Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is an automated telephone system that allows callers to interact with a computer-operated telephone system through the use of voice and DTMF tones input with a keypad. IVR systems can respond with pre-recorded or dynamically generated audio to direct users on how to proceed. IVR technology can resolve frequently asked questions and complete basic tasks without a live agent, and customer representatives can prioritize complex interactions even when call volume is high.
IVR can be used to front-end a call center operation by identifying the needs of the caller. Information can be obtained from the caller such as an account number, and answers to simple questions such as account balances or pre-recorded information can be provided without the need for a live agent. IVR systems can also be used to route calls to the appropriate department or representative.
IVR systems are more intelligent than many predictive dialer systems and are sized to handle large call volumes. They can be used for outbound calling as well. Modern cloud contact center solutions like RingCentral have IVR or interactive voice response automatically integrated into their system, also described as voice portals. All components you need to make the technology work— like telephony, databases, and servers—are handled by the provider in the cloud.
