Checklist for Interactive Voice Response (IVR)

No significant benefits Minor benefits Major benefits
No significant benefits Minor benefits Major benefits

Menu options
Messages are short, and include some prominent key words
Use consistent terminology
The most important or the most commonly selected items in a menu should be presented first in a list
Menu options are be based on why customers call, not organisational structure
Menu options should be reviewed regularly checking usage and customer feedback
Menus should not exceed four choices
Menus should have no more than three levels or ‘sets’ of options
Voice prompts are recorded professionally in a studio to enhance clarity
Announce the function, and then the key required to activate it
Customers are given two or three chances to select an option
The system transfers a caller to an operator if no option is chosen
There is different audio feedback for valid and invalid key presses
Verbal feedback is provided for choice confirmation
There is a repeat facility

Queuing
The customer is informed when they are in a queue and the approximate time before the call will be answered – updates are given at reasonable intervals
The queuing system is consistent
Music is provided as an indication of being in a queue

User responses
Allow for users who need extra time to respond to prompts
User IDs are no more than 8 digits long
Do not require that the same information is entered more than once

Ending the call
Systems should have a message at the end telling the user that the transaction is completed
A message should inform the user that they are free to end the call. A key press option, e.g. press 9 to end the call, could also be given

Help facilities
Provide an option in the menu to access a human operator
Provide a recovery route from error
Provide context-sensitive help
All customer service staff, advisers and call centre staff are given disability awareness training

Checklist for Plain Old Telephone systems
Checklist for Mobile telephones

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