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CloudAgent is a cloud-based call center solution that enables businesses to engage and interact with customers via multiple channels including voice, chat, email, SMS messages and social media platforms. Professionals can utilize the preview dialer to view...Read more about CloudAgent
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Five9 is an all-in-one cloud contact center solution for inbound, outbound, blended and omnichannel contact centers world-wide. Powered by Practical AI, Five9 enables agents to provide customer experiences across phone, email, chat, mobile, social an...Read more about Five9
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Zendesk is a cloud-based help desk management solution offering customizable tools to build customer service portal, knowledge base and online communities. The solution offers a customizable front-end portal, live chat features and integration with applica...Read more about Zendesk Suite
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CallShaper is a cloud-based call center management solution suitable for small to midsize businesses. Key features include lead management, real-time reporting, agent monitoring and tablet support. CallShaper enables users to create click-to-call form...Read more about CallShaper
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Amazon Connect is a cloud-based contact center service that offers omnichannel customer service using machine learning, interactive voice response, and call routing. The service caters to businesses of all sizes looking to enhance their customer experience...Read more about Amazon Connect
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Nextiva Contact Center is an AI-enabled solution that helps businesses manage customer interactions. The platform includes features to improve agent productivity, foster customer loyalty and provide a unified customer experience. It caters to a range of in...Read more about Nextiva Contact Center
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Phonexa is an enterprise-grade tracking software for performance, affiliate and partner marketing. The Phonexa Suite is the underlying tech that carries through the consumer lead and call lifecycle, helping performance marketing teams drive ROI for brands ...Read more about Phonexa
XCALLY is an on-premise and cloud-based contact center solution that handles multiple channels including voice, chat, SMS, email, fax and others. It caters to inbound, outbound and blended call centers of all sizes. Primary features are contact management,...Read more about XCALLY
Ringover is the no.1 business phone system that gives you unlimited calls to 110 countries, video conferencing, SMS and group messaging, call recording, call whispering and more features focused on improving your teams productivity. No expertise needed. In...Read more about Ringover
Bright Pattern is a cloud-based contact center software solution which helps businesses manage multichannel service including inbound and outbound voice, email, chat, and social media. Bright Pattern scales from 5 to 10,000 concurrent agents and provides c...Read more about Bright Pattern
AVOXI Genius is a cloud-based call center solution that helps small to large enterprises streamline customer service operations and manage business communications. It comes with a centralized dashboard, which enables users to track inbound calls and monito...Read more about AVOXI
CallTrackingMetrics is a cloud-based call tracking and contact center solution for businesses and agencies that helps with tracking campaigns, reaching new audiences through integrated text marketing and online forms and using intelligent analytics to moni...Read more about CallTrackingMetrics
UJET is a cloud-based call center application that integrates with customer relationship management (CRM) solutions. It offers both voice and chat channels for customers to reach their support agents. Users can connect with agents via the application, onli...Read more about UJET
wolkvox is the most innovative, reliable, easy to use and fast to deploy all-in-one cloud contact center solution on the market. With wolkvox you are offering employees and customers a platform to connect and manage voice, chat, SMS, email, social media a...Read more about wolkvox
Kixie: AI-Powered Revenue Communication for High-Performing Teams Kixie is a next-generation revenue engagement platform that helps teams connect with leads and customers effortlessly. By combining AI, automation, and seamless CRM integration, Kixie trans...Read more about Kixie PowerCall
ZIWO is a cloud-based call center workforce management solution that helps streamline customer interactions via virtual phone numbers, call tracking, call masking and more. It offers a variety of features such as key performance indicators (KPIs), online s...Read more about ZIWO
Channels is a customer service solution for call centers and client success teams that offers tools including channel management, live chat, call management, eCommerce integration, contact history, and more. With Channels, users can utilize customer data f...Read more about Channels
Plum Voice powers automated communications solutions - IVR systems, virtual agents, chatbots, messaging campaigns, etc. - to simplify the most frequent customer interactions. By using low-code tools on a secure, PCI- and HIPAA compliant platform, users can...Read more about Plum Voice
