Resolve 45% of Calls Automatically with AI-Powered IVR

IVR (Interactive Voice Response) is a telephony technology that allows callers to interact with a phone system through voice commands or keypad inputs (DTMF tones). Modern IVR systems use AI and natural language processing to understand spoken requests, route calls intelligently, and provide self-service options without requiring a live agent. Common IVR applications include account lookups, payment processing, appointment scheduling, order status, and call routing to the appropriate department or agent.

Traditional IVR systems rely on rigid menu trees where callers press buttons to navigate options like "Press 1 for sales, Press 2 for support." Natural language IVR (also called conversational IVR) uses AI speech recognition and NLP to understand spoken requests in conversational language. Callers can say "I need to check my order status" or "Transfer me to billing" instead of listening to lengthy menus. Studies show natural language IVR reduces call handling time by 30-40% and significantly improves customer satisfaction scores.

Visual IVR transforms traditional voice menus into smartphone-based visual interfaces. When a caller dials in, they receive a link via SMS that opens an app-like experience on their phone. Instead of listening to options, they tap on-screen buttons to navigate. Visual IVR reduces errors (no more pressing the wrong number), speeds up self-service by 60%, and provides a more modern customer experience. It's particularly effective for complex tasks like appointment scheduling or form completion.

IVR containment rate measures the percentage of calls fully resolved within the IVR system without requiring transfer to a live agent. A good containment rate is typically 30-50%, with best-in-class systems achieving 60%+. Higher containment directly reduces operational costs (IVR interactions cost $0.25-0.50 vs $6-12 for live agent calls), decreases wait times for customers who do need agents, and often improves satisfaction since many customers prefer self-service for simple tasks.

IVR software pricing typically ranges from $25-150 per user/month for cloud-based solutions, depending on features and call volume. Platform28 starts at $65/user/month and includes IVR, intelligent routing, omnichannel capabilities, and analytics. On-premise IVR systems can cost $50,000-500,000+ upfront plus ongoing maintenance. Cloud IVR eliminates hardware costs and provides predictable monthly pricing that scales with your business.

Yes, Platform28 IVR integrates with popular CRMs like Salesforce, HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics, Zendesk, and Pipedrive, as well as databases, order management systems, and custom applications via REST API. Integration enables personalized caller experiences—greeting customers by name, providing account-specific information, verifying identity, and logging all interactions. Most integrations can be configured in 2-4 weeks depending on complexity.

Platform28 provides a visual drag-and-drop IVR builder that requires no coding or IT involvement. You can create call flows, set up routing rules, record or upload voice prompts, configure business hours, and deploy changes in minutes. For complex logic or custom integrations, our professional services team can assist. All changes can be tested in a sandbox environment before going live, and you can A/B test different flows to optimize performance.

Platform28 IVR supports 30+ languages for both speech recognition and text-to-speech, including English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Mandarin, Japanese, Arabic, Hindi, and more. You can configure automatic language detection based on caller preferences, incoming phone number, or menu selection. Professional voice recordings in multiple languages are available through our partner network, or you can upload your own recordings.

Yes, Platform28 IVR is fully compliant with HIPAA for healthcare applications and PCI-DSS Level 1 for payment processing. This includes encrypted data transmission (TLS 1.3), secure storage with AES-256 encryption, role-based access controls, comprehensive audit logging, and automatic data retention policies. We provide BAA (Business Associate Agreement) for healthcare customers and can assist with compliance documentation for audits.

Platform28 IVR provides 24/7 automated service for common requests like order status, account balances, and appointment scheduling. For issues requiring human assistance after hours, the IVR can collect detailed information, offer scheduled callback times, route to after-hours support teams or answering services, or send the caller a text with next steps. You can configure different call flows for business hours vs. after-hours with custom greetings and routing rules.

IVR (Interactive Voice Response) handles voice-based self-service through menus and simple voice recognition. IVA (Intelligent Virtual Agent) is more advanced, using conversational AI to hold natural dialogues, understand context, handle complex requests, and learn from interactions. Platform28 offers both—basic IVR for simple routing and self-service, plus AI-powered IVA capabilities for more sophisticated customer interactions. Many businesses start with IVR and add IVA features as needs grow.

Platform28 provides comprehensive IVR analytics including: containment rates (calls resolved without agent), abandonment rates by menu level, average time spent in IVR, speech recognition accuracy, path analysis showing how callers navigate menus, transfer reasons, post-call survey scores, and trend analysis over time. Real-time dashboards let supervisors monitor IVR performance, while scheduled reports help identify optimization opportunities.

Getting started is straightforward: 1) Request a demo to see the IVR builder and capabilities in action with your specific use cases. 2) Our team assesses your requirements and designs initial call flows based on your routing needs. 3) We configure integrations with your CRM and business systems. 4) You test in a sandbox environment before going live. 5) Most customers have basic IVR live within 1-2 weeks, with more complex integrations taking 3-4 weeks. We also offer migration support from existing IVR systems with minimal disruption.

Yes, IVR is valuable for small businesses, often more so than large enterprises. A small business with 2-5 people answering phones can handle significantly more calls with IVR handling routine inquiries like hours of operation, directions, order status, and appointment scheduling. Platform28 offers affordable IVR for small business starting at $65/month with no per-call charges. The visual builder requires no technical expertise—small business owners can create and modify call flows themselves. Many small businesses see ROI within the first month through reduced missed calls and better customer experience.

Pharmacy IVR is specialized interactive voice response for pharmacies, handling prescription refills, prescription status checks, store hours, and transfers to pharmacists. Customers call, enter their prescription number or date of birth, and the IVR provides refill status or initiates a refill request automatically. Platform28 pharmacy IVR integrates with pharmacy management systems (PMS) like PioneerRx, Liberty, and QS/1, is HIPAA-compliant for protected health information, and can handle 60-80% of routine pharmacy calls without pharmacist intervention. This frees pharmacists to focus on consultations and clinical services.

Cloud IVR systems typically cost $25-150 per user per month. Platform28 IVR starts at $65/user/month with no per-minute charges, setup fees, or long-term contracts. This includes visual call flow design, natural language understanding, CRM integrations, analytics, and 24/7 support. For comparison: on-premise IVR systems cost $50,000-500,000+ upfront plus $10,000-50,000 annual maintenance. Most businesses achieve positive ROI within 2-3 months through reduced call handling costs and improved customer satisfaction.

IVR (Interactive Voice Response) is the automated menu system that greets callers and collects information—"Press 1 for sales, 2 for support." ACD (Automatic Call Distribution) is what routes the call to the right agent after the IVR. IVR handles self-service and intent identification; ACD handles intelligent call routing based on skills, availability, and queue conditions. Platform28 combines both: IVR gathers caller intent, then ACD routes to the best available agent. Learn more about our ACD capabilities at platform28.com/acd.

Yes, IVR works with outbound campaigns in several ways: 1) Post-connect IVR can collect information or deliver messages after predictive dialer connections. 2) Outbound IVR can make automated calls for appointment reminders, payment reminders, or surveys. 3) After automated voicemail detection (AMD), IVR can leave consistent messages. Platform28 integrates IVR with predictive dialer, power dialer, and automated outbound campaigns. Learn more at platform28.com/predictive-dialer and platform28.com/answering-machine-detection.