What is Interactive Voice Response

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is a software application that accepts a combination of voice telephone input and touch-tone keypad selection and provides appropriate responses in the form of voice, fax, callback, e-mail and perhaps other media. IVR is usually part of a larger application that includes database access. Common IVR applications include:

• Bank and stock account balances and transfers

• Call center forwarding

• Surveys and polls

• Simple order entry transactions

• Selective information lookup (movie times, etc.)

An IVR application provides pre-recorded voice responses for appropriate situations, keypad signal logic, access to relevant data, and potentially the ability to record voice input for later handling. Using computer telephony integration (CTI), IVR applications can hand off a call to a human being who can view data related to the caller at a display.