Interactive Voice Response Diagrams

This interactive voice response (IVR) diagram sample depicts the architecture of IVR systems. It was designed on the base of the Wikimedia Commons file: IVR-Systemarchitektur.png. [commons.wikimedia.org/ wiki/ File:IVR-Systemarchitektur.png]
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. [creativecommons.org/ licenses/ by-sa/ 3.0/ deed.en]
"DTMF decoding and speech recognition are used to interpret the caller's response to voice prompts. DTMF tones are entered via the telephone keypad. ...
Other technologies include using text-to-speech (TTS) to speak complex and dynamic information, such as e-mails, news reports or weather information. TTS is computer generated synthesized speech that is no longer the robotic voice traditionally associated with computers. Real voices create the speech in fragments that are spliced together (concatenated) and smoothed before being played to the caller.
An IVR can be deployed in several ways:
1. Equipment installed on the customer premises.
2. Equipment installed in the PSTN (public switched telephone network).
3. Application service provider (ASP) / hosted IVR.
IVR can be used to provide a more sophisticated voice mail experience to the caller. ...
An automatic call distributor (ACD) is often the first point of contact when calling many larger businesses. ...
IVR call flows are created in a variety of ways. A traditional IVR depended upon proprietary programming or scripting languages, whereas modern IVR applications are generated in a similar way to Web pages, using standards such as VoiceXML, CCXML, SRGS and SSML. ...
In telecommunications, an audio response unit (ARU) is a device that provides synthesized voice responses to DTMF keypresses by processing calls based on (a) the call-originator input, (b) information received from a database, and (c) information in the incoming call, such as the time of day.
ARUs increase the number of information calls handled and provide consistent quality in information retrieval." [Interactive voice response. Wikipedia]
The IVR diagram example "IVR System Architecture" was designed using ConceptDraw PRO software extended with the Interactive Voice Response Diagrams solution from the Computer and Networks area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.

"IVR systems are typically intended to service high call volumes, reduce cost and improve the customer experience. Examples of typical IVR applications are telephone banking, televoting, and credit card services. ...
Voice-Activated Dialing
... (VAD) IVR systems are used to automate routine enquiries to switchboard or PABX (Private Automatic Branch eXchange) operators, and are used in many hospitals and large businesses to reduce the caller waiting time. ...
Entertainment and information.
Some of the largest installed IVR platforms are used for televoting on television game shows, ... which can generate enormous call spikes. Often, the network provider will have to deploy call gapping in the PSTN to prevent network overload. ...
Anonymous access.
IVR systems allow callers to obtain data relatively anonymously. Hospitals and clinics have used IVR systems to allow callers to receive anonymous access to test results. ...
Clinical trials.
IVR systems are used by pharmaceutical companies and contract research organizations to conduct clinical trials and manage the large volumes of data generated. ... Applications include patient randomization and drug supply management. ...
Outbound calling.
IVR systems can be used for outbound calls, as IVR systems are more intelligent than many predictive dialer systems, and can use Call Progress Detection to recognize different line conditions...
Other common IVR services include:
Mobile - Pay-As-You-Go account funding; registration; mobile purchases, such as ring tones and logos;
Banking - balance, payments, transfers, transaction history;
Retail & Entertainment - orders, bookings, credit & debit card payments;
Utilities - meter readings; account look-up, history and balance, payment, consumption history;
Travel — ticket booking, flight information, check-in;
Weather forecasts, water, road and ice conditions" [Interactive voice response. Wikipedia]
The IVR services diagram example was created using the ConceptDraw PRO software extended with the Interactive Voice Response Diagrams solution from the Computer and Networks area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.

"In telecommunications, IVR allows customers to interact with a company’s host system via a telephone keypad or by speech recognition, after which they can service their own inquiries by following the IVR dialogue. IVR systems can respond with prerecorded or dynamically generated audio to further direct users on how to proceed.
... common IVR services include:
Mobile - Pay-As-You-Go account funding; registration; mobile purchases, such as ring tones and logos" [Interactive voice response. Wikipedia]
The IVR mobile operator diagram example was created using the ConceptDraw PRO software extended with the Interactive Voice Response Diagrams solution from the Computer and Networks area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.

"Call centers use IVR systems to identify and segment callers. The ability to identify customers allows services to be tailored according to the customer profile. The caller can be given the option to wait in the queue, choose an automated service, or request a callback. The system may obtain caller line identification (CLI) data from the network to help identify or authenticate the caller. Additional caller authentication data could include account number, personal information, password and biometrics (such as voice print).
When an IVR system answers multiple phone numbers the use of DNIS ensures that the correct application and language is executed. A single large IVR system can handle calls for thousands of applications, each with its own phone numbers and script.
IVR also enables customer prioritization. In a system wherein individual customers may have a different status the service will automatically prioritize the individual's call and move customers to the front of a specific queue. Prioritization could also be based on the DNIS and call reason." [Interactive voice response. Wikipedia]
The IVR flowchart example "Store reporting" was created using the ConceptDraw PRO software extended with the Interactive Voice Response Diagrams solution from the Computer and Networks area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.

"Interactive Messaging Response (IMR).
As communications have migrated to multimedia so has automation. The introduction of Instant Messaging (IM) in contact centers is starting to take off. Agents can handle up to 6 different IM conversations at the same time and so agent productivity is increasing. IVR technology is being used to automate IM conversations using existing Natural Language Processing software. This is different from email handling as email automated response is typically based on key word spotting. IM conversations are different from email as IM is conversational. The use of text messaging abbreviations and smilies requires different grammars to those currently used for speech recognition. IM is also starting to replace text messaging on multimedia mobile handsets and is expected to become more widely used." [Interactive voice response. Wikipedia]
The IVR messaging system diagram example was created using the ConceptDraw PRO software extended with the Interactive Voice Response Diagrams solution from the Computer and Networks area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.

"DTMF decoding and speech recognition are used to interpret the caller's response to voice prompts. DTMF tones are entered via the telephone keypad.
Two main varieties of speech recognition are used in IVR: that based upon predefined grammars (used in "directed" dialogues), and that based on statistically trained language models (used in "natural language" dialogues). Directed dialogues prompt the caller with specific questions or options. Natural language dialogues employ open questions (e.g. "How can I help you?"), are more conversational, and can interpret free-form responses.
Other technologies include using Text-To-Speech (TTS) to speak complex and dynamic information, such as e-mails, news reports or weather information. TTS is computer generated synthesized speech that is no longer the robotic voice traditionally associated with computers. Real voices create the speech in fragments that are spliced together (concatenated) and smoothed before being played to the caller." [Interactive voice response. Wikipedia]
This IVR diagram multipage example was created using the ConceptDraw PRO software extended with the Interactive Voice Response Diagrams solution from the Computer and Networks area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.