- Research Methodology
- Best IVR Systems
- What is IVR?
- How IVR Works
- Benefits of IVR
- Essential Features
- Best Practices
- How to Choose
- Use Cases
- FAQs
Our Research Methodology
There are several factors we take into account when comparing IVR (Interactive Voice Response) systems:
- Reliability: We evaluated network reliability, guaranteed uptime, redundancy measures, and failover capabilities to prevent downtime
- Security: We reviewed each provider’s available security features, such as data encryption, multi-factor authentication, and fraud detection. We also evaluated compliance with industry regulations like HIPAA and GDPR to ensure data protection and privacy
- Customer Support: We looked at customer support hours and communication channels, onboarding assistance, average response time, and available premium support packages for faster assistance
- Pricing and Plans: We considered each provider’s value per price point, scalable price tiers ideal for any budget, and if key features like multi-level IVR and call routing are included
- Included Features: We looked at advanced IVR capabilities like AI-powered voice recognition, natural language processing (NLP), self-service automation, and sentiment analysis
At-a-Glance Comparison of Best IVR Solutions
Provider | Best For | Key Strengths | AI & Automation | Customization | Pricing (Starting At) |
Nextiva | All-in-one call center IVR | Omnichannel support, workflow automation, built-in CRM | AI-driven IVR, predictive routing | Highly customizable | $129 per agent/month |
Five9 | Agent management & intelligent virtual agents | AI-powered IVAs, predictive routing, CRM integration | Sentiment analysis, speech AI | Moderate | $149 per agent/month |
Twilio | Developer-friendly IVR customization | API-driven IVR, pay-as-you-go pricing, NLP support | AI chatbots, NLP-powered IVR | Highly customizable | $0.013 per minute |
Dialpad | AI-driven IVR & outbound automation | Live AI call coaching, real-time transcriptions | AI-powered IVR, automated outbound | Moderate | $95 per agent/month |
Genesys | Customer journey management & AI chatbots | Advanced AI chatbots, predictive analytics, CX insights | Conversational AI, journey analytics | Highly customizable | Custom pricing |
NICE CXone | Omnichannel self-service automation | AI-driven self-service, interaction analytics, WFM | AI self-service, sentiment analysis | Highly customizable | Custom pricing |
Plum Voice | IVR for voice automation | No-code IVR builder, advanced speech recognition | AI-powered voice automation | Highly customizable | Custom pricing |
8x8 | Team collaboration & IVR call routing | Multi-level IVR, built-in team messaging & video calls | Basic AI routing | Moderate | $85 per agent/month |
Aircall | Low-cost IVR for small businesses | No-code IVR, simple call queueing, SMS support | Limited AI | Basic customization | $40 per agent/month |
The Best IVR Systems for 2025
- Nextiva — Best all-in-one call center IVR solution
- Five9 — Best agent management features and IVAs
- Twilio — Best for developer-friendly IVR customization
- Dialpad — Best for AI-driven IVR and outbound call automation
- Genesys — Best customer journey management and AI chatbots
- NICE CXone — Best omnichannel self-service
- Plum Voice — Best for voice automation and IVR scripting
- 8x8 — Best for team collaboration
- Aircall — Best low-cost IVR for small businesses
Nextiva — Best All-in-one Call Center IVR Solution
Nextiva’s IVR-powered call center software supports businesses with AI-driven call routing, omnichannel customer engagement, and automation. It integrates voice, SMS, chat, email, social media, and messaging apps like WhatsApp, ensuring seamless customer interactions. The IVR system includes speech recognition, intelligent call routing, and self-service options to reduce agent workload.
