A Voice Response Unit (VRU), commonly known as an IVR system, is a technology frequently used in contact centres to manage incoming phone calls. VRUs typically greet callers with a recorded message and present menu options. Callers can interact with the menu by pressing buttons on their phone’s keypad or using speech recognition if available. Depending on their selection, they may access another menu, enter a waiting queue for an agent, or utilise self-service options.

VRUs benefit both customers and contact centres as VRUs enhance the customer experience while improving operational efficiency. Customers appreciate the choice to self-serve conveniently. Integrated VRUs collect caller information, pass it to relevant systems, and return information to the caller or confirm requested transactions. 

Intelligent routing enabled by VRUs further contributes to these benefits. VRUs collect caller information, such as menu choices, entered account numbers, or voiced issues. Using this data, calls can be routed to the most suitable agents. An example of this would be calls relating to a premium service can be routed to a specialised team of agents, enhancing service quality for customers and optimising agent utilisation.