How to Write IVR Scripts: 10 Ready-to-Use Phone System Prompt Templates
The rules for writing call center and phone system prompts that are clear, professional and don't wear callers out, plus 10 templates for welcome, menu, on-hold and after-hours prompts you can copy and use.
Voice Go Team4 min read
Short answer
A good IVR prompt is short, clear and action-oriented: it greets the caller in one sentence, puts the most-needed option first, offers no more than 4–5 options per menu, and states the action before the key ("For card services, press one"). Spelling out numbers, avoiding abbreviations and voicing every prompt with the same voice gives callers a clear, consistent experience.
A customer's first contact with your call center is usually not an agent but a prompt. When IVR (interactive voice response) prompts are well written, callers reach the right team quickly. When they're badly written, callers lose patience, press the wrong key or hang up.
In this guide we share the rules to follow when writing IVR scripts, plus 10 ready-made templates you can use right away.
7 rules for a good IVR prompt
1. Keep the welcome short
The caller is calling to get something done. Instead of a long welcome message, a single sentence with your company name is enough.
✗ "Dear customer, with our long-standing heritage and innovative vision, Company X is proud to serve you…"
✓ "Welcome to Company X."
2. Say the action first, then the key
Instead of "Press one for card services", say "For card services, press one". The caller learns the key the moment they hear their own need and doesn't have to remember the earlier options.
3. Don't exceed 4–5 options per menu
Long lists confuse callers. Order options from most to least used. If you need more options, create a sub-menu.
4. Spell out numbers
In a script that will be voiced, write "one" instead of "1" and "zero eight hundred" instead of "0800". This ensures the numbers are read correctly (and, in Turkish, that suffixes agree).
5. Avoid abbreviations and jargon
Abbreviations everyone knows internally can mean nothing to customers. Spell out the abbreviations you must use, or define how they should be read with a pronunciation dictionary.
6. Always provide a way out
The end of the menu should offer the option to reach an agent or hear the menu again. A customer who feels stuck will hang up.
7. Use the same voice and tone for every prompt
Prompts recorded at different times by different people leave a fragmented impression. With AI voiceover you can produce all your prompts with the same voice and stay consistent for years.
Types of IVR prompts
| Prompt type | When does it play? | Ideal length |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome | When the call connects | One sentence |
| Legal notice | Right after the welcome | One sentence |
| Main menu | After the welcome | 4–5 options |
| On-hold | At intervals while waiting for an agent | 1–2 sentences |
| After-hours | Outside opening hours | 2–3 sentences |
| Holiday | On public holidays | 2–3 sentences |
| High volume / outage | In unusual situations | 1–2 sentences |
10 ready-to-use IVR prompt templates
Replace the fields in square brackets with your own details. For more templates, see our IVR templates page.
1. Welcome prompt
Welcome to [Company name]. Your call may be recorded to help us improve our service.
2. Main menu
To check your order status, press one. For returns and exchanges, press two. For payments and billing, press three. To speak to a customer representative, please press zero.
3. Repeat the menu
To hear the menu again, press the star key.
4. On-hold prompt
All of our representatives are currently helping other customers. Please stay on the line; the next available representative will be with you shortly.
5. Redirecting to digital channels while on hold
Instead of waiting, you can also complete your request quickly through our mobile app or website.
6. After-hours prompt
Thank you for calling [Company name]. Our call center is open on weekdays from nine a.m. to six p.m. Please call us again during our opening hours.
7. Public holiday prompt
Dear customer, due to the public holiday our call center will be closed until [date]. For urgent matters, you can complete your request on our website. We wish you a happy holiday.
8. High call volume prompt
We're currently receiving a higher number of calls than usual. Your wait time may be longer than normal. Thank you for your patience.
9. Outage notice
Due to a technical fault in the [area] area, our service is temporarily interrupted. Our teams are working to resolve the issue. If you're calling about this, there's no need to take any further action.
10. End-of-call satisfaction survey
If you were satisfied with our call, press one. If you were partly satisfied, press two. If you were not satisfied, press three. Thank you for your feedback.
How to voice your prompts with Voice Go
- Open the studio and write each prompt as a separate paragraph.
- Choose a clear, calm voice that fits your corporate tone. Use "Apply to all paragraphs" to give them all the same voice.
- Keep the speed at a level callers can follow comfortably; 0.9–1.0 usually works well for menu prompts.
- Add your brand and product names to the pronunciation dictionary.
- Generate, listen and download as MP3. If your phone system needs a different format, convert the file.
When a prompt changes, open the same project and update only the relevant paragraph.
Frequently asked questions
How many options should an IVR menu have?
The general recommendation is no more than 4–5 options per menu level. Callers struggle to remember long lists; if you need more options, create sub-menus and put the most frequently used options first.
How long should an IVR prompt be?
Keep the welcome prompt as short as possible; a few seconds of greeting followed directly by the menu is ideal. If legal notices (such as call recording) are required, deliver them in a single, simple sentence.
Should the option say the key or the action first?
Say the action first, then the key: "For card services, press one." That way the caller learns which key to press the moment they hear their need, and doesn't have to remember keys.
How should I write numbers in a prompt script?
If the script will be voiced, spelling numbers out ("one", "two", "eight hundred") guarantees correct pronunciation. In languages like Turkish, it also guarantees the correct suffix.
How often should I update my prompts?
Update prompts immediately when campaigns, opening hours, holidays or menus change. With AI voiceover these updates take minutes, while a customer who hears outdated information loses both time and trust.