What We Like
- AI-powered IVR and smart routing: Automate call distribution based on caller intent, past interactions, and real-time data
- Built-in CRM and customer journey mapping: Store caller history, ensuring personalized and context-aware interactions while complying to regulatory standards
- Omnichannel IVR capabilities: Supports voice, SMS, and chat-based IVR workflows to enhance self-service and give customers more options
- Rich automation tools: Workflow automation helps streamline customer support, reducing the need for manual agent intervention
- Advanced analytics and reporting: Tracks IVR performance, customer interactions, and drop-off rates for optimization
What to Know
- Pricing starts at $129 per agent per month, making it one of the more expensive options
- The automation workflow can be tricky and requires training
- No free trial is available, they do provide a video demo
Cost
Nextiva has three pricing tiers, ranging from $129 to $199 per agent per month. Usage-based and concurrent pricing models are also available. Choose from single-channel software with voice or digital, or an omnichannel infrastructure on the higher-tier plans. They do not offer a free trial, so be sure this is the right solution before you sign.
Read our review of Nextiva pricing and plans for more information.
Five9 — Best Agent Management Features and IVAs
Five9 offers an AI-driven IVR system with Intelligent Virtual Agents to automate customer interactions, reducing the need for live agents. Five9’s system provides natural language processing (NLP) for self-service and integrates with CRM platforms to personalize experiences and keep customers engaged and invested.
What We Like
- AI-powered IVAs for self-service: IVAs handle routine and standard customer requests, reducing agent workload and freeing up agents for complex tasks
- Omnichannel IVR support: Includes voice, chat, SMS, and social messaging automation
- Predictive call routing: Use AI to route calls based on agent availability, skills, and customer intent
- Speech and sentiment analysis: Improve customer interactions by identifying key trends and emotions
- Seamless CRM integration: Connect with Salesforce, Zendesk, and other platforms for a unified customer experience
What to Know
- Requires customization to maximize value
- IVR scripting and configuration can be daunting for new users
- Higher-tier features will require additional fees
Cost
Five9 offers five plans, ranging from $175 to $325 monthly per user, with an annual commitment. Choose from digital-only, voice-only, and omnichannel options. While Five9 does not offer a free trial, it provides an app demo to get a feel for the user experience.
To learn more, see our review of all Five9 pricing.
Twilio — Best for Developer-Friendly IVR Customization
Twilio offers a flexible, API-driven IVR solution ideal for businesses needing custom IVR workflows and deep integrations. With Twilio Studio, users can design IVR flows using a drag-and-drop editor or code-based customization.
What We Like
- Highly customizable IVR: Build tailored voice and messaging workflows with Twilio Studio
- Pay-as-you-go pricing: No monthly fees—only pay for usage, making it cost-effective for startups
- Supports voice, SMS, and chatbot IVR: Multi-channel self-service options for modern customer engagement
- Advanced AI and speech recognition: Integrates with Google Dialogflow and IBM Watson for conversational AI
- Scalable for any business size: From startups to enterprises, Twilio can adapt to growing needs, it’s a very modular platform designed to grow with its users and their needs
What to Know
- Requires technical expertise or developer support
- Lacks built-in CRM or workforce management tools
- Pricing becomes expensive with high call volumes
Cost
Twilio offers pay-as-you-go pricing, so rates will vary by destination and length of calls. For example, US outbound calls start at just $0.013 per minute. Volume discounts are also available.
To learn more, see our review of Twilio pricing.
Dialpad — Best for AI-driven IVR and Outbound Call Automation
Dialpad’s AI-powered IVR enhances customer self-service, leverages automated call routing, and overall improves outbound sales efforts. Its voice recognition capabilities ensure accurate call handling, and real-time AI assist gives agents in-conversation suggested responses.
Dialpad’s all-in attitude towards AI makes it a forward-facing solution with all the bells and whistles (at an additional cost).
What We Like
- Real-time AI assistance: Live transcription and suggested responses improve customer service and increase first call resolution rates
- AI-powered IVR routing: Understands natural language requests to efficiently connect customers to the right agent
- Seamless CRM integration: Connects with Salesforce, HubSpot, and Microsoft Dynamics
- Outbound IVR automation: Automates customer follow-ups and reminders via voice or SMS
- Cloud-based scalability: Easy deployment for businesses of any size
What to Know
- Advanced AI features are only available in premium plans
- The IVR customization interface is less flexible than competitors like Twilio
- No built-in workforce management tools
Cost
Dialpad offers three plans from $80 to $150 monthly per user with an annual commitment. All plans include video meetings and let you choose from voice-only, voice plus one digital channel, or complete omnichannel cloud contact center.