VoIPstudio is a cloud-based call center management solution designed for businesses of all sizes. It offers features that include automatic call distribution (ACD), interactive voice response (IVR), call logs, speech to text and remote offices. The solutio...Read more about VoIPstudio
TalkChief isn't just a business phone system; it's your partner in enhancing communication for call centers, startups, enterprises, and nonprofits. Designed to simplify interactions across remote teams and with customers, TalkChief focuses on user-friendly...Read more about TalkChief
NUACOM is a call center and business VoIP solution that helps manage business operations using softphones, IVR, auto-attendant, conferencing room, number porting and more. The centralized platform allows supervisors to maintain wallboard of agents' activit...Read more about NUACOM
MaxContact is an omnichannel contact center solution that is designed for businesses across different sectors including BPO’s, financial services, utility providers, and more. Supporting inbound and outbound operations, MaxContact ensures that businesses h...Read more about MaxContact
Talkdesk is a cloud-based call center solution that helps businesses improve customer satisfaction while simultaneously reducing customer support costs. It uses interactive voice response (IVR), automatic call distribution (ACD) and skills-based routing, c...Read more about Talkdesk
LiveVox (Nasdaq: LVOX) is a powerful, next generation contact center platform that powers more than 14 billion interactions a year. They seamlessly integrate omnichannel communications, CRM, AI, and WFO capabilities to deliver exceptional agent and custome...Read more about LiveVox
Voiso is a cloud-based contact center software for sales and support teams that use phone calls, SMS, messengers, and social media to engage customers. Voiso's dialers and answering machine detection allow sales teams to reach more customers quickly and i...Read more about Voiso
Software Advice uses reviews from real software users to highlight the top-rated IVR products in North America.
Learn how products are chosen“Usability” includes user ratings for Functionality and Ease of Use.
“Customer Satisfaction” includes user ratings for Customer Support, Likelihood to Recommend and Value for Money.
Reviews analysis period: The reviews analysis period spans two years and ends the 15th of the month prior to publication.
This detailed guide will help you find and buy the right ivr systems software for you and your business.
Last Updated on January 27, 2025Interactive voice response (IVR) systems are a foundational technology for inbound contact centers. They allow callers to complete tasks over the phone, either via voice response or numerical keypad input.
IVR software can dramatically streamline the performance of a contact center—particularly when used in conjunction with customer relationship management (CRM) software. But it isn’t the best fit for all business models. IVR systems offer complex, specialized functionality, and are packaged in different ways by different vendors.
That’s why we’ve written this guide to help you better understand which systems will work best for your needs. In it, we’ll cover the following topics:
Benefits of Using IVR Software
IVR Systems vs. Auto-Attendants
Best-of-Breed Systems vs. Contact Center Suites
IVR software accomplishes two major goals:
It helps callers help themselves through “self-service.” These systems provide automated menus that allow callers to complete tasks without assistance from support agents.
In conjunction with an automated call distribution (ACD) system, an IVR system helps route callers to the right support agent when their needs can’t be met by self-service options. (An ACD system parks incoming calls in a queue until agents are available to answer, and then distributes calls to agents using rules that factor in agent skills, performance metrics, etc.) For instance, if a caller says or enters the numerical option for “billing” using the IVR system, they’ll be routed into the call queue (controlled by the ACD system) for an agent in that department.
IVR systems follow a branching menu structure known as a “menu tree.” The top-level menu may include options for, say, “support” and “billing.” If the caller selects “support,” they’ll be funneled into a submenu that contains numerous self-service options for support issues (e.g., instructions on how to reset a device). If these options don’t meet the caller’s needs, the caller will be routed to a support agent.
As mentioned, the IVR menu tree also assists in call routing through integration with ACD systems, which use callers’ spoken or touch-tone responses as they navigate the IVR system to route calls to the right agent.
Customers may not know what the term “IVR” means—but they do know what they like and don’t like, and many perceive IVR technology as annoying and difficult to use. So why does your call center need an IVR system in the first place?
The answer is that IVR can cut down on the number of calls agents have to handle by enabling callers to resolve certain issues through self-service options. By reducing the overall number of calls your contact center handles, you can slash your top expense: personnel.
Moreover, even though consumers tend to dislike IVR technology, they probably aren’t thinking through the alternative: a drawn-out interaction with a support agent. When we interviewed call center benchmarking expert Bruce Belfiore about IVR design best practices, he noted that some consumers (particularly younger callers) prefer to avoid interacting with a support agent whenever possible. These callers actually prefer IVR and other self-service technologies.
