Call Menu Options / IVR Messages
Direct your callers to where they need to be without having to dedicate the time to do it!
We can provide audio messages for any custom Auto Attendant or Interactive Voice Response system. From a simple menu with up to 9 options through to a complex menu with several sub-menus and queue position messages.
How do I put call menu options onto my telephone system?
Not only can we create these messages for you, but we can also implement them into your telephone system.
Using our knowledge and expertise, we can set up a call menu options system for you, no matter how big or small it needs to be. Perhaps you only need a few options that all call through to different departments, or maybe you need a call menu option message that leads to another call menu options, which leads through to another before the caller is put through to the relevant individual who can pick up the phone to talk to them.
We can create a whole spider’s web of connections and redirections to ensure your system meets your exact requirements.
Do I need IVR menu options?
Many businesses have multiple departments or various offices nationally or even internationally. Often a secretary or receptionist will have to manually forward or point callers in the right direction. This can not only be very time-consuming and take up a lot of valuable resources, it can also cause a lot of problems.
It’s time to deal with these kinds of issues and with call menu options implemented you quite easily can!
Call menu options can be called a number of different things, such as Auto Attendant and Interactive Voice Response, or IVR for short.
What are IVR menu options?
"Please press 1 for sales. Press 2 for support. Press 3 for accounts…"
Would an automated telephone message such as this sound familiar? This is what we call menu options, auto attendant or IVR. With a message like this, you can give your callers a list of options specifically relevant to your business and your exact needs. You can have your callers directed through to whichever department or location they need without having to unnecessarily deal with or manage the caller previously.
An effective IVR message is clear, concise and structured around how callers actually behave, not how a business organises itself internally.
Most IVR systems fail because they prioritise departments over user journeys. Callers don’t think in terms of “accounts” or “operations”, they think in terms of problems they need solving. A well-designed IVR anticipates those needs and reduces friction within the first 20–30 seconds.
Tone matters just as much as structure. The voice should reflect your brand, whether that’s corporate, reassuring, energetic or authoritative. Poor pacing, rushed delivery or overlong menus can increase abandonment rates.
We always recommend mapping out real call reasons before scripting. When the script is built around genuine caller intent, the technology simply becomes the delivery mechanism.
You can record your own IVR message, but professionalism and clarity often make a measurable difference to caller confidence.
An IVR message is usually the first interaction someone has with your business. Audio quality, vocal delivery and pacing all influence perception. Background noise, inconsistent volume or an untrained voice can unintentionally undermine trust.
A professional voiceover ensures:
- Clear diction and natural pacing
- Consistent tone across multiple prompts
- High-quality broadcast-level audio
- Correct formatting for telephony systems
That said, some brands benefit from a familiar internal voice. We can advise on what will best suit your audience and sector.
Our focus is producing audio that enhances credibility and improves the caller experience, rather than simply filling silence.
Yes, where possible we can assist with programming or configuration for a fee, although our core expertise lies in producing the audio itself.
Some providers only supply the recordings and leave the technical implementation entirely to you. We take a more supportive approach. If your phone system allows external configuration access, we can often help with uploading files, mapping prompts and refining call routing logic.
However, many businesses prefer us to focus on scripting and production, while their telecoms provider manages the system configuration.
If you are unsure who should handle what, we can advise on the most efficient division of responsibility. Our aim is to make the process straightforward rather than complicated.
Call routing should reduce effort for the caller, not simply reduce workload for the business.
Before building an IVR menu, we recommend analysing:
- The top five reasons people call
- Peak call times
- Repeat transfer patterns
- Abandoned call rates
Often, simplifying options improves performance. Fewer choices, clearer language and intelligent routing can significantly improve call completion rates.
For example, offering “For new enquiries press 1” before listing internal departments can prioritise revenue-driving calls. Similarly, separating existing customers from new prospects can streamline handling.
As part of our value-added support, we can help you think through routing logic, even if we are only supplying the audio. Good scripting and good routing should work together, not independently.
IVR messages should be reviewed at least annually, or whenever your business changes in a meaningful way.
Common triggers for updates include:
- New services or departments
- Seasonal campaigns
- Changes in opening hours
- Expansion into new locations
- Rebranding
Outdated IVR prompts can frustrate callers and create confusion. Even subtle shifts in tone or messaging can modernise how your business is perceived.
We encourage businesses to treat IVR as part of their customer experience strategy, not as a one-off technical task. Small refinements can have a lasting impact on efficiency and brand perception.
Example Script #1
"Hello and welcome to Onhold Studio. Please note we do sometimes record calls for training purposes.
To help us get you through to the right person, please choose from the following options.
If you're an existing customer, press 1.
For new enquiries, press 2.
To speak with someone in accounts, press 3.
For all other enquiries, please press 4.
To hear these options again, press the hash key."
Example Script #2
"Hello and welcome to Onhold Studio.
For English, press 1.
Para Español, presione el número 2.
Voor Nederlands, druk op 3.
Pour le Français, faites le 4.
To hear these options again, press the hash key. Para volver a escuchar estas opciones, presione la tecla numeral. Druk op het hekje om deze opties opnieuw te horen. Pour entendre à nouveau ces options, appuyez sur la touche dièse."
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