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Telephone voice response is automated audio interaction over a telephone connection: a system plays prompts or other responses and takes input from the caller. The common term for an interactive version is interactive voice response (IVR). Callers can respond with keypad tones, speech, or both; spoken answers are not required.
What does telephone voice response mean?
Telephone voice response describes a system that communicates with someone by playing audio over a telephone line and accepting the caller’s input. It can provide information, collect answers, complete a self-service task, or direct the caller to another service.
The phrase is not used consistently as a formal standalone technical term. In common telecommunications usage, an interactive system that prompts callers and reacts to their responses is called an interactive voice response system, or IVR.
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The caller reaches an application through a telephone network.
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The application plays a prompt, using prerecorded audio or synthesized speech.
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The caller responds by pressing telephone keys, speaking, or using both methods.
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The application follows its programmed logic to provide information, collect a response, perform a self-service task, or route the caller onward.
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For example, a system might ask a caller to choose an option by pressing a key, then play the relevant information or transfer the call. IBM’s WebSphere Voice Response documentation describes voice applications as providing telephone access to business data and services.
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What inputs and audio can it use?
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Keypad input: The system detects touch-tone signals, commonly called DTMF. A caller presses a number or other key in response to a prompt.
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Spoken input: A system with speech recognition can process a caller’s spoken answer.
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Audio output: Prompts and responses may be prerecorded or generated through synthesized speech.
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Early IVR interfaces commonly used keypad input and synthetic speech. An IVR system does not have to recognize speech: a keypad-only system can also be interactive voice response.
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- Sold as 1 Each.
- 60-min Recording Time
- Message Guard Memory For Power Failure
- Variable-speed Playback
- En/fr/sp Setup Menu. Call Screening/intercept.
How are IVR and a voice response unit different?
IVR commonly refers to the interactive application or system behavior: prompting a caller, accepting input, and responding according to application logic. A voice response unit (VRU) commonly refers to the telephony device or component that plays responses based on keypad or voice input. The terms can overlap, so the distinction is a matter of common usage rather than a universal rule.
Is telephone voice response the same as speech recognition?
No. Speech recognition is one possible way for a telephone system to accept input. A caller may instead respond by pressing telephone keys, and some systems support both. Telephone voice response refers more broadly to automated audio interaction over a telephone connection.
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