See our detailed Dialpad pricing review for more info.
Genesys — Best Customer Journey Management and AI chatbots
Genesys Cloud CX offers a feature-rich IVR system with AI-driven chatbots, intelligent routing, and self-service automation. It enhances customer journey management by analyzing interactions across all touchpoints to identify where your customers are most engaged and likely to reach you from.
What We Like
- AI-powered IVR with predictive routing: Uses machine learning to optimize call distribution
- Omnichannel support: Includes voice, chat, SMS, email, and social media integration
- Customizable self-service bots: Automate common queries with AI chatbots
- Advanced customer journey analytics: Tracks interactions for improved personalization
- Real-time performance monitoring: Provides actionable insights on IVR usage and efficiency
What to Know
- Higher-tier features (knowledge bases, live agent Co-Pilot) come at a premium cost
- Implementation is complex for businesses without dedicated IT teams
Cost
Genesys Cloud offers five plans that range from $75 to $155 monthly per user, with an annual commitment. They offer voice-only, digital-only, and omnichannel plans, plus a demo version to try everything out. AI and self-service virtual agents are available as add-ons.
For more information, check out our Genesys review.
NICE — Best Omnichannel Self-service
NICE CXone provides a powerful IVR solution with AI-driven self-service and omnichannel engagement capabilities. Choose from digital-only and voice-only plans with core routing features, or add advanced tools like AI forecasting, agent performance insights, quality management tools, and omnichannel analytics.
Voice of the Customer (VoC) analytics capture sentiment across interactions, self-service, and IVR menu choices to provide a 360-degree view of customer experience.
What We Like
- AI-powered self-service IVR: Reduces agent workload by automating common customer requests
- Omnichannel capabilities: Supports voice, chat, SMS, and email IVR interactions
- Quality management tools: Speech analytics and sentiment tracking for customer experience improvements
- Predictive analytics for customer interactions: Optimizes IVR workflows based on historical data
- Workforce engagement management (WEM): Ensures optimal staffing for peak call times
What to Know
- Best suited for enterprises rather than small businesses
- Pricing is higher than some alternatives
Cost
NICE CXone offers seven plans ranging from $71 to $249 monthly per user with an annual commitment. Low-tier plans include voice-only, digital-only, and omnichannel options, while high-tier plans add advanced features like AI and the Enlighten suite.
For more information, check out our NICE pricing guide.
Plum Voice — Best for Voice Automation and IVR Scripting
Plum Voice is a customizable, enterprise-grade IVR solution made for businesses that require advanced voice automation and flexible IVR scripting. What sets it apart is its AI-driven voice recognition, speech analytics, and PCI-compliant payment processing, oriented towards industries like finance, healthcare, and customer service.
With a focus on no-code and low-code development, Plum Voice enables companies to design and deploy interactive, customer-centric experiences without a learning curve.
What We Like
- No-Code and Low-Code IVR Development: Plum Voice offers an intuitive drag-and-drop builder, VoiceTrends, for designing call flows, along with API-driven IVR scripting for more complex automation
- Advanced Speech Recognition and NLP: Its AI-powered voice recognition supports natural language processing (NLP), for conversational speech instead of touch-tone input
- Omnichannel Self-Service Capabilities: In addition to voice IVR, Plum Voice integrates with SMS, chatbots, and digital channels, creating a universal self-service experience
- PCI-Compliant Voice Payments: A standout feature is its secure, automated payment processing, allowing customers to complete transactions through voice prompts without live agent intervention
What to Know
- Technical Setup Required: While it offers a no-code builder, businesses that require deep customization will need coding knowledge for API integrations and IVR scripting
- Limited Pricing Transparency: Plum Voice does not offer public pricing, requiring businesses to request a custom quote based on usage and features
- Primarily Voice-Focused: Unlike competitors like Genesys or NICE CXone, Plum Voice does not have extensive AI chatbots
Cost
Plum Voice follows a custom pricing model, which varies based on your call volume, AI automation feature wishlist, and security needs. Businesses must contact Plum Voice for a personalized quote.