Additionally, even if an IVR system isn’t able to fully meet a caller’s needs, it can still automate the initial steps of collecting information and routing the caller to the right group of agents. Without an IVR, these steps would need to be handled by human workers—increasing the number of transfers (and, most likely, the caller’s level of frustration) before getting the call to the right agent.
Simply think back to the times you’ve been bounced around like a ping-pong ball between multiple contact center agents who couldn’t answer your question, and you’ll quickly realize the value of IVR.
The following list of IVR capabilities includes standard offerings of most systems. This list also includes more advanced capabilities offered by niche vendors or enabled via integrations with other contact center applications:
Visual IVR designer | A drag-and-drop graphical user interface for designing IVR call flows (the branching menus through which callers pass as they select options for support, sales, billing etc.). |
Automated speech recognition (ASR) | Allows callers to speak responses instead of using touch-tone input. Frequently requires the use of third-party ASR software, though many IVR vendors partner with ASR vendors to deliver a complete solution. Some systems allow for voiceprint authentication (comparing audio data from a call with a model of the caller’s voice) to verify caller identity. |
Text-to-speech (TTS)/common data speaker | Text-to-speech enables the system to read information from databases out loud for customers (payment history, account balances, etc.), as opposed to simply playing recorded prompts. Also assists in the development of IVR menu prompts. A common data speaker is a more basic capability that only allows highly structured data, such as dates and numbers, to be converted into speech. |
Multilingual support | Enables the IVR menu structure to play prompts and recognize spoken responses in multiple languages. |
Data retrieval from Web server | Allows customer data to be retrieved from a Web server in order to verify response input (e.g., checking a spoken account number against a stored account number) and otherwise assist agents. |
Computer telephony integration (CTI) | Data collected from the IVR system (e.g., a customer’s name) is displayed on an agent’s screen to help the agent better assist the caller. |
ACD integration | Data collected from the IVR is used to prioritize calls within queues and to distribute calls to various agent skill groups (if the ACD system offers skills-based routing). Users can also enable options such as hold music and estimated wait times to keep callers on the line. |
Customer satisfaction surveys | IVR surveys can collect voice or touch-tone responses from callers about their levels of satisfaction with the agent or the IVR system itself. These responses are fed into contact center reporting tools for visibility into key performance indicators. |
Outbound IVR/notification system | Outbound notifications such as surveys, appointment reminders, and account alerts can be delivered to customers via voice, email, fax, SMS text, etc. Voice notifications include IVR self-service options that can help the caller resolve the issue (e.g., pay an unpaid bill). |
Visual IVR | Allows customers to navigate a visual representation of an IVR menu on a website or within a native app running on a desktop, laptop or smartphone. This is a new technology many vendors don’t yet offer, though a handful of niche vendors specialize in adding visual IVR capabilities to solutions from major contact center vendors. |
Visual IVR designer in Five9
Businesses frequently think they need an IVR system when they actually only need an auto attendant. IVR systems are sophisticated solutions that are offered on a stand-alone basis or as components of integrated contact center suites. Auto attendants, on the other hand, are standard components of office phone systems.
The basic difference between an auto attendant and an IVR system is: An auto attendant merely routes callers to extensions in a business’s directory, whereas an IVR provides callers with automated self-service options. Auto attendants also tend to lack advanced features such as speech recognition. Nearly every office with a phone system uses some kind of auto attendant, but in most cases, only contact centers use IVR systems.
You can consult our guide to auto attendants for more information on what they do and how they differ from IVRs.
Vendors offer IVR systems two different ways: as “best-of-breed” systems sold on a stand-alone basis, or packaged within integrated suites of contact center applications.
Stand-alone IVR solutions are designed to be integrated with systems businesses have already deployed, such as:
Standard business phone systems (also known as Private Branch eXchange or PBX systems)
By opting for a stand-alone IVR, organizations can avoid replacing the above systems, which frequently represent significant expenditures. PBX integrations allow IVR data to be used in call routing and enable call recording, among other capabilities.
Integrating an IVR and a standard business phone system can provide benefits, such as improved call routing. However, IVR systems usually need to be integrated with a suite of dedicated contact center applications in order to maximize those positive results.
In a contact center environment, data collected by the IVR can be pushed to agents’ computer screens or fed into reporting tools. The IVR integrates with the ACD system to provide sophisticated call routing. Finally, customers who don’t want to interact via voice have other options with a multi-channel contact center solution.