IVR (Interactive Voice Response)

10 Platforms With In-Built Smart IVR Systems

Interactive Voice Response, or IVR, is necessary for every contact center. It serves as a round-the-clock virtual receptionist. The IVR is configured to lead the user to a self-help guide that answers their query, a human agent who can solve their problem, or a pre-recorded voice message. IVR systems have become an integral part of the customer support and service process. They become the first line of contact, eliminate waiting queues, gather useful customer information, and route the customer to the right team, reducing resolution time. Instead of a standalone IVR system, opt for telephony and call center solutions with in-built IVR systems. In this article, we look at the ten best IVR solutions.

10 Call Center Platforms To Choose From When Looking To Implement IVR

  1. JustCall
  2. Aircall
  3. CloudTalk
  4. Kixie PowerCall
  5. Twilio
  6. Talkdesk
  7. GoTo Connect
  8. Zendesk
  9. LiveAgent
  10. Five9

1. JustCall 

JustCall is a cloud-based contact center software and telephony solution. Its robust features, easy implementation process, and affordable pricing plans make it a great contact center solution for small and mid-sized businesses.

IVR functionality is a part of JustCall’s feature packages. The in-built smart IVR system can be configured to greet customers and present multiple options that smartly route the caller to a self-help solution or the right agent within your team.

Top Features of JustCall

  • Multi-level IVR – The smart IVR system can route users to the right answers or agents based on their choices and agent/departmental skills.
  • Conversation intelligence-Track and analyze all conversations with in-depth customer and coaching insights. With JustCall IQ, a conversation intelligence platform by JustCall, you can generate sentiment analysis, live call transcriptions, and real-time prompts to make customer interactions more meaningful.
  • Live call monitoring – Team leads can monitor agent calls and join in on the call for real-time support.
  • Sales and support automation– Sales teams can run sales dialer campaigns to call multiple contacts without manually dialing numbers. Support automation features such as automatic call distribution help build smoother workflows.
  • Call recording – Monitor agents for training and feedback by playing back call recordings.
  • Auto save customer details to a CRM – All communications, whether calls, texts, or voicemails, are automatically stored in the connected CRM.

Feedback on JustCall from Real-World Users

JustCall Pros JustCall Cons
Implementing JustCall into existing solutions is easy The UI/UX of the IOS app could be improved
The application is relatively easier to use  
Costs are relatively lesser for the same features as compared to competitors  
The JustCall team helps with onboarding and training  
The smart IVR system helps teams service customers even when lines are busy or during off-work hours  

JustCall Pricing Plans

  1. Essentials -$19 per user per month, billed annually
  2. Team – $29 per user, per month, billed annually
  3. Pro – $49 per user, per month, billed annually
  4. Business – On request

We also offer new JustCall iQ pricing plans with AI capabilities.

justcall-ai-product-pricing 

JustCall Best-suited for:

Any business looking for a complete call center solution with IVR capabilities.

When to Use JustCall?

JustCall allows companies to scale their operations on a budget. It offers a robust support system without the added expense of hiring, training, and managing an additional team. JustCall also provides customized IVR solutions for businesses that want to appear professional and stand out from their competitors. Customers and clients are directed through an automated voice service tailored to the needs of individual companies. Further, JustCall has integrated data analytics tools to provide comprehensive analytics on demand, including call abandonment rate and customer satisfaction scores. This data benefits companies looking to measure their call center agents’ performance. For example, you can use call analytics to track the performance of your call scripts.

2. Aircall 

Aircall is a cloud phone and call center solution for support and sales teams. Aircall can be integrated with existing CRM, helpdesk solutions, project management tools, and almost 100 other applications.

Top Features of Aircall

  • IVR – Delivers an IVR menu and automatically routes customers to the right agent based on their selections.
  • Parallel calls – Agents can run two parallel conversations over one line by alternatively putting one call on hold.
  • Click to dial – Customer numbers on the Aircall app, emails, or texts can be dialed with a single click.
  • Analytics – The dashboard presents call activity metrics like missed call rate, outbound calls, and so on, per agent.
  • Toll-free numbers – Provides local and toll-free numbers instantly.

Feedback on Aircall from Real-World Users

Aircall Pros Aircall Cons
The interface is intuitive Pricing plans start with a required minimum of 3 users
Implementing the solution is relatively easy Is expensive for small and mid-sized companies
Has many integrations making it a good fit for companies with existing support and service tools Some features can be complex for new users to use
Has in-built analytics  

Aircall Pricing Plans

  1. Essentials – $30 per user, per month, billed annually (3-user minimum)
  2. Professional – $50 per user, per month, billed annually (3-user minimum)
  3. Custom – On request

Aircall Best-suited for:

Large-sized companies (because of the pricing) looking for a telephony and call center solution.

