Design Approach Does Affect Customer Behavior: “Action-Objects” Increase “Cut-Throughs”

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of touch-tone IVR design styles on user behavior. The design of the touch-tone IVR systems is a critical component of delivering customer service. A well-designed system allows the customers to accomplish their goals and sets a positive tone to their interaction with the organization. Four design styles were considered: Action-Specific Object, Action-General Object, Specific Object, and General Object. Three user behaviors were considered: Cut-Through, Full Menu, and Beyond Full Menu. A usability study was conducted to quantify the impact of design styles on user behavior. Results indicate that design style does impact user behavior. The Action-Specific Object style produced the most Cut-Through behaviors and the fewest Beyond Full Menu behaviors compared to the other design styles. The results from this paper suggest that the interface design style should match the customer's mental model.