How do you feel when you call a customer helpline and are greeted by a cheery but unhelpful voice telling you the offices are closed and to call again tomorrow? It’s especially frustrating if “tomorrow” doesn’t work for you. What you’ve experienced is an answering service, but now there’s a new age of answering machines that can be as helpful as dealing with a real person: pharmacy IVR software. Sounds too good to be true? Here are some of the things with which an IVR (interactive voice response) system can help you.
A New Wave of Customer Service
Not all pharmacies are open every day. You may have a straightforward question and try to call the store, but it’s after closing, and there’s nobody there. Before the days of an IVR system, if you were lucky, you might get a message letting you know the store was closed, but in many instances, the phone would ring out. Nowadays, however, you’re likely to be presented with a menu of options that could include inviting you to leave a call-back request, directions on where you can find information on a website, an option to select a number for more information (for example, to hear opening times), or the contact number for a store that is open later.
Take the Pain out of Prescriptions
If you’ve ever made the journey to your local pharmacist to pick up a prescription only to be told it’s not in yet, you’ll know it’s frustrating, to say the least – especially if you’re feeling unwell. But how would you like it if you received a courtesy phone call from a recorded message letting you know that your prescription order was in?
Not only that, but when your refill was due, rather than you having to remember to put an order in, you get a text message reminding you that you’re overdue and a request for you to confirm (by replying with a C) whether you would like your pharmacist to fill it right away or at a later date? Without speaking to a single person, you will have successfully managed your prescriptions with just a few clicks.
If you think taking the hassle out of your pharmacy visits sounds like a good idea (and who wouldn’t?), pop into your local pharmacy and ask them if they have a custom IVR system. Sign up for it and manage your prescriptions from the comfort of your own home.
