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IVR Functions Add-On

Create interactive voice response (IVR) menus with "Press 1 for X, Press 2 for Y" functionality to route calls to different departments or services.

What It Does​

  • Present callers with menu options via voice prompts
  • Route calls based on keypad selections
  • Support multi-level menus (submenus)
  • Provide different services/departments routing
  • Handle invalid selections gracefully

When to Use​

  • Multi-department organizations
  • Different service offerings requiring different handling
  • Need to pre-qualify or categorize callers
  • Want to reduce agent workload through self-service options
  • Professional call routing requirements

Compatible Workflows​

  • ✅ Direct + Options: Add department routing before queuing
  • ✅ Direct to Voicemail: Route to different voicemail boxes
  • ✅ Direct: Add menu before connecting to agents

Technical Implementation​

Simple Department Routing​

"Thank you for calling. Please select from the following options:
Press 1 for General Support
Press 2 for Billing Questions  
Press 3 for Technical Support
Press 0 to speak with an operator"

Service-Based Routing​

"Welcome to Community Services. 
Press 1 for Food Assistance
Press 2 for Housing Support
Press 3 for Job Training Programs
Press 4 for Mental Health Resources
Press 9 to repeat this menu"

Multi-Level Menu​

Main Menu → "Press 1 for Client Services"
  └─ Submenu → "Press 1 for New Clients, Press 2 for Existing Clients"

Main Menu → "Press 2 for Provider Services"  
  └─ Submenu → "Press 1 for Referrals, Press 2 for Training"

Studio Flow Configuration​

Setup Steps​

  1. Design Menu Structure

    {
      "main_menu": {
        "prompt": "Please select from the following options...",
        "options": {
          "1": {"label": "General Support", "action": "queue:general"},
          "2": {"label": "Billing", "action": "queue:billing"},
          "3": {"label": "Technical", "action": "queue:technical"},
          "0": {"label": "Operator", "action": "queue:operator"},
          "9": {"label": "Repeat Menu", "action": "repeat"}
        },
        "timeout": 10,
        "max_attempts": 3
      }
    }

  2. Create Voice Prompts

    • Professional text-to-speech (Polly-Matthew-Neural)
    • Custom recorded prompts
    • Multi-language support

  3. Configure Studio Flow Widgets

    • Play Widget: Menu prompts
    • Gather Widget: Capture keypad input
    • Split Widget: Route based on selection
    • Queue Widget: Send to appropriate agent queue

  4. Set Up TaskRouter Queues

    [
      {
        "queue_name": "General_Support",
        "target_workers": "routing.skills HAS 'general'",
        "priority": 1
      },
      {
        "queue_name": "Billing_Support", 
        "target_workers": "routing.skills HAS 'billing'",
        "priority": 2
      },
      {
        "queue_name": "Technical_Support",
        "target_workers": "routing.skills HAS 'technical'", 
        "priority": 1
      }
    ]

Advanced Features​

Business Hours Routing​

Route differently based on time:

const isBusinessHours = checkBusinessHours();
const menuOptions = isBusinessHours ? 
  businessHoursMenu : afterHoursMenu;

Dynamic Menu Content​

Update menus based on external data:

// Check system status
const systemStatus = await checkSystemHealth();
if (systemStatus.technical === 'down') {
  // Remove technical support option
  delete menuOptions['3'];
  // Add notice about technical issues
  menuPrompt += " Technical support is currently unavailable.";
}

Call Volume Based Routing​

const queueStats = await getQueueStatistics();
const generalWaitTime = queueStats.general.avg_wait_time;

if (generalWaitTime > 300) { // 5 minutes
  menuPrompt += " General support is experiencing longer than usual wait times.";
}

Self-Service Options​

// Add self-service options to reduce agent load
const selfServiceMenu = {
  "4": {"label": "Check Account Balance", "action": "self_service:balance"},
  "5": {"label": "Make a Payment", "action": "self_service:payment"},
  "6": {"label": "Update Information", "action": "self_service:update"}
};

Prompt Design​

  • Keep options to 4-5 maximum per menu
  • Use clear, concise language
  • Provide option to repeat menu (Press 9)
  • Always include operator option (Press 0)
  • State most common options first

Timing Configuration​

{
  "gather_timeout": 10,
  "max_attempts": 3,
  "inter_digit_timeout": 3,
  "finish_on_key": "#"
}

Error Handling​

First attempt: "I didn't catch that. Please press 1 for..."
Second attempt: "Please select a valid option from the menu..."
Third attempt: "I'll connect you with an operator who can help."

Integration with Other Add-Ons​

With Custom Greetings​

// Personalized greeting before menu
const greeting = await getCustomGreeting({
  time_of_day: new Date().getHours(),
  caller_number: event.From,
  organization: context.ORG_NAME
});

With CRM Integration​

// Skip menu for VIP callers
const callerInfo = await lookupCaller(event.From);
if (callerInfo && callerInfo.vip_status) {
  // Route directly to priority queue
  return routeToQueue('vip_support');
}

With Transcription​

// Log menu selections for analysis
await logInteraction({
  caller: event.From,
  menu_path: ['main', 'option_2', 'billing'],
  timestamp: new Date()
});

Multi-Language Support​

Language Selection Menu​

"Para Español, presiona 1. For English, press 2."

Dynamic Language Routing​

const detectLanguage = async (caller_number) => {
  const history = await getCallerHistory(caller_number);
  return history.preferred_language || 'en';
};

const language = await detectLanguage(event.From);
const menuPrompts = getMenuPrompts(language);

Analytics and Optimization​

// Track menu usage patterns
const analytics = {
  total_calls: 1000,
  menu_selections: {
    option_1: 450, // 45%
    option_2: 200, // 20% 
    option_3: 150, // 15%
    timeout: 100,  // 10% - may need clearer prompts
    invalid: 100   // 10% - consider menu redesign
  }
};

A/B Testing Menus​

// Test different menu structures
const testGroup = hash(event.From) % 2;
const menuVersion = testGroup === 0 ? 'menu_a' : 'menu_b';

Troubleshooting​

Common Issues​

Callers not hearing menu options

  • Check audio file formats and bitrates
  • Verify Studio Flow widget configuration
  • Test from different phone types

Invalid key presses not handled

  • Configure proper timeout settings
  • Add error handling for invalid selections
  • Provide clear instructions

Menu loops or hangs

  • Check Studio Flow transitions
  • Verify Gather widget timeout settings
  • Add maximum attempt limits

Performance Optimization​

Menu Load Times

  • Cache frequently used prompts
  • Optimize audio file sizes
  • Use CDN for prompt delivery

Queue Distribution

  • Monitor queue wait times
  • Adjust routing based on capacity
  • Implement overflow routing

Advanced Configurations​

Conditional Menus​

// Different menus based on caller type
const callerSegment = await identifyCallerSegment(event.From);
const menuConfig = getMenuForSegment(callerSegment);

Time-Based Routing​

// Route differently during peak hours
const isPeakTime = checkPeakHours();
if (isPeakTime) {
  // Offer callback options prominently
  menuConfig.options['1'] = {
    label: "Request a callback to avoid wait times",
    action: "callback"
  };
}

Integration with External Systems​

// Check external system availability
const systemStatus = await checkExternalSystems();
menuConfig.options = menuConfig.options.filter(option => 
  systemStatus[option.system] === 'available'
);