What is IVR ?

IVR, Interactive Voice Response for short, is a computer-programmed telephone system that answers the caller through voice message and keypress. Perhaps you have already experienced it when you call an enterprise and a voice like this says, "Press 1 for Sales, Press 2 for Support."

Rather than being routed to a human directly, the call attendants go through a menu and input their phone number so that they can choose. Depending on what they choose, the system may answer them or route the call to the concerned department or individual. IVR systems are utilized in nearly all industries—banks to confirm account balances, hospitals to schedule appointments, and eCommerce sites to monitor orders. These not only enhance customers' experience with reduced waiting times but also save companies money through the elimination of redundant effort.

Sophisticated IVR applications such as those built with Twilio Studio do not involve coding. You just drag and drop objects to build call flows that are smart, quick, and simple to maintain. Bottom line, IVR allows organizations to communicate smarter, faster, and more professionally to their consumers.

In today's busy, virtual world, businesses need innovative and effective means to handle incoming calls. Meet IVR (Interactive Voice Response) systems. An IVR is similar to having a virtual receptionist that will guide the callers through a series of options via voice prompts and keypad input.

Twilio Studio makes building an IVR system very easy even for those who are not developers. It has a drag-and-drop functionality to build powerful workflows without the need to write a single line of code. In this tutorial, we'll walk you through building your own IVR with Twilio Studio step by step.

Customer using phone IVR menu with Twilio Studio interface in background at a small business or support center.
Visual example of a customer interacting with an IVR menu powered by Twilio Studio in a real business setting.

What is Twilio?

Twilio is a communications cloud platform by which enterprises can send and receive messages, calls, and even video calls using simple APIs to integrate. It provides enterprises with a means of integrating communication features into websites and applications without having to build the infrastructure from scratch.

Twilio solutions make it easier to automate such complex processes as the installation of telephony systems, SMS notifications, or IVR systems. From a basic notification system to a highly advanced customer service center, Twilio provides you with the freedom and means to achieve it with minimal coding.

What Is Twilio Studio?

Twilio Studio is a graphical drag-and-drop editor in which businesses can create intricate communications sequences like IVR systems, SMS processes, and much more without ever entering a single line of code. Studio empowers users to design and manage customized communication experiences easily.

You can use Studio to:

  • Create IVR systems in a matter of minutes.
  • Send messages and calls based on user input.
  • Automate customer service interactions.
  • Other services like email or chat can be supported.
  • No-code application from Studio helps companies automate conversation and improve customer conversation under a non-tech-savviness framework.

    👍Not sure how to get started with the Twilio console? Check out this guide on creating a Twilio Studio flow from the console to set up your environment quickly and correctly.

What You'll Need Before You Start

Before you dive into Twilio Studio to create your IVR, you'll want to have the following in place:

A Twilio Account
If you haven't yet, create a Twilio account. You'll receive free trial credits to try out your IVR without actually spending any money up front.

A Verified Phone Number
Twilio gives you a virtual phone number when you set it up. You will use this to place and receive test calls for your IVR flow.

Twilio Studio Basics Familiarity
Although Twilio Studio is simple, it is helpful to have some knowledge of how widgets and flows work. It is like snapping building blocks together—each widget does something such as playing a message, taking input, or passing a call.

Once you have these basics in place, you can go ahead and head into Twilio Studio and begin creating your IVR flow.

Step-by-Step: Building Your IVR Flow in Twilio Studio

Now that you're all set, let’s start building your IVR system using Twilio Studio. Follow these steps as shown in the tutorial to create a functional call flow from scratch.

1. Access Twilio Studio and Create a New Flow

  • Log into your Twilio Dashboard.
  • From the left menu, go to Studio and click Create a Flow.
  • Name your flow something meaningful like "IVR Main Menu" and choose “Start from scratch.”
  • Click Next and then Create to open the visual flow builder.

