[JamisonM]

I worked with some folks that did IVR systems and they were mostly doing their best with the resources and constraints they had to make the thing useful. They were measured by dropped calls, they did not like them.

The weaknesses were mostly just ordinary business stupidity.

The marketing department demands that the first option allow the caller to express interest in buying a product.. nobody ever does that but then it takes up the primest real estate in the system #1 on the first level of the tree.

Of course anyone with a billing enquiry needs to enter the account # so that the collections department has the opportunity to intercept.. but after the arrears lookup nobody in the call centre is willing to pony-up the resources to make the system retain the account number that was typed in so every customer has the then say the damn number after having just typed it in!

[etripe]

To be clear, I wasn't putting the blame with IVRs or their designers. I was specifically speaking to the UX that results from businesses programming them and the menu options they set up. Like you say, those are constrained by what the business itself wants, which in turn is constrained by cost management philosophy.

[EGreg]

At least #1 option is better than having to hear an announcement to press 1 to hear about how Bank of America supports the Military… when you call in for support (yes it is actually happening right now, try it). Whoever would want to hear that when they want assistance with their issue, unless they or their family is in the military?