IVR player: how it works

Written by Eric Fleming

If your business is considering the move to interactive voice response, or IVR for short, there are a few different aspects you'll need to consider in making your purchase. These include the features you'll want, the dealer you choose, and what exactly you'll get in purchasing your IVR player.

What exactly is interactive voice response?

It's probably best to describe exactly what your IVR player will do for your business. Interactive voice response allows your customers to speak to your database and receive responses exactly as if they had pressed the buttons on their touch-tone phone.

For instance, your IVR player may greet them by asking them if they would like to choose option 1, 2, or 3. The customer, instead of punching the corresponding key on the phone (a process made harder if the person faces physical handicaps or is using a rotary phone), needs simply to speak "one," "two," or "three" and the system interprets the response the same as if they had pushed the corresponding button. In this manner, your IVR platform (a combination of the IVR software and IVR hardware), can direct your customers where they want to go.

Real world examples

In addition to ticket sales or credit card account information, but there are numerous ways your IVR player can make life simpler for your customers. You can use it to help late-night callers access an employee's voice mail, for instance. You can use your IVR platform to help your customers find the nearest location of your business, or to schedule bill payment. Your customers can use the IVR to access bus schedules, get status updates for an incoming shipment, schedule next week's work availability, or renew a prescription.

What to look for in IVR player software

There are two components to an IVR platform, the software and the hardware. Hardware may often be tailored to your needs (number of lines you need), and the software can be completely customized as well.

If you run a small business that already uses a common PBX (private branch exchange), such as Asterisk or FreeSWITCH, you may already have your IVR player solution at hand. Many small businesses use these free or open-source options, while bigger businesses with larger needs, larger staffs (and larger budgets), may choose to outsource their IVR player needs to another company, or have one custom-built.

Ready to take advantage of IVR technology? Submit a free BuyerZone request for IVR player quotes and get matched to multiple providers in your area.