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Instructions for setting up the voice menu (IVR)

Publication date: 31.05.2022

Interactive voice menu – IVR (Interactive Voice Response) is a technology for playing previously recorded voice messages that perform the function of routing (redirecting) calls, collecting statistics, obtaining the necessary information for your customers or performing a number of other actions within the technical capabilities of UniTalk.

 

Stage one. Creating an audio recording file with information that will be announced at the beginning of a telephone conversation and after pressing a certain number on the phone.

There are several options for creating records.

 

Option 1. (free, low quality, WOW effect possible) Record an audio file by yourself using a phone, voice recorder, or other recording devices. The easiest way is to call from your personal phone to the number connected to UniTalk and say the text you want to write down. After that, go to the UniTalk call history, download the recording of this call and upload it as an audio file for auto-dialing.

This recording option, although not of the highest quality level but it is often perceived by people as if a living person is talking to them, and not a robot.

And now step by step.

  • Call one of the numbers of your project. All project numbers can be found in the section with External Lines
  • Go into the UniTalk call history and download the recording of this call to the PC.

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Great, the recording has been created and downloaded to the PC. Now it remains to load it into the UniTalk audio file library.

 

Stage two. Loading audio files into the UniTalk library.

Go to the section IP-telephony – Audio files and upload the entry to the Voice menus block.

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Great, the recording is loaded, the first stage is passed. You are great as in previous articles.

 

Option 2. (free, medium quality) Record an audio file yourself using text-to-speech services. You are free to use any of these services We recommend using Yandex.SpeechKit

After creating and downloading the audio file, upload it to the UniTalk library (second stage).

 

Option 3. (Paid, maximum quality) Order the creation of a recording through sound recording studio. Again, you are free to use the services of any studio. But in order not to run into a “fly-by-night company”, we recommend contacting professional studios.

After creating and downloading the audio file, upload it to the UniTalk library (second stage).

An important point.
Audio files for different purposes should be different files.
For example, a audio file that will sound at the beginning of a call should be separate from a audio file that should sound after pressing the caller’s dialer numbers.

Stage three. Creation of a voice menu.

Consider the option of a voice menu with a proposal to transfer the call to the sales department (button 1) or to the technical support department (button 2). For all other digits we need a record informing that the wrong digit is pressed and offers a choice between 1 or 2. You can also include a record thanking you for the correct choice when you press 1 or 2, but you can do without it.

 

Preparation for creation of the voice menu.

Go to the section IP-telephony – Departments and click Add group.

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We create departments “Sales Department” and “Technical support”.

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  1. Specify the name of the Department.
  2. Select the type of employee connection, SIP (Internet) or GSM (mobile communications).
  3. Specify the speed dial number to be able to call the entire department at the same time.
  4. Choose the line of employees of this department.
  5. Saving.

We do the same for the sales department.

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Creating a voice menu.

Open the section IP-telephony – voice menu and click “Add”.

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1. Specify the name of the voice menu.

 

2. We select an audio file with a greeting and an offer to make a choice of department.

 

3. Specify the time in seconds that will be given to the caller to choose a digit. After this time, the call will be dropped if the number of repetitions is zero or if the number of repetitions is greater than zero, then the action will be performed if there is no choice (point 5).

 

4. Specify the number of repetitions Audio – basic.

 

5. Select the action in the absence of any subscriber selection, namely – Play a voice message and select the same entry as in Audio – basic. This is necessary so that a person, without listening or not understanding the first time, hears the same recording and still makes a choice with which department it would be better for him to discuss his issue.

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6. Use the “Add” button to create all the numbers 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9. This is necessary in case a person presses the wrong button.

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7. For all numbers except 1 and 2, select the action “Play a voice message” and select the entry with the text informing that the wrong number was pressed and offering a choice between 1 and 2.

 

8. For numbers 1 and 2, select the action “Transfer a call to a group of numbers” and in “Redirect:” select one of the departments “Sales Department” or “Technical Support”.

 

9. Specify in “Audio:” an audio recording thanking you for the correct choice when pressing 1 or 2, but you can do without it.

 

10. Specify in “waiting” the time in seconds during which an incoming call will be sent to all employees with an active and idle SIP line from the specified department.

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11. Saving the voice menu.

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Stage four. Creating an incoming script with a voice menu.

Go to the section IP-telephony – Incoming scripts

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Specify the name of the Incoming script and click “Add Rule”.

 

In the newly created rule, specify the name, the work schedule if it is needed and drag the “IVR (voice menu)” block with the left mouse button.

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Relevant if the schedule is NOT 24/7. In the base rule, we specify the action that will need to be performed during the rest of the time, except for the one specified in the “Working hours” rule. For example, enabling an entry from the UniTalk library – “Hello, unfortunately, you called after hours, we will call you back at the beginning of the working day. Thanks for reaching out.”

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We complete the configuration by saving the script.

 

Stage five. Linking an incoming script with a voice menu to numbers, calls for which should go through the voice menu.

Go to the section IP-telephony – External lines and bind the incoming script with the voice menu “IVR” to the number (s).

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Ready! Now incoming calls will be distributed to departments using the voice menu.

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