What Is An IVR?

Here’s the techy answer… IVR stands for ‘Interactive Voice Response’ this is the automated system that handles inbound calls to direct them to the right department.

When you call a company and hear…
"Welcome to ABC Company, please select from the following options…
For sales press 1, for accounts press 2”

That’s an IVR system

The sole purpose of an IVR is to route callers to the right department in the most efficient way possible.

Over the years, IVRs have evolved from embryonic ‘phone trees’ to become a sophisticated solution for call centres and large organisations. IVR messaging allows you to interact with callers, exchanging information to get them to the right place.

At a basic level IVR systems can recognise and respond to telephone keypad button presses, more advanced systems are able to understand speech, and deliver an appropriate response – either by asking for more information, or routing the call.

IVR systems are an essential part of any modern contact centre solution (often referred to as UCaaS or CCaaS).

Learn about the benefits of IVR >>

 

How does IVR Voice Messaging work?

 Most companies have some form of IVR, ranging from a simple response menu to intelligent automated systems. Whether you’ve got something in place or not, it’s worth investing in IVR Voice Messages that deliver a smooth and efficient customer journey.

IVR voice prompts are essential for large companies and call centres; to direct customers to the right person or department. They also help to manage call queues and keep customers happy from the moment they pick up the phone through to speaking with an adviser.

By working with an IVR consultant, like us, you can map out the ‘branches’ of your IVR tree, ensure that the scripts have the right tone of voice, and that your IVR recordings are in line with the rest of your brand.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or you want to step up the capabilities of your existing system, we can help. Our service can be tailored to your specific needs and deadlines, with a dedicated manager to oversee the project.

Our IVR recording process >>

 

 
 

Curious to see what IVR messaging could do for your business?
To discuss your project, call our friendly team on 0333 050 7610 or email your script to hello@ivr-recordings.co.uk for a free quote & audio demo.

 

The History of Business Phone Systems and IVR

Interactive Voice Response Systems were developed in a very basic form in the 1930s, with as electronic speech synthesisers, but the IVR we know today has come a long way since then.

The more modern version of IVR systems, which more closely reflect what we’re used to experiencing on the phone now, were introduced in 1962 yet they were still quite the novelty up until the late 1970s when they were more frequently used in large call centres to direct customer queries.

With improvements in speech recognition, IVR was able to expand into bigger ‘phone trees’ or menus to help point calls and queries to the most relevant department, meaning calls are dealt with more efficiently.

The benefits of an IVR system have developed over the years, from initially using pre-recorded menus and gathering customer decisions through touch-tone technology, to now being able to understand a customer’s spoken query, with the technology evolving to provide a whole spectrum of information without ever connecting a call.

The industry today is worth a huge £14 billion and is growing at a rapid 10.7% a year, clearly it’s one worth investing in.

Shall we get started?

Call us on 0333 050 7610, book a consultation, or email your script to hello@ivr-recordings.co.uk for a free, same-day quotation.