When to Use Aircall?

AirCall is suitable for large companies due to its higher pricing structure. It also offers IVR integration, which benefits large companies with an established tech stack. While AirCall might be too expensive for small or medium-sized businesses, it can be a good investment considering its ‘parallel calls’ feature. This feature allows agents to run two conversations over one line by alternatively putting one call on hold, thus allowing smaller call support teams to tackle higher call volumes.

3. CloudTalk 

CloudTalk is a VoIP telephony system. It provides a wide range of features like call tagging and click-to-dial and integrates with third-party apps like Hubspot, Zoho CRM, and Zendesk, making it a great call center solution for support and sales teams.

Top Features of CloudTalk

  • IVR –Helps teams create a customized menu and automatically route users to the right agents.
  • Call flow designer – Route customers to agents or solutions based on predefined criteria.
  • Call masking – Keep personal numbers hidden to protect customer and agent identities.
  • Number porting – Move services without having to change phone numbers.
  • Call recording Record calls for training and internal data records.

Feedback on CloudTalk from Real-World Users

CloudTalk Pros CloudTalk Cons
It is relatively more affordable Customers have complained of lag in call connectivity
The audio and video quality is great Implementing the solution can be complex
Easy to use drag and drop UI for workflow creation  

CloudTalk Pricing Plans

  1. Starter – $25 per user, per month, billed annually
  2. Essential – $30 per user, per month, billed annually
  3. Expert – $50 per user, per month, billed annually
  4. Custom – On request

CloudTalk Best-suited for:

Companies of all sizes looking for a telephony solution.

When to Use CloudTalk?

CloudTalk provides reasonably priced services, and the software is intuitive and needs little to no training to learn how to create workflows. CloudTalk also has intelligent call routing features, including IVR, skills-based routing, and ring groups, that shorten agents’ response time to customer queries. These features make CloudTalk well-suited for companies of any size looking to scale operations. Additionally, companies dealing with customers and clients worldwide can opt for CloudTalk because of its international call-routing feature.

4. Kixie Contact Center 

Kixie is another phone system solution with an IVR system, along with calling, contact center, and texting features.

Top Features of Kixie

  • IVR auto-attendant – Allows you to record your voice and create a customized menu for user routing.
  • Call recording – Automatically records inbound and outbound calls and stores them in the CRM.
  • Sales leaderboard – Tracks agent performance and ranks them for some healthy competition.
  • Lead creation – First-time callers are automatically created as leads in the CRM.
  • Live call board – All call engagements are displayed live, so team leads know which agents are engaged with which customers.

Feedback on Kixie from Real-World Users

Kixie Pros Kixie Cons
Provides several effective templates for SMS Call quality can sometimes be poor
The API integration is easy and seamless The app experiences problems on iOS devices
Intuitive interface that makes lead management easy Does not provide insights and analytics
They have an active support team that makes using the app easier  

Kixie Pricing Plans

  1. Integrated –  $35 per user, per month, billed quarterly
  2. Professional – $65 per user, per month, billed quarterly
  3. Outbound Powerdialler – $95 per user, per month, billed quarterly
  4. Enterprise – On request

Kixie Best-suited for:

Companies looking for a business phone solution for sales teams.

When to Use Kixie?

Kixie is a good solution for companies looking for a complete business phone solution for their sales team. Kixie’s services can be integrated with many third-party tools such as HubSpot, Salesforce, Zoho, Slack, Zapier, and more. Companies with a low answer rate from prospects or a call support team that lives out of state can benefit from Kixie’s local dialer. Kixie leverages technology that allows callers to dial prospects from a local number, which builds rapport and makes it more likely that the prospect will attend the call.

5. Twilio Contact Center 

Twilio is a customer engagement and communication platform for businesses looking to deliver an omnichannel presence. Twilio integrates all your business communication channels – video, calls, texts, social media, paid campaigns, and so on, giving you complete control through a single platform.

Top Features of Twilio

  • IVR – AI-based IVR system routes customers to the right solution or agent based on their selections.
  • Call tracking – Call sources are mapped to the right campaigns so you can measure ROI accurately.
  • Omnichannel communication – Twilio enables cross‑channel communication on channels like SMS, WhatsApp, and Chat.
  • Integrations – Integrates with third-party solutions like Salesforce and Zendesk.
  • Reporting – Has a robust reporting feature with a drag-and-drop real-time report creator.

