Interactive Voice Response (IVR)

IVR is a horizontal application in computer telephony that allows users to get computer-based information over the phone instead of utilising a computer. After listening to an audio menu, an IVR platform uses computer telephony components to translate callers’ touch-tones or voice commands into computer questions. “Please enter your account number using the touch-tones on your telephone,” for example. The IVR platform then “fetch” these inquiries from the host computer. In some instances, the data is stored on the same platform (self-hosted). The data is transformed into voice commands that are delivered to the caller over the phone.