For more information, check out our Plum Voice pricing guide.
8x8 — Best for Team Collaboration
8x8’s IVR system combines intelligent call routing with team collaboration tools, making it ideal for internal communication and customer support teams. All plans include IVR, queueing, call recording, CRM integrations, analytics, and customer journey visibility.
Meetings have interactive features like polls and breakout rooms. Higher-tier plans add CX analytics and coaching support tools, with add-ons for auto dialer capabilities.
What We Like
- AI-powered IVR with skills-based routing: Ensures customers connect with the most qualified agent.
- Multi-level IVR system: Customizable self-service menus let customers resolve their issues on their own schedule and keep call queues low
- Built-in video conferencing and messaging: Facilitates internal team collaboration and intradepartmental communication
- Real-time IVR analytics: Provides insights into call trends, agent productivity, and self-service performance
What to Know
- IVR Customization is Less Intuitive: While it supports advanced call routing, the IVR design interface lacks a true no-code visual builder, requiring some technical setup
- Pricing Tiers Can Be Expensive: Advanced analytics and omnichannel IVR features are available only on higher-tier plans, making it costlier for small businesses
- Call Quality Can Vary by Region: Some users report occasional latency issues in international calls, depending on network conditions
Cost
8x8 offers three contact center plans: the voice-only X6, omnichannel X7, and X8 that adds speech analytics and quality management. 8x8 does not publicize pricing options or a free trial for these plans, but they offer a demo video.
Check out our 8x8 pricing guide for more information.
Aircall — Best low-cost IVR for small businesses
Aircall is a user-friendly cloud-based IVR and phone system designed for small to mid-sized businesses. With affordable pricing and an intuitive interface, Aircall is an excellent choice for companies that need quick IVR setup without complex integrations.
It supports multi-level call routing, voicemail transcription, and AI-powered call analytics, making it a cost-effective solution for customer support teams. Accessible on desktop or mobile, Aircall has inbound and outbound tools to support a wide variety of use cases.
What We Like
- Simple & Fast IVR Setup: Aircall features an easy-to-use drag-and-drop IVR builder, allowing businesses to create and edit call flows quickly and intuitively
- Affordable Pricing for SMBs: Compared to enterprise IVR providers, Aircall offers budget-friendly pricing with transparent costs and no hidden fees
- AI-Driven Call Routing & Analytics: Smart call routing based on caller intent, time zones, and agent availability improves customer experience
- Seamless Integration with Business Apps: Connects with HubSpot, Salesforce, Zendesk, Slack, and more
- Mobile & Remote Work-Friendly: With mobile apps for iOS & Android, Aircall is ideal for teams working remotely or on the go
What to Know
- Limited Advanced IVR Features: While great for basic call routing, Aircall lacks AI chatbots, speech analytics, and deep automation tools found in enterprise IVR solutions
- International Calling Can Be Costly: While Aircall supports global VoIP, international rates can add up quickly compared to providers like 8x8
- Best for SMBs: Large contact centers needing multi-channel IVR, AI-driven analytics, and workforce management may find Aircall too basic
Cost
Aircall offers three monthly plans ranging from $30 to over $50 per user. All plans include voice calling and SMS but lack some channels–like web chat, video, and social media messaging. The provider offers a seven-day free trial.
See our Aircall pricing guide for more information.
What is Interactive Voice Response (IVR)?
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is an automated VoIP phone system feature using pre-configured call menu prompts to collect customer input via touch-tone keypad or spoken responses, either connecting the caller to the best available live agent or resolving the issue without a representative.
IVR, sometimes called a virtual receptionist, enables 24/7/365 customer self-service, improves call center efficiency, and frees up agents by eliminating manual call management.
Single or multi-level IVR auto attendants automate routine business processes like customer data collection and basic customer service requests.
