IVR prompts with an AI voice: how to write and record them

A phone menu is often the first conversation a customer has with your company. If the prompts are long, unclear or recorded in five different voices, callers press zero or hang up. An AI voice lets you write the prompts, listen to them and change any line in minutes, without booking a voice actor every time your opening hours change.

The prompts every phone system needs

• Greeting: who the caller has reached, in one sentence.
• Main menu: the options, each with its key.
• Hold message: what is happening and, if you can, how long it will take.
• After hours: when you are open again and what to do in an emergency.
• Voicemail: what to leave in a message so you can call back.
• Invalid input: a short, friendly way back to the menu.

Writing prompts callers understand

• Option first, key second: "For billing, press 2" works better than "Press 2 for billing", because the caller hears what the option is before they need to remember a number.
• No more than four or five options per menu. If you need more, split them into a second level.
• Most frequent option first. Look at your call reasons and order the menu by how often callers need each one.
• Cut the filler. "Your call is important to us" adds seconds and no information.
• Say it the way you want it read: write times, numbers and web addresses out, for example "nine a.m. to five p.m.".

Voice and pace

Phone audio is narrow, so choose a clear voice with a moderate pace and add a short pause before each key number. Use the same voice for every prompt: a menu recorded in one voice and a hold message in another sounds like two companies. If your callers are in the UK or the US, match the accent to them; see British accent voices and American English voices.

The audio file

Export each prompt as WAV or MP3. Many phone systems and contact-centre platforms expect a specific format, often mono WAV at a low sample rate; check your provider's documentation and convert the file if needed. Then call your own number and listen through a real phone: what sounds full on headphones can sound thin on a handset.

Keeping prompts up to date

Keep all prompt texts in one document with the exact wording. When your hours or options change, edit the line, generate only that prompt again and upload it. Because the voice is the same, the new prompt fits the old ones. If you manage many locations or languages, the same voices are available through the REST API on paid plans.

More on phone menus, hold messages and examples on the IVR and phone menu page.

Common questions

How long should an IVR greeting be? One or two sentences, under ten seconds. The caller wants the menu, not an introduction.

Can I use the same voice in several languages? Use one voice per language, ideally with a similar character, and offer the language choice at the very start of the call.

Can I use AI-voiced prompts commercially? Yes. Audio from any paid plan or character pack may be used in phone systems, hold messages and voicemail.

Try it yourself — a free starter character pack when you sign up.