Interactive voice response

Definition
Interactive voice response (IVR) is a technology that allows a computer to detect voice and dual-tone multi-frequency signaling (DTMF) keypad inputs.

Overview
IVR technology is used extensively in telecommunication, but is also being introduced into automobile systems for hands-free operation. Current deployment in automobiles revolves around satellite navigation, audio and mobile phone systems.

In telecommunications, IVR allows customers to access a company’s database via a telephone keypad or by speech recognition, after which they can service their own inquiries by following the instructions. IVR systems can respond with pre-recorded or dynamically-generated audio to further direct users on how to proceed. IVR systems can be used to control almost any function where the interface can be broken down into a series of simple menu choices. In telecommunications applications, such as customer support lines, IVR systems generally scale well to handle large call volumes.