If the caller’s issue requires live agent assistance, IVR ensures customers connect only to fully-prepared, qualified representatives that can review their IVR input before accepting the call.
How IVR Works
IVR works by evaluating customer responses to call menu prompts and then automatically guiding callers through custom call flow paths based on their answers.
The step-by-step IVR call management process is:
Step One: Call Flow Configuration
A call flow is a predetermined path that callers are guided through based on their responses to custom IVR call menu prompts. Call flows quickly connect callers to the best available agent or the ideal call queue, ring group, department, voicemail box, or IVR sub-menu.
Admins can customize call flows via call routing, business hours, or according to real-time call center activity.
Step Two: Collecting Customer Input
When a customer places an inbound call to your business, the IVR system automatically plays the greeting and begins collecting customer responses. Customers can respond to IVR prompts via touch tone responses or verbally spoken responses.
Step Three: Analyzing Customer IVR Input
The IVR system then analyzes customer responses and follows preset call flow paths to route the caller to the ideal destination.
IVR processes touch tone responses using dial tone pitch recognition and can evaluate spoken responses using Natural Language Processing (NLP) and keyword analysis.
Step Four: Automatic Call Distribution
Once the IVR system determines where the call should be sent, it initiates the Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) process. ACD automatically sends callers to their ideal destination or places them in the correct queues/call flow paths without needing manual call transfers from a live agent.
Step Five: Resolving the Customer Interaction
Once the call is sent to the ideal destination, customers can resolve their issues entirely, either with automated virtual agents or by speaking to a live representative.
If no agent is available to take the call, the IVR system can:
- Send the caller back to the main IVR menu or to voicemail
- Forward the call to another call queue, phone number, agent, or call flow path
- Let the customer schedule an automated callback
Benefits of IVR
In addition to obvious IVR benefits like a better overall customer experience and increased team productivity, IVR advantages include:
- 24/7 Customer Self-Service: 81% of customers say they want more self-service options.[*] IVR provides on-demand, 24/7/365 customer self-service, allowing callers to reach out on their own schedules instead of being limited to standard business hours
- More Prepared Live Agents: Agents can review all customer IVR input before accepting the live call. Thanks to IVR, agents can review customer account records, CRM data, conversation history, and relevant knowledge base data. An agent can transfer the call to another, more qualified live representative if necessary. IVR platforms enhanced with AI conduct real-time customer sentiment analysis provide automated Agent Assist CTI screen pops from internal wikis
- Increased Call Center+Efficiency: IVR streamlines the customer journey and improves workflows via intelligent routing strategies, remote call forwarding, simultaneous ringing/call blasting, and real-time IVR call path editing to adjust to staffing/call volume fluctuations. IVR also keeps more live agents available to place outbound sales calls and prioritize VIP/high-priority customer service needs. All these improvements increase employee engagement and decrease turnover rates
- Stronger Customer Security: Some IVR systems include advanced security features like voice recognition, account passwords, and biometric data to ensure sensitive customer information is protected even in entirely automated interactions account passwords to ensure sensitive customer information
- Lower AHT: IVR shortens Average Handle Time (AHT) by eliminating/decreasing customer hold times, giving agents instant access to essential interaction data, and creating a more efficient call queue process with estimated wait times and the option to schedule an automated callback
- Increased FCR: IVR dramatically increases First Call Resolution (FCR) rates by automating the majority of customer service interactions and connecting callers to the most qualified available agent without endless call transfers. IVR’s FCR rates are amongst the highest among all contact channels at 74%.[*]
- Cost Savings: IVR eliminates the need to hire additional agents and decreases the average cost per call. It also eliminates the need for additional on-premises hardware, and is accessible on desktop and mobile devices (as well as compatible VoIP phones.) IVR technology can reduce customer service costs by up to 30%.[*] IVR also boosts customer retention rates, can increase upselling and cross-selling opportunities, and simplifies the expensive, time-consuming refund process to be more cost-effective
Essential Features of an IVR System
The best IVR systems go beyond basic call routing, offering advanced features like intelligent call distribution, real-time agent assistance, and seamless CRM integrations. Below are the key IVR system features that help businesses create a more efficient and customer-friendly call-handling process.
