At a high level an Interactive Voice Response system is just an options menu that callers hear when they’re call your hotline. It’s tricky to set up correctly which is why most people associate interactive voice response systems with frustrating experiences of talking to a robot or being on hold. We wrote this article so agencies that run hotlines can learn how to use this crucial tool to reduce hold times, minimize call transfers, and improve accessibility of hotlines, helplines, and crisis lines everywhere. If you want to speak to consult with expert please feel free to Contact Us. We’re here to help.
Consider limiting the options to your IVR
“Thank you for calling ___. If you are in crisis and want to speak to someone now press 1. If you are a police officer or community partner calling for an immediate accompaniment press 2.” Notice a few things about it:
Pros:
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It’s short: The caller can hear the options menu in less than 20 seconds.
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It’s clear: Think about the people that are calling your hotline, helpline, or crisis line. Will police officers of hospital staff members press 1? You might think not because we say “if you are in crisis”. Similarly, think about callers in crisis. Will they press 2?
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One level: It does not include multiple nested IVRs.
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Optimize for key use case: For this sample agency, the key use case is to ensure people that are in crisis can get the support they need now.
Cons:
- It doesn’t clearly tell callers of different languages that the agency offers support for them.
Consider how your IVR affect ACD and data collection
Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) helps automatically transfer calls. When a caller presses 2 on the IVR, the system sends the call to different on-call individuals compared to when they press 1.
Furthermore, specialized systems like HelplineSoftware.com can:
- Escalate calls for Option 1 and Option 2 to different teams to ensure that the appropriate fully trained person connects with the caller as quickly as possible.
- Play different voicemail messages for missed calls “Option 1: Hotline” calls compared to missed “Option 2: Accompaniment” calls.
- Automatically (and anonymously) track the calls differently as well so the data is easily accessible for grant reports. In the realtime dashboard, calls for Option 1 could show up as “Hotline” and calls for Option 2 could show up as “Accompaniment”.
- Inform the on-call about the type of call they’re about to accept before they take it.
- Manage anonymous callers differently
Conclusion: IVR Setup Gotchas
IVRs are great, and they offer a lot of power but you've got to be careful of trying to pack them with too many things. For example, you may have a separate office line and think "Wow — this IVR thing is great. Let's just add some more options so people can reach our office as well." Our advice is to be very careful. Hotlines, helplines, and crisis lines that we've seen work well serve a single purpose.
❌ Too many choices can frustrate callers using your IVR. ❌ Separate your office and hotline numbers if possible. ❌ Too few IVR options can also frustrate callers due to transfers. ❌ Don't use internal names in your IVR; choose words callers understand.
For a deeper look at when IVR menus help versus when they hide coverage gaps, see IVR vs call routing: when menus make it worse(coming in 1 week). The broader framework for evaluating routing reliability is in call routing solutions.
Creating an IVR for your hotline or crisis line can be challenging. HelplineSoftware.com is here to assist. Contact us.
