Healthcare organizations often face significant challenges when it comes to managing patient inquiries efficiently, especially when dealing with urgent medical concerns. This blog post focuses on how Conversational IVR, powered by Teneo, has revolutionized the customer experience for a leading global healthcare company, delivering enhanced patient support and streamlined operations.
The Challenge
In the healthcare industry, providing quick and accurate responses is critical, especially for life-saving inquiries. The traditional IVR systems that this healthcare leader previously used resulted in long wait times, high abandonment rates, and misrouted calls. Patients calling for urgent help—such as inquiries about cardiovascular conditions—experienced delays that could impact their health. Moreover, the inefficiencies also burdened the call agents, causing employee frustration.
The Solution: Teneo’s Conversational IVR – OpenQuestion
By integrating Teneo’s Conversational IVR technology with OpenQuestion, the healthcare provider transformed their call center operations. The AI-powered system handled over 1 million voice sessions by understanding and routing patient calls in real time. Unlike traditional IVR systems that require manual input, the conversational AI recognized natural language inputs and directed patients to the right resources without navigating complex menu systems.
The implementation allowed for seamless integration with existing CRM systems like ServiceNow and HubSpot, together with telephony systems, making the transition smooth and cost-effective. More importantly, it reduced average handling times by simplifying call processes. You can find the Case Study here: Global Healthcare Leader Transforms IVR Call Center with OpenQuestion.
The Results
The outcomes of this transformation were significant:
- 20% reduction in call handling costs: By automating more inquiries through the Conversational IVR, the healthcare provider reduced costs by minimizing the need for human agents in handling routine inquiries.
- $6M in annual savings: The advanced call routing and automation led to massive cost savings, allowing the company to reallocate resources to other critical areas.
- 37% decrease in wait times: Patients received faster service, which is critical in healthcare environments where delays could affect patient outcomes.
- 6.7% reduction in call abandonment rates: Fewer patients hung up due to frustration with long wait times, leading to higher patient satisfaction.
Why It Matters
This case exemplifies how healthcare organizations can leverage AI-driven IVR solutions to improve not only customer experience but also operational efficiency. By minimizing human error and reducing the complexity of navigating healthcare systems, Conversational IVR improves the overall experience for patients, doctors, and support staff. For healthcare companies, the technology ensures that critical interactions are handled promptly, reducing the risk of delays in urgent care inquiries. Especially in a heavily regulated industry like healthcare, compliance with regulations such as HIPAA in the US, and the EU AI Act in Europe, is crucial.
To explore these topics in more detail, check out the following resources:
- Customer Experience Examples: An Overview
- Customer Experience Examples: Improving Healthcare with AI-Powered IVR
- Customer Experience Examples: Revolutionizing Telecom with Telefónica’s Conversational IVR
- Customer Experience Examples: Enhancing E-Commerce Efficiency at HelloFresh
- Customer Experience Examples: Enhancing Financial Services with AI-Driven Contact Center Automation
- Customer Experience Examples: Enhancing Retail Customer Engagement with AI-Driven IVR
- Customer Experience Examples: Boosting Tech Service Efficiency at CSG with AI-Powered IVR
- Customer Experience Examples: Improving Hospitality with Fast-Resolution Conversational IVR