- Custom Greetings: Use text-to-speech or record and upload IVR scripts and menu prompts (some providers offer professional recording services)
- Drag-and-Drop Call Flow Design: Intuitive, easy-to-use call flow design tool with a drag-and-drop interface lets admins create and edit custom business rules and routing strategies, set the maximum number of rings/transfers, set maximum hold/wait times, and add/edit call groups
- Call Forwarding: If an agent doesn’t answer at their primary phone number, call forwarding automatically sends incoming calls to additional agent phone numbers/extensions/devices without disconnecting the caller–ideal for mobile and remote teams
- Call Routing: Choose from a variety of call routing strategies like skills-based routing, time-based routing, priority routing, relationship-based routing, list-based routing, round robin routing, intelligent call routing, language-based routing, and more
- Call Transfer: Manual/automatic cold (immediate) or warm transfers (the first agent gives the new agent essential information about the call before completing the call transfer)
- Call Queueing: If all agents are busy, customers are transferred to call queues and provided with estimated wait times, real-time call queue position updates, hold music, and/or custom announcements until connected to a support team member
- Ring Groups: Custom agent groups (by department, skillset, schedule, etc.) receive inbound calls via sequential ringing (list-based routing) or simultaneous ringing (all phone numbers in the call group ring at the same time, the first agent to answer gets the call.) Ideal for increasing first call resolution rates and eliminating hold times
- Call Scripting/Internal Wikis: Create custom agent call scripts and canned responses and set trigger rules for real-time, in-call Agent Assistance. Create searchable internal wikis for agents–databases containing information about company products/services, policies, escalation matrixes, etc.
- Automated Callbacks: Instead of waiting on hold or in a call queue, customers can schedule an automated callback to receive a call from a qualified representative at their chosen date/time (callbacks are automatically placed in outbound agent call queues)
- CRM Integrations: Live CTI CRM screen pops automatically display integrated CRM data like agent notes, interaction history, order/account information, account value, etc.
- Call Recording+Transcription: On-demand or automatic call recording with pause-resume recording to protect sensitive client data, plus searchable recording transcripts ideal for evaluating call center agent performance and identifying customer service trends
- Outbound IVR: Automatically place outbound calls that play pre-recorded messages (voicemail drop), send alerts/appointment reminders/billing reminders, etc. Ideal for customer surveys, political campaigns, nonprofits, etc.
IVR Best Practices
A well-designed IVR system enhances customer satisfaction by providing quick and efficient call handling. However, a poorly structured IVR can frustrate callers and lead to abandoned calls. To maximize its effectiveness, businesses should focus on keeping call menus concise, offering a direct path to live agents, and continuously refining IVR workflows based on real-time analytics. Below are some best practices to ensure your IVR system provides a seamless and user-friendly experience.
- Keep call menus short and simple: Avoid lengthy IVR greetings (aim for under 1 minute), directing callers to IVR sub-menus instead. Your initial IVR call menu should only include essential information like language options, business hours/location, and easy-to-follow prompts free from business jargon
- Offer a live agent connection: Always give customers the option to speak to a live human agent at any point during the IVR process (by pressing a button or saying “agent”)
- Review IVR analytics and recordings: Frequently listen to call recordings and generate reports to identify less successful call menu options and roadblocks, popular topics, missed call ratios and customer hangups, customer journey trends, popular call times, effective routing strategies and call groups, etc.
- Edit call flow paths: Edit and optimize IVR call paths–especially in real-time–according to current call volumes, specific incidents, available number of agents, etc.
- Consider outbound IVR: Outbound IVR is ideal for sales teams, improved lead list penetration, mass customer alerts, automated callbacks, and voicemail drops (when paired with outbound auto dialers)
How to Choose an IVR System
Follow the below step-by-step process to ensure you choose the best available IVR application for your team, customers, and overall business needs.
