The Menu node (also known as an IVR - Interactive Voice Response) is used in order to allow callers to automatically sort themselves into the right call queues without needing human assistance. This is something all business from large to small will want to have, whether it's to assist you with sorting callers or reporting the IVR is valuable tool to have.

Overview

So the menu node starts us off with a couple of required options, namely the Audio (required) and a single Key (also required). The Audio is what is played back to the callers as they reach the IVR, the key is the button they will need to press on their handset to go down the relevant path. To fulfill both of these conditions we need to know how we want the calls to be handled, since we have audio at the start of the call we are best off putting in a welcome message to the business as best practice:

"Hi, Welcome to Fone Dynamics, so that we can help direct your call please choose from the following options"

Now that we have a simple intro the next part is fairly customizable, the message played to the caller can be anything from ring group names to locations to names of people:

"For Sales, Please Press 1"

"For Support, Please Press 2"

"If you are calling from the Brisbane CBD, Please Press 1"

"If you are calling from New South Wales, Please Press 2"

Remember to keep these options short and succinct, especially if there is more than a couple of options, if a caller misses an option they will not want to sit through the entire recording again. Once you have added the relevant options in, added your audio file and clicked save you should see the branches populate similar to the below:


  • Introduction Audio File: An audio file which is used to provide the initiating caller with context to the available options. This audio file should directly match the available key options.
  • Key: The key press required to match this patch
  • Name: A name to easily identify and give context to a key.
  • Timeout After Audio: The amount of time (in seconds) the initiating caller has to respond and with a correct key input.
  • Timeout Audio: Enable/disable timeout audio file. This is audio will play when the initiating caller fails to respond within the above timeout.
  • Timeout Audio File: The time out audio file to be used.
  • Attempts: The total amount of incorrect attempts available to the initiating caller. The call will terminate if this number is exceeded.
  • Invalid Selection Audio: When enabled an audio will play when an invalid key is pressed. This will toggle your chosen audio file either a Default or Custom is selected.


Question: What if my IVR is going to have more than 12 options (0-9, *, #)?

Answer: If your IVR is going to exceed this many options it may be worth considering automated routing in the form of a location based setup, these offer many more routing options based on a client's location. With that recommendation out of the way, you can technically have unlimited IVR options, to do this you will need to add an IVR after your first IVR, something like the below:


"For Sales Press 1"

|_"For New Customers Press 1"

|_"For Existing Customers Press 2"

"For Support Press 2"

|_"For Provisioning Press 1"

|_"For Technical Support Press 2"