routing/Transfers (ILF) z Table of Routing data

z System Configuration (ILF)

z Different profiles to support reconfiguration of IVR to support busy hour

traffic

z Reporting data (multiple ILFs)

Data for Prescription Refills

z Business Layer Data

z Call Initialization (ILF)

z Set up any special routing while customer is providing the IVR with information

z Use my ANI to know if I am an existing customer

z Business Reference data (ILF)

z Reference data that supports Refill a prescription

z Business data located in other applications that are: z Maintained (ILF)

ƒ Prescription Data

ƒ Workload of current stores

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Transactions

z Transactions

z Maintain Data (Add/Change/Delete/View) z Technical Administrative Data (EI, EQ)

z Business Data Layer (EI, EQ)

z Primary business purpose of the IVR z Refill a prescription (EI)

z Configure IVR to Support Busy Hour Traffic (EI) z Reports (EO, EQ)

z Technical Administrative Reports

ƒ Busy hour report

ƒ Average wait time report

ƒ Where are our customers having trouble in the call flow report

z Business Data Reports

ƒ Number of prescriptions by store refilled via the IVR

ƒ Number of generics by state refilled via the IVR

z Transferring Calls (EO)

Value Adjustment Factor

Scoring for Degrees of Influence z 5 z 3 z 4 z 3 z 4 z 5 z 4 z 4 z 5 z 2 z 3 General System Characteristics

z Data Communications

z Distributed Data Processing

z Performance

z Heavily Used Configuration

z Transaction Rate

z Online data entry z End-User Efficiency

z Online update

z Complex Processing

z Reusability

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Press 6…

Best Practices tips for an IVR

• Keep messages short, and place verbal

emphasis on keywords.

Thank you for attending today’s presentation! Press # to disconnect.

Contact Information

z Contact Information:

z Tammy Preuss is still amazed that she is working for the same company after 16 years – even if the name has changed 4 times.

z AT&T->AT&T Wireless->Cingular->AT&T

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Reference Information

z www.easyivr.com

z Basic IVR tips

z www.callibus.com

z www.gartnergroup.com

z 2001 study on cost of customer care rep versus IVR

z www.wikipedia.org

z www.totalmetrics.com

z Function Points FAQs - Interactive Voice Recognition

Systems