2. Set Up the Welcome Message

  • You’ll see a widget called Trigger (Start). Drag a Say/Play widget onto the canvas.
  • Connect it to the Trigger using the small circular handle.
  • Configure this widget with a message like:
    “Welcome to [Your Business Name]. Press 1 for Sales, 2 for Support, or 3 for Billing.”
  • You can choose between a robotic voice (text-to-speech) or upload your own recorded greeting.

3. Gather User Input (Keypad Responses)

  • Drag in a Gather Input on Call widget and connect it to the Say/Play widget.
  • In the widget settings:
    • Set “Number of digits” to 1.
    • Write a prompt or reuse your welcome message.
    • Decide how many seconds to wait for input and whether to end the call on silence.
    • Enable options for invalid responses or no input.

      👍For a comprehensive guide, refer to Twilio's official tutorial on how to build an IVR with Twilio Studio.

Want to see it in practice?

If you're a visual person or want to do it step by step, make sure to watch the YouTube tutorial this post is modeled after. It walks you through the entire IVR setup process in Twilio Studio, so it's absolutely easy to follow—whether you're new at this or not! Watch and see how it all comes together!

Routing Calls Based on User Input

Once you've gathered the caller’s keypad input using the Gather Input on Call widget, it’s time to define what happens when they press a number. This is where the actual call routing begins.

a. Add ‘Connect Call To’ Widgets
For each digit (1, 2, 3, etc.) that you offer in your IVR menu, you’ll add a Connect Call To widget:

  • Drag it onto the canvas.
  • Connect the "1", "2", or "3" outputs from the Gather widget to separate Connect widgets.
  • Inside each widget, you’ll enter the phone number or department line you want that input to forward to.

For example:

  • Press 1 could route to your sales rep’s number.
  • Press 2 to technical support.
  • Press 3 to billing.

b. Handle Invalid Input

If the caller presses an invalid key or doesn’t respond, direct them to a Say/Play widget with a message like: "Sorry, that’s not a valid option. Please try again."

Then link them back to the Gather widget to let them retry.

This logic ensures a smoother user experience and prevents call hang-ups due to input errors.

Mapping the IVR to a Phone Number

With your IVR flow now ready, the last thing to do is map it to an actual phone number so callers can engage with it.

a. Navigate to Your Phone Numbers in Twilio
💠In the Twilio Console, go to Phone Numbers > Manage > Active Numbers.
💠Click on the Twilio number you wish to map the IVR to.

b. Connect the Flow to Incoming Calls
💠In the Voice & Fax section, find the "A Call Comes In" dropdown.
💠Choose Studio Flow.
💠Next, pick the IVR flow you just created (e.g., "IVR Main Menu") from the dropdown list.
💠Click Save at the bottom, and you're done! Your IVR is now active and ready to accept incoming calls.

👍If you’re planning to extend your IVR system for tasks like phone number verification, you can also explore how to use Twilio Studio Subflows for phone verification to keep your main flow clean and modular.

Testing and Optimization Tips

Before you let customers interact with your IVR, it's essential to test the full call flow.

a. Test the IVR Call Yourself
💠Dial your Twilio number and go through each option.
💠Confirm that pressing 1, 2, or 3 properly routes you to the correct destination.
💠Try entering an invalid input or waiting silently to ensure fallback messages are triggered correctly.

b. Make Adjustments if Needed
💠If the voice prompt is too fast or unclear, you can tweak the Say/Play settings.
💠You can also use logging widgets like "Set Variables" or "Split Based On..." for debugging and fine-tuning complex flows.

c. Keep Your IVR Clear and Short
💠Use simple language in prompts.
💠Avoid long menus with too many choices—3 to 5 options is ideal.
💠Testing regularly ensures your IVR stays reliable and user-friendly as your business evolves.

Conclusion

Building an IVR is no longer a job that requires complex coding or the recruitment of developers. You can build a functional, commercial-grade IVR system with nothing more than drag-and-drop functionality in Twilio Studio. From greeting callers to routing them to the right department, any part of the process can be customized to meet your business needs.

Whether you're a startup or expanding business, an IVR with good design saves time, reduces customer dissatisfaction, and improves your call handling procedure. So go ahead—try it, tune it, and take charge of your business communication today.