Step One: Evaluate Business Needs
Determine what you need your IVR system to do. Common use cases include automating customer service interactions, and connecting users to personnel to resolve high-level issues.
Step Two: Consider Pricing+Value
Set a budget according to your desired number of users and included features. Consider cost savings associated with annual vs monthly payment options, volume discounts, available add-ons (IVAs, chatbots, etc.), scalability, and contract lengths.
Step Three: Review Features + Compatible Integrations
Ensure IVR systems offer APIs and integrate with existing hardware and third-party business software (video conferencing applications, team collaboration tools, CRM platforms, etc.)
Step Four: Evaluate Provider Security+Support
Look for IVR systems with a 99.9% minimum uptime guarantee, PCI and GDPR compliance, and call encryption. Prioritize providers with 24/7 customer service across multiple customer support channels (voice calling, email, live chat, etc.)
Step Five: Request A Demo
Request a free trial or demo from potential providers–a hands-on experience will give you an understanding of the platform’s ease of use, learning curve, feature quality, and overall functionality and reliability.
IVR Use Cases by Industry
IVR has a wide variety of use cases, offering benefits to customers and small businesses in remote and in-person workplaces in industries like:
Popular IVR use cases by industry include:
- Healthcare: Appointment management, billing and health insurance, completing patient forms, vaccination and prescription management, HIPAA-compliant medical record management, healthcare staff scheduling, outbound healthcare alerts
- Banking and Financial: Account balance updates, suspicious activity/fraud alerts, card activation, credit card statements and billing, debt collection, etc.
- Education: Outbound campus alerts, online and in-person enrollment, tuition payment collection/reminders, admissions and application management, faculty scheduling, classroom attendance and grade submissions, test results, etc.
- Software/Tech: automated and live agent IT support and customer service, system-wide server alerts, product registration
- Retail: Order confirmation and tracking, delivery management, sales and promo alerts, customer service, brick-and-mortar shop location/hours, subscription management, refund/return management, etc.
- Service Providers: Appointment management, customer survey and review collection, service renewal or maintenance service reminders, update contact information, field service management, etc.
FAQs
We’ve answered the top IVR FAQs below.
The purpose of IVR is to automatically collect essential caller data, provide basic customer support, and/or route callers to the appropriate department without involving a live agent or requiring a live representative to manage calls manually.
IVR is designed to provide 24/7 customer self-service options, increase first call resolution rates, lower customer hold times, improve customer satisfaction, and boost call center productivity.
IVR is used within a variety of industries and for many different reasons, such as:
By call centers and contact centers to provide customer service or accept sales
By debt collectors and banks to accept payments over the phone
By retailers to accept orders or provide order updates
By service providers to schedule and manage appointments
By brick-and-mortar stores or other spaces to provide location and hours information
IVR systems costs vary greatly depending on whether you’re purchasing a standalone IVR software, or if you’re purchasing call center or contact center software that includes IVR as a feature.
Call and contact centers with IVR as a feature can range in price from $20.00/user per month to $150.00+/user per month depending on additional features and the specific provider.
IVR solutions on their own can range in price from $800.00+ for one hosted phone line to $1,500 and up for an in-house line.
IVR call flow is a predetermined call forwarding and routing path that automatically directs callers to relevant, available agents based on the caller’s responses to pre-recorded IVR prompts.
For example, IVR call flow ensures that callers with questions about their account statement are directed to the billing department, and not the sales or HR department.
There are several possible call path options if there is not an available agent to assist a caller.
Admins can set the call flow to automatically end the call with a message like, “There are no available representatives to take your call. Please hang up and try your call again later, goodbye.”
But simply ending the call is, of course, not preferable if other options are available.
Admins may opt to have unanswered calls automatically forwarded to voice mailboxes, forwarded to another agent, or even forwarded back to the main IVR menu for additional options.
The difference between IVR and IVA is that IVR is limited to voice calling and usually directs callers to a live agent or provides only basic automated customer support, whereas IVA is an omnichannel Intelligent Virtual Agent that uses machine learning, AI, and NLU to automate complex support requests from start-to-finish.
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