Glossary term
What is IVR (phone menu)?
Short answer
IVR, short for interactive voice response, is the automatic phone menu that says things like press 1 for estimates.
IVR (phone menu), explained for tree service owners
An IVR answers the phone with a recorded menu. The caller presses a number or says a word, and the call goes where it should. Big companies use it a lot. For a small tree service, a long menu can annoy callers, who just want a person. Someone with a tree on their house will not wait through five options. Keep any menu to two choices at most, put emergencies first, or skip it. An AI receptionist is a more natural alternative, since the caller can simply speak. Whatever you use, make sure a real next step always follows, such as a call back or text.
Related terms
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