Feedback on Twilio from Real-World Users

Twilio Pros Twilio Cons
Enables omnichannel delivery Each product is priced separately and the final solution could end up being costly
Integrates with most CRMs in the market Error logging is minimal
API integration methods are well documented Limited analytics data
Active and helpful support team  

Twilio Pricing Plans

  1. Twilio Flex (complete contact center solution) – $1 per active user hour or $150 per named user per month
  2. Twilio Studio (drag and drop IVR creator) – $0.001 per flow execution or $10,000 per month for unlimited flow executions

Twilio Best-suited for:

Businesses looking to implement an omnichannel communication platform.

When to Use Twilio?

Twilio can be the right choice for companies of any size that are looking to scale their operations and unify their customer experience across various selling channels. Twilio provides omnichannel delivery, allowing companies to communicate with their clients seamlessly through various channels, such as messaging, email, social media, and phone. Twilio has also developed an autopilot feature, which allows companies to build highly customized IVRs that can respond to queries using artificial intelligence.

6. Talkdesk 

Talkdesk is an end-to-end telephony and contact center solution. It integrates with popular solutions like Salesforce, Zendesk, Big Commerce, and Shopify. The platform is fully equipped with features like AI trainers for agents, drag-and-drop workflow builders, and an omnichannel communication center. Talkdesk is one of few solutions that offer 100% call uptime SLA.

Top Features of Talkdesk

  • Voice engagement – Smart routing based on IVR selection, business hours, and agent skills.
  • Virtual agent – Conversational AI that provides 24×7 customer support.
  • Screen recording – Record agents’ desktop activity during calls to analyze performant and train them.
  • Feedback system – Create, deploy, track, and manage surveys and customer feedback forms within the platform.
  • Live performance tracking – Real-time tracking of agent performance against measured SLAs.

Feedback on Talkdesk from Real-World Users

Talkdesk Pros Talkdesk Cons
Implementation of the solution is relatively easy Pricing is comparatively high
Delivers excellent call quality and uptime  
Provides performance measurement reports  
Good service and support  

Talkdesk Pricing Plans

  1. CX cloud essentials – $75 per user, per month
  2. CX cloud elevate – $95 per user, per month
  3. CX cloud elite – $125 per user, per month
  4. Experience clouds – on request

Talkdesk Best-suited for:

Large businesses looking for a high-quality telephony solution with contact center features.

When to Use Talkdesk?

Talkdesk’s services are suited to companies that must provide differentiated service levels to clients according to their ticket value. Therefore, high-value calls can be handled with the highest level of professionalism and competence by Talkdesk’s executives.

7. GoTo Connect 

GoTo is a cloud-based communication solution for voice, meetings, and messaging. The contact center comes equipped with features like call recording, voicemail, and CRM integration, helping team leads, agents, and IT admins use the platform efficiently.

Top Features of GoTo Connect

  • Auto-attendant – A smart IVR system routes customers to the right agent based on their selections.
  • Call forwardingForward customer calls to the right person without disconnection.
  • Call queues – incoming calls are smartly distributed to agents who are available to prevent waiting queues.
  • Voicemail over email – Voicemails can be sent to emails as sound files.
  • Audio conferencing – Connect people across borders through VoIP.

Feedback on GoTo Connect from Real-World Users

GoTo Connect Pros GoTo Connect Cons
Pricing plans are comparatively more affordable The basic plan has a lot of limitations
Provides a visual drag-and-drop editor Solving issues via support is challenging
All plans come with toll-free minutes and free international calling (specific countries) Customers have complained of bugs in the platform
Deploying the solution is relatively easy  

GoTo Connect Pricing Plans

  1. Basic – $24 per user per month
  2. Standard – $29 per user per month
  3. Premium – $39 per user per month

GoTo Connect Best-suited for:

Small and mid-sized organizations looking for a business telephony solution.

When to Use GoTo Connect?

GoTo Connect can be a good choice for companies needing comprehensive data analytics with standard call center services. Each call is monitored, recorded, and analyzed using the latest data analytics techniques to provide insight and a performance overview. GoTo Connect is an affordable solution well-suited to small and medium-sized companies looking to scale. If a company is looking for a cost-effective business telephony solution, then GoTo Connect can deliver.

8. Zendesk 

Zendesk is one of the most popular customer service platforms in the market, with end-to-end products for sales and service teams. Zendesk is a complete omnichannel solution, with phone, text, video, social media, and other channels all integrated into a single platform.

Top Features of Zendesk

  • IVR and phone trees – Customers can be routed to the right agent or a pre-recorded answer based on their selections.
  • Email – Email integration with unlimited email addresses.
  • Chatbot – A website chat widget that integrates with the platform.
  • Voicemail – Voicemail recording that also automatically creates tickets based on the message.
  • Self-help service – FAQs and a knowledge base can be integrated so customers can find answers faster.

Feedback on Zendesk from Real-World Users

Zendesk Pros Zendesk Cons
Provides a huge number of features for all-rounded customer service Customer service is not as great as other brands
In-built ticketing solution Pricing is on the higher side
UI is intuitive and easy to use  
Integrates all communication channels into the platform  

Zendesk Pricing Plans

  1. Suite Team – $49 per user, per month, billed annually
  2. Suite Growth – $79 per user, per month, billed annually
  3. Suite Professional – $99 per user, per month, billed annually
  4. Suite Enterprise – $150 per user, per month, billed annually

Zendesk Best-suited for:

Large enterprises looking for a complete customer experience solution.

When to Use Zendesk?

Zendesk is relatively higher priced because they offer a complete solution ideal for larger companies. If your company is looking for every business telephony deliverable under a single roof, Zendesk should be considered. Further, Zendesk’s platform can be integrated with numerous other third-party platforms, allowing for ease of operations and increased efficiency.

9. LiveAgent 

LiveAgent is a cloud-based helpdesk solution with over a hundred ticketing features and over two hundred integrations. The solution provides a chat widget and other telephony features with an in-built CRM that integrates with all communication channels.

Top Features of LiveAgent

  • Smart IVR – Customers are routed to the right agents based on predefined routing trees and custom-recorded messages.
  • Robust helpdesk – A helpdesk with integrated communication channels and a robust ticketing system.
  • Customer feedback – Automates customer feedback collection after every agent interaction, measuring the agent’s performance and ranking them.
  • Contact forms – Contact forms that can be built through LiveAgent and deployed on the website.
  • Workflows – Create workflows for automated ticket and call assignments.

Feedback on LiveAgent from Real-World Users

LiveAgent Pros LiveAgent Cons
All-in-one helpdesk solution The knowledgebase is not extensive
Separate modules make it easy to manage and use Using the phone app for ticketing is not as easy as using the desktop
Helps create an omnichannel presence Reporting features need to be richer
The customer support team is quick to respond and helpful  

LiveAgent Pricing Plans

  1. Free – Forever free
  2. Ticket – $15 per user, per month
  3. Ticket+Chat – $29 per user, per month
  4. All-inclusive – $49 per user, per month

LiveAgent Best-suited for:

A good solution for small and mid-sized companies looking for a call center platform.

When to Use LiveAgent?

LiveAgent is well suited for small to medium-sized enterprises looking for a cost-efficient option. LiveAgent also offers a free service, even though the features at this level are highly limited. Their most basic paid plan is also highly affordable and can do the job. Further, their designer tools are intuitive, and companies do not need a technical expert to use them.

10. Five9 

Five9 is a cloud contact center with automation and AI features to help support and service teams engage with customers better. The platform integrates with solutions like Salesforce, Zendesk, Netsuite, Microsoft Dynamics, and SugarCRM and they provide an online training platform to help businesses get started with their contact center faster.

Top Features of Five9

  • Smart IVR – Customers can engage with the IVR system through clicks or speech to reach the right agent.
  • Visual IVR – You can launch a visual IVR that customers can engage with through clicks to reach the right agent or guide.
  • Call recording – Calls are recorded so team leads can monitor them for quality and training.
  • Social channel integration – Integrate all social channels into one platform for seamless conversations.
  • Gamification – Reward agents based on performance via the platform to encourage and motivate them.

Feedback on Five9 from Real-World Users

Five9 Pros Five9 Cons
Feature-rich platform (subject to the pricing plan) Lower pricing tiers have limited features
The call routing system is quite robust with multiple IVR methods (like speech and video-based) The platform can be challenging to use
Voice quality is good on the telephony solution  
Great customer support and onboarding  

Five9 Pricing Plans

  1. Core – $149 per month
  2. Premium – $169 per month
  3. Optimum – $199 per month
  4. Ultimate – $229 per month

Five9 Best-suited for:

Mid and large-scale enterprises looking for a complete call center solution.

When to Use Five9?

Five9 is suitable for medium to large-sized enterprises looking for a complete solution under one roof. Their highly feature-rich platform can assist with call routing through multiple IVR methods. If your company needs to handle a large volume of calls, then Five9 has the capacity and operational scale to manage it. Five9’s pricing structure favors companies looking for a service that can handle bulk work.

Wrapping Up

IVRs have become essential to customer support teams, so almost every business telephony and customer service agency offers some level of IVR services. With many available options, it can be hard to choose a service that exactly suits your needs and pick the best IVR system. For this, we recommend asking for demo services so you can try out a service before committing.

With a foundational role at Saas Labs, Anand has been a key player in establishing the Product Management function and spearheading the launch of our Conversation Intelligence solution. His expertise in AI innovation guides both the strategic direction of the products and a team committed to excellence.

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