Launch a Phone Menu with the Start IVR Trigger

An interactive voice response (IVR) menu lets callers press keys to reach the right department or hear the right information. The Start IVR trigger connects an inbound call on a chosen number to a menu you build in a workflow.

What you need first

• An active Vendi Today phone plan.
• A phone number configured in your phone settings.
• An IVR setup created for the workflow to launch.

IVR features do not route inbound calls without an active phone plan. Voicemail cannot be tracked with this trigger; use Call Details for voicemail outcomes.

How it fires

The workflow starts when an inbound call reaches the phone number you selected. The caller then hears your recorded prompts and navigates with the keypad. A phone number can be linked to only one IVR workflow, so choose carefully.

Set it up

1. Go to Automation > Workflows and create a workflow.
2. Click Add New Trigger and select Start IVR.
3. Name it, for example "Main line menu".
4. Set the trigger to react to inbound calls and choose the phone number under filters. You can add custom field filters if needed.
5. Click Save Trigger.
6. Add the IVR menu steps and publish.

Example

A company wants calls to its main number routed by department. The trigger listens on the main business line. The menu says "Press 1 for sales, 2 for support", and each choice forwards the call to the right team or plays a message.

Tips

• Keep menus short, with no more than four or five options.
• Add a fallback, such as forwarding to a front desk, so callers with no key press are not stuck.
• Turn on call transcription for IVR calls if you want to use the Transcript Generated trigger afterwards.

Good to know: Test the menu by calling your own number from another phone before announcing it to customers.