What is Interactive Voice Response (IVR)?

An Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is an automated telephony technology that allows a computer to interact with humans through the use of voice and DTMF tones (the sounds made when you press a key on your phone's keypad).

While it is similar to an Auto Attendant, an IVR is generally more sophisticated. The key difference is that an IVR is designed to understand the intent of the caller and often enables them to complete a task or access information without ever speaking to a live agent. In contrast, an Auto Attendant's primary function is simply to route the caller to the correct person or department.

An IVR system can:

• Gather Information: It can ask the caller for information like an account number, a tracking ID, or a date of birth.
• Provide Information: It can access a database to provide automated responses, such as an account balance, the status of a delivery, or a store's hours of operation.
• Enable Self-Service: Callers can perform simple transactions on their own, like paying a bill, refilling a prescription, or confirming an appointment.
• Route Calls Intelligently: Based on the information gathered, the IVR can route the call to the most appropriate agent or department, ensuring the caller is connected to someone who is already briefed on their issue.

By automating these routine interactions, IVR systems help businesses improve efficiency, offer 24/7 customer service, and free up human agents to focus on more complex or high-value inquiries.