You read that right. Here at IVR.li, we’ve made the decision to make our Interactive Voice Response (IVR) software free. But why did we do it? The answer is a bit of a journey.
Follow along with us in this article as we explain why you should absolutely be using IVR, why you deserve free IVR software, and the exact circumstances that led us to make our software the free solution that so many businesses are using.
So Why in the World Did We Make Our IVR System Free?
Because first and foremost, we’re marketers ourselves, and we understand what it’s like to be doing all you can to be successful.
Jump back to 2009 when our founder got his first $22 commission from CreditReport.com. That was the genesis of when he knew that he wanted to make money online. But at the time, the market was a different place, and making money online was in its infancy.
The team grew, and we worked hard for a lot of years, and the truth is that it wasn’t easy to make money online, but some people were doing it. It was very, very difficult, but we persevered and were able to shift and grow with the landscape and actually make money online. Trust us when we say that we know firsthand how challenging marketing can be, and we want to do all we can to help others who are in the same position that we were.
As time went on, and we grew as a company we saw a problem. We realized that we were leaving opportunities on the table, and so we developed IVR.li. Before it existed there was nothing of its kind that was a turnkey solution to being able to not only route call traffic but organize and monetize that traffic in a simple, effective way.
IVR.li wasn’t always free, but now it is because we want you to have the same opportunities as we do. We believe that when you give what you can and help others that it can actually make a difference in the world. And since a rising tide raises all ships, we can all benefit together.
We created this piece of software (as well as the rest of our tools) to bring accessibility and features that marketers like you need at an affordable rate. With that in mind, we decided that the only right thing to do was to make IVR.li free so that any marketer had a chance to follow their dreams no matter their budget.
If you’re still not convinced as to why an IVR is the next thing that will take your business to the next level continue reading to learn more about how it can make you money and how much you’re saving by using IVR.li for free.
You Should Be Using an IVR
An IVR is an automated phone menu that users can call into and interact with. Customers can do things like access information about their accounts or purchases, make a request for a service, or even pay bills and check the status of their orders. All of these interactions take place in an automated system without the customer having to talk to a person.
Customers have come to expect IVR systems as a mark of convenience and good customer service. You yourself have probably interacted with an IVR recently. Think of the last time you filled a prescription, made a payment through a phone system, or called your bank.
IVRs aren’t just great for when customers call you, but can also be used to make calls to customers that you have permission to contact. This is an excellent way to do things like giving customers automated reminders, calling with an offer or sale, or attempting to conduct a survey among your customers. The benefit of an IVR is that it can dial and reach out to customers much more quickly and accurately than a team of people could.
IVRs are also an incredible tool for scaling your customer service department and any other parts of your business. When you have much of your call volume going to an automated menu, you can set up your IVR in a way that customers can still speak to a real person if they needed to. This very often cuts down on the number of calls that your employees would have to take.
The key is that an IVR menu must be reliable and set up optimally or customers will have a negative experience with something designed to give them a positive one.
No matter the size of your business, if you’re not currently using an IVR system in some form or fashion, you need to begin implementing one as soon as you’re able. And as you make your choice of which one to use, consider price as a very important factor.
What Would an IVR Cost Me if it Wasn’t Free?
So firstly, in order to see the true value of a free IVR system like IVR.li, we want to share with you some of the common pricing that you’ll find on the market.
It’s important to know that there are different kinds of IVRs, and the prices can range widely depending on many specific details. Here are two of the main categories of IVR on the market right now with a breakdown of some costs.
An in-house or local IVR is one that physically exists within the location of the business. A cloud-based IVR is one that is hosted online and doesn’t need any sort of physical equipment at the location of the business.
IVR Pricing Estimates
Something important to remember is that IVR costs can vary greatly from company to company because it really depends on many factors that aren’t static. Things like how many premium features you need, total usage amount, and the number of lines that you need active to function.
It’s also important to keep in mind that many IVR systems aren’t available to you unless you purchase a large software bundle (that’s not how IVR.li is– you can use it without paying for a bloated software suite).
In-House IVR Pricing
In-House IVR tends to be much more expensive than hosted IVR. Depending on the size of your business it can cost you many thousands of dollars to get a local IVR solution. Some rough pricing that we found in our search is:
- Around $1,500 for each IVR line monthly (with discounts for volume purchases– the more lines, the cheaper it typically gets).
- Some companies do run sales and these can get as low as $700-$800 per line monthly.
- Some companies offer a starting package, such as 4 lines for $6,500 monthly.
- Beware that many prices don’t typically include setup fees or development fees to install the system and get it up and running– the more complex the installation, the more money it is likely to cost.
- The system is not typically supported outside of the first year and it’s most commonly an additional fee for any sort of support or maintenance.
So overall, in-house IVR can generally cost as low as $700 per line, but is more often $1,500 per line, and can rapidly increase in price as you add more lines and need to get everything up and running.
Cloud IVR Pricing
Cloud IVR systems are becoming the new norm for businesses who want to have the benefits of an IVR at a much more scalable and affordable rate. Some rough pricing from our research is:
- Cloud-based IVR typically begins around $800-900 per single line monthly.
- You can often find some enhanced two-line packages for around $1,200 or so (these typically include some more enhanced features)
- Some companies offer their most robust packages which have four lines with many features for $1,500 monthly
Important Note: Beware of options that are priced very low– they are likely not for true business use. Keep in mind that there are some basement-priced IVR systems available, but they are for very small businesses or even individuals. You may see some options priced as low as $5 dollars to $80 dollars per month, but they are very basic and have quite a few restrictions and limitations.
IVR.li is Waiting for You
IVR.li is going to quickly give you the ability to help your customers faster and increase your company’s productivity like no other telecommunications product you’ve seen before. Provide your customers and prospect with the best service 24/7, 365 days a year.
Welcome to the IVR.li family, where you can use our software for free, and you’ll only have to pay a premium for things like deposits and top-ups for purchasing phone numbers and SMS carrier charges.
Get started with IVR.li today and begin to change your life with the power of making money online.