What Is the Difference Between IVR and VRU?

Interactive voice response (IVR) is an automated call system that provides sets of menu options and helps callers navigate these menus with voice prompts. On the other hand, a Voice Response Unit (VRU) is the basic system that plays recorded messages.

IVR and VRU systems are helpful when there are too many callers for agents to answer individually.

While IVR technologies are now used more often, VRU has been with us even before. If used individually, technically, VRU is the system that only plays pre-recorded voice, whereas the IVR allows callers to do more, such as solving issues or getting answers on their own.

Also, the IVR can integrate with the user database to provide information, such as details on bank balances. This makes the IVR a more powerful tool than the VRU.

Furthermore, an organization can use VRU to provide basic information, such as office hours or announcements, and IVR for more complex customer requests. They can use IVR for callers to find answers, make payments, or, if needed, talk with customer representatives.

If you compare how IVR and VRU work, the working mechanism of VRU is simple: When the call gets picked up, you’ll only listen to the voice—that’s it. While on IVR, it’s much more. When the call gets picked up, you hear the greeting voice. After that, you’ll get menu options. Navigating through these IVR menus, you can get specific answers depending on your chosen options. 

As technology advances, both IVR and VRU systems become more innovative. With voice recognition technology, there's no need to press your queries manually; it has made it possible to use voice commands in IVR systems. Also, artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language (NL) processing on these systems have made systems interact with customers like human conversations.

While there is still more to achieve in technology, businesses have started to shift to cloud-based IVR and VRU systems. Some organizations are using VRU systems, but IVR is becoming more popular as it can do more and make customer service faster with ease.

VRU systems are ideal for sharing basic information, but IVR offers a more interactive experience, allowing customers to achieve more independently. Businesses can choose between the two based on their needs, but IVR is the better choice for enhanced customer service.

Choosing a reliable service provider is also essential when selecting IVR or VRU. Traditional phone service for IVR is still worthwhile for businesses depending on conventional phone systems. However, as the internet is widely used, selecting a cloud-based system is a reliable option.

Calilio provides advanced cloud-based IVR solutions, including customizable IVR menus, personalized messages, and multilingual support. Sign up today and set up your IVR system to enhance customer service.

VRU is a simple system compared to IVR, so it costs less.

IVR stands for Interactive Voice Response, and VRU stands for Voice Response Unit.

The main difference between VRU and IVR is that VRU only plays voice responses, whereas IVR lets customers interact by pressing